The Origins of Love Aluminium

That’s me in the front with my white cardigan on looking so young! 

Fast forward to now and I am equipped with 30 years experience within the aluminium industry, so here’s a little background for you...

After a year at catering college (despite meeting Gordon Ramsey before he was famous), I realised that this was no longer a path I wanted to follow. From there, I found myself in the local careers office. 

“I think I want to work in an office…” I told them. It was then I was told about the Government’s Youth Training Scheme (YTS). 

The aluminium factory in Banbury had been there since 1931 and was steeped with history, having played an important role during the war making sheet for the Spitfires. It was a target for the Germans and so a dummy factory was built just up the road. 

They fell for it as it was bombed. 

So, the ‘Northern Aluminium Factory’ as it was then named, remained for many years to come producing aluminium from Banbury. 

In 1985 it was owned by Alcan, I wrote an application to the Personnel Department and was accepted onto the YTS scheme. I was paid ￡30 weekly - ￡5 of which went to my Mum! I also had to go to college one day a week for a business course. 

I was placed in the Scheduling and Sales office during this time and I learnt how to make sure the aluminium extrusion presses had the right amount of work to keep the factory going. My days went like this; I had to walk around the shop floor and count up how much work they had done, collect the press log and input the information into the antiquated computer system.

Walking around all the men in the factory was quite daunting at the age of just 17 but I soon got used to it! I distinctly remember one day I slipped on some oil near the press and split my skirt all the way to the hip. Thankfully, the guys on the press promptly helped me to staple it up so I could get out with my dignity intact…

A few months into my YTS programme and a job came up in the Scheduling office - I got it! This was the start of my career in aluminium extrusion. 

From there, I moved onto Inside Sales where I was dealing with customers on the phone. In 1991, Minalex came to the Banbury factory, a miniature extrusion press from Gloucester, and I saw this as a new challenge and decided to join them. 

Minalex was selling to a completely different market sector with a focus on small, intricate extrusions with tight tolerances. 

A few years later, a position became available as an Account Manager to which I was successful. Now, I had a company car and travelled around the country visiting the customers and increasing the company’s sales of extrusions. 

Alcan became Alcoa and eventually Sapa but it was always fondly known as ‘The Ally’ and still is to this day. I spent 15 years at the Alcan and then went on to work for another aluminium extruder in Corby, again, as an Account Manager. 

After 4 years there, I worked for one of my customers which didn’t suit me as I preferred to sell the aluminium extrusions than the finished product! 

I then worked for an aluminium stockholder which introduced me to other aluminium extruders in Europe and made me realise that it was possible to buy in extrusion and sell it on in the UK. 

From there, the idea of setting up my own business was born. In 2005, I took the plunge. I resigned from my job and found myself sitting at home with a phone in my hand at the kitchen table. 

This was probably the most daunting time but I felt reassured in the fact that over the years I had worked hard, persevered and made a lot of contacts.

Fast forward to the current day and 14 years on I can honestly say it’s the best thing I ever did. 

I truly am passionate about what I do and at Love Aluminium we offer a range of services from aluminium extrusion to stock management. With plenty of years of experience under my belt, you can trust that all your extrusion needs will be dealt with in safe hands. 

If you’d like to find out more about the services we can offer you then please don’t hesitate to message me or email me at: [email protected] 

Website: https://www.lovealuminium.co.uk/ -- Tel: 0333 4560121