Technology

Elval’s success and long-term development lies in the power of innovation. Technological innovation is at the core of all our activities.

The Elval way Our technology center & services R&D Partnerships Innovation success stories Areas of expertise Quality excellence Customer technical support Quality certifications

Technology categories

The Elval way

Being customer centric means
being people centric

Advanced customisation defines Elval. We tailor our products and services on an individualized basis to meet specific customer needs and requirements in a cost-effective way. This is achieved through a customer-centric approach,
utilizing an interactive dialogue between our experienced team of technical experts and our clients, with an end result of premium-quality alloys and manufacturing. Continuous innovation, in cooperation with the customer, has made our aluminum solutions exceptional in versatility, efficiency and aesthetics, spanning a diverse range of aluminum production sectors: packaging, brazing, automotive, transportation and shipping. Solution- driven technical innovation has resulted in Elval’s wide spectrum of specialised products and manufacturing expertise.

Elval’s core of technical expertise and capabilities include:

Elval’s customers span the globe in more than 60 countries

Our technology center & services

Innovation is the road - Our customers’ success is the destination

Elval’s onsite technology center is the cornerstone to our innovative solutions. The center is an integral part of the Elval network consisting of a synthesis of departments. Through the center, customers gain fast track access to research and development in the areas of product design, process innovation and technical support, unmatched by market competitors.

Individual commitment to a group effort brings success

At the forefront of each product and process innovation is Elval’s technology team: an interactive group of multidisciplinary specialists. This team, working alongside our customers, creates solutions providing superior analytical and technological know-how. The departments of quality control, quality assurance, customer technical support, product development, metallurgy, and the chemistry lab, collaborate to develop new products and optimise existing product performance for 100% customer satisfaction.
Elval’s intensive customer- centric approach develops innovative solutions which deliver our customers’ commercial success.

Lean manufacturing efficiency

Elval implements the systematic method of lean manufacturing to reduce waste during the production process. Through streamlining the process, quality is improved while decreasing production time and cost. The benefits of lean manufacturing include:

improved quality
educed customer cost
improved delivery time
minimised environmental impact.

R&D Partnerships

Solving materials challenges with quality, innovation, and tailor-made solutions

Elval’s business partnerships create valuable innovation opportunities, cultivate new ideas, and ensure our R&D is aligned with market evolution and customer needs. These partnerships help create an extensive scientific network dedicated to discovering creative approaches to industry challenges and developing up-and-coming hi-tech products. Our strong focus on technology and innovation is reflected in the dedicated R&D partnerships we have with:

Elkeme, Hellenic research center for metals S.A.

Founded in 1999, Elkeme is a state-of-the-art laboratory, focusing on industrial research, technological development, and analysis in four major metal processing sectors (aluminum, copper, steel and zinc). Elkeme’s aim is to provide optimal solutions to our customers.
Elkeme activities are mainly focused on applied technological research towards:

improving the quality of existing products
developing new, innovative and high value products
optimizing industrial processes, to support energy and cost efficient operations, with respect for human health and safety, as well as for the environment.

Research at Elkeme, is carried out by expert scientists, researchers and engineers – mainly metallurgists, chemists and chemical engineers, with the use of highly sophisticated analytical equipment.

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Teka Systems S.A. - Engineering projects & ERP systems

Teka Systems S.A, undertakes highly demanding engineering projects in the aluminum, copper, steel, power and telecommunication cables industries, as well as in water treatment plants and water distribution networks. It also implements ERP systems in the fields of manufacturing, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and logistics, among others.
Teka Systems offers the following services:

Engineering
Construction
Erection and commissioning of industrial or manufacturing equipment
Process and automation technologies for integrated projects
Study and implementation of ERP systems.

UEHEM - UACJ Elval Heat exchanger materials GmbH

In 2015 Elval joined forces with UACJ (United aluminum company of Japan) and established Uehem, a company selling automotive heat exchanger materials (brazing alloys) in Europe. Combining UACJ’s cutting edge technology in brazing alloys and Elval’s unsurpassed quality production and customer service, Uehem brazing alloys have secured an impressive share of the European market. Our partnership with UACJ further establishes our global supply and sales network as we strive to ensure that Elval is a highly competitive aluminum supplier with a secure foothold in the global marketplace.

Innovation success stories

Understanding customer needs
and market shifts

Innovation is at the heart of Elval. Our objective is simple – to provide customers and the market with the best aluminum solutions. To achieve this, we first work to understand their needs and then provide the trusted know-how, reliable alloys, and ground breaking technologies, which are synonymous with Elval, to meet those needs.

Internationally recognised for dependability

Areas of expertise

Elval expertise creates optimal solutions

Alloy design and metallurgical solutions Production process design and optimisation Surface treatments Advance coatings Mechanical testing Evaluation technology Automation & supervisory control Process analysis & statistics

Our end result: World-class quality products

With an annual production of 280,000 tons of aluminum and growing, Elval has grown from a medium-sized regional producer to a global force in the aluminum industry. This is a result of Elval’s dedication to constant improvement of its production base.

Our team’s objectives are to:

increase production capacity
increases efficiency through streamlining of manufacturing units
increase sustainability
reduce production waste
increase control over production quality

These objectives are achieved by focusing investment in the following areas:

Equipment

Elval is constantly investing in and updating equipment in response to the market, new product demands by customers and cost advantages. Investment is made at all levels including: mechanical, electrical, software and process improvements. The result is a wide range of premium products.

Elval is one of the few manufactures in Europe with the capability to produce jumbo coil.

Procedures

Our technology department along with production developers oversee process innovation and quality control. Procedures are meticulously monitored and adjusted based on achieved performance and product quality. Innovation is customer driven whether it is by meeting customer specific demands or making proactive suggestions.

Human resources

At Elval our team is our most valuable asset

Investing in our people is vital to our success. Both internal and external training is provided to our personnel on an ongoing basis as well as an integrated inter-departmental cooperation to ensure optimal transfer of knowledge and experience that keeps the Elval team in top form.

Elval grain

Elval’s innovative manufacturing produces value - added products and solutions

In response to the needs of truck manufactures for high-quality aluminum truck beds, Elval grain was developed. Registered with the European patent office, Elval grain aluminum sheets (up to 13.5 meters in length) are embossed with a specially-designed pattern on the surface and are perfectly bonded with the body of delivery trucks.

Elval grain’s superior quality results in:

ant-skid properties during transit
60% noise reduction during loading/unloading
durability
super strength
easy maintenance

Coating innovation: Putting the finishing touches on your high performance aluminum product

Constant innovation has brought Elval’s coatings and treatments of aluminum sheets and coils to the forefront of the industry with respect to durability, versatility, aesthetics, environmental and social responsibility. Coating types and systems are selected and applied according to customer needs, with the input of Elval’s experienced technology team.
Following pre-treatment of the metal substrate, a liquid-based paint is applied to the coil ensuring homogeneity of the coating film. Polyester, polyurethane and PVDF systems are available according to customer specifications. Elval’s coil coating process results in optimal color finish and maximum durability.

Coating lines

Liquid coatings are applied in a coil coating process, in which the coil is uncoiled and the sheet goes through consecutive baths, where it is chemically cleaned, rinsed, dried, and painted with protective coats and primer. The final steps in the coating line are the application of the finishing coat followed by the curing process and after which the sheet is re-coiled.
Elval’s advanced coating lines produce premium treated aluminum.

Quality as a top priority

Elval’s coating process and products rigorously adhere to regulation on food and safety as well as environmental protection. We have developed a wide range of performance coatings for a variety of functions.

The BPA-NI guarantee

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical substance used in a series of everyday plastic –coated products. It is an important ingredient in epoxy resins used to paint and coating materials. However, in recent years various studies have shown some harmful properties of this substance for human health. Product labelling is now required in certain product categories with the label BPA-NI (BPA non-intent) which indicates that BPA has not been used in the development of the product. In response to this health concern, Elval, in 2014, developed BPA free paints, which are now used in various Elval products. Elval uses the BPA-NI label in the following ways:

All lacquers used for painting are classified as BPA-NI or not.
All end materials are automatically classified as BPA-NI or not depending on their coatings.
Labels on new orders are color coded depending on their BPA status, using different printers.

Certified quality assurance promotes customer confidence

Elval’s mechanical testing lab offers state-of-the-art equipment for dynamic and static tests as well as failure mechanics.
Elval’s client-focused service model ensures that your budget and timeline come first. Our team customizes testing and reporting to meet even your most demanding project specifications. The testing procedure follows the methodology outlined for the specific European standard or European Norm (EN).
Our core mechanical testing includes:

Yield stress/strength testing
Tensile strength testing
Elongation/bend testing

Additional tests are available based upon client needs:

Earing testing measures the uniformity of the metal.
The Erichsen cupping testing measures the ability of metallic sheets and strips to undergo plastic deformation in stretch forming.
Hardness Testing Measures the hardness of the tested material via a differential depth measurement (depth of the indentation).
Impact Testing Measures the toughness of a material at a given temperature.
Shear Testing Determines the shear strength of the tested material.
ASTM G67 Determining the Susceptibility to Intergranular Corrosion of Aluminum Alloys by Mass Loss After Exposure to Nitric Acid (NAMLT Test)
ASTM G66 Visual Assessment of Exfoliation Corrosion Susceptibility of Aluminum Alloys (ASSET Test)
Chemical Analysis

Investing in testing equipment guarantees precision

Elval recently acquired new machinery for earing testing allowing for much thinner gauges of aluminum sheets.
Elval increased the number and quality of the cameras used on the manufacturing line (slitting line for intermediate and final slitting) for surface detection. In the brazing alloy manufacturing, Elval has a sophisticated testing procedure which is enhanced by a software program, developed specifically for us by the provider of the microscope camera system, which allows finite element analysis of the thickness ratios of the brazing alloy samples.

Quality excellence

Elval = Excellence

Quality Excellence is a purpose, a distinction of value and merit which is reached through an iterative process of methodology, analysis, and improvement. At Elval, the mechanism for achieving excellence is our Quality Management System.
We are continually investing in both our Quality Control Program and Quality Assurance Program in order to deliver a superior final product while protecting our family of of our employees and our neighboring environment. We demand integrity, effectiveness, and responsibility from our employees, partners and suppliers, which results in the excellence that is synonymous with Elval products.

Universal quality mindset = continuously improving operations

Read Elval’s Quality Policy

Product and process control

Elval control plans Quality department personel Quality monitoring Standards and certifications

Customer technical support

Our customers’ success is our success

Elval’s customers can expect outstanding service from our team of specialists from early product development stages through to after sales support. Our pledge of top quality means commitment to ongoing evaluations and troubleshooting to produce superior products that meet our customers’ requirements. Choosing Elval means choosing a high quality product and an outstanding technical support network.
To ensure quality and boost efficiency, guaranteeing customer satisfaction, Elval participates in the lean six sigma training courses with personnel from various departments: engineers, developers and technical experts, who together have achieved certification from the program including the top level of black belt. The six sigma method is applied on a continuous basis to problem solving, resulting in greater efficiency and quality control.

Lean Six Sigma = Customer Satisfaction

Quality certifications

Given Elval’s strong export orientation, the level of quality of the final goods is the cornerstone of their commercial success. Under this scope, all of the Group’s basic production plants are certified by local and/or internationally acknowledged organisations on the quality of the final products. With regards to the aluminium rolling production units, the production procedure of Elval’s industrial complex is fully certified according to IATF 16949:2016, ISO 9001:2015, AS9100D, while all products comply with European and US specifications and bear the quality marks of international organizations, such as Germanischer Lloyd, TÜV, Lloyds Register, Det Norske Veritas etc. Furthermore, environmental management is carried out in accordance with ISO 14001:20015.

Standards and certifications

Energy Management Systems Quality Management Systems Environmental Management Systems Occupational Health and Safety System Marine applications