API Foilmakers, one year on

On 26th February 2021 API Foilmakers will mark one year from its acquisition of most of the European foils business assets of API Group, which had sunk into administration almost one month earlier. API Foilmakers Limited was formed just a few days before 26th February 2020 by Aldus Group of Australia. The express purpose of this acquisition was to back the ambition of the management team of API Foils Europe to relaunch the Scottish-based foils manufacturing operation and secure most of its European distribution network.

A focus on long Term Investment

In 2019 Aldus had acquired the foil making and distribution business Milford Astor of Melbourne, Australia, and was satisfied that the foils business was one in which it wanted to invest for the long-term.

2020 – a most challenging year

What a year it has been since 26th February 2020! Although the first stirrings of the pandemic were in the news, nobody anticipated the magnitude of the impact it would have on all of us. Like most people in the world, the API Foilmakers team members and their families, have not been untouched by the impact of Covid-19 and the thoughts of all in the organisation go out to all those who have suffered due to this terrible virus.

The whole API Foilmakers team is indebted not only to its patient shareholder, Aldus Pty, but even more importantly to its customers who have continued to work in tandem with the business throughout 2020 - a most challenging of twelve months. For this, we thank everyone for their professionalism and efforts. We continue to serve customers the world over: 3000 customers in 80 countries worldwide.

Strength and Sustainability

With this demonstration of customer loyalty and support, the Scottish based plant, API Foilmakers under new safety measures, returned to foil manufacturing within two months of the initial shut down. Remarkably, distribution services rarely missed a dispatch after March 2020 and has maintained this very successfully through the challenges of Brexit.

Quality and Environment

This success was partly the result of continuous investment in people, plant, and business development, along with improved safety and welfare facilities for the Livingston team. Going forward, API Foilmakers is now fully certified to the ISO 9001 and 14001 standards for Quality and Environment Management Systems.

Best in Class

The best-in-class new hot foil product series, UB and CB, have been relaunched and fully qualified by major global customer groups and new grades pigment stamping foils have been developed for specific applications. In cold foil TA Plus remains the standard by which other rotary cold foils are judged due to its productivity-enhancing characteristics.

And while the API Foilmakers team includes many experienced members from the former API Foils business, it has also attracted many new talents to the team thus building an energetic outward looking culture based on not only taking the best from its illustrious API heritage. More importantly, there is now an even sharper focus on meeting customer needs in today’s demanding marketplace.

Looking Ahead

The API Foilmakers team is both pleased and proud to have come through what has possibly been the most challenging 12 months for the world. They are now ready and relishing the opportunity to provide top quality foil and service as we all look forward to the long-awaited recovery.