Hydro has never let us down.

The Belgian company Aluvision designs and manufactures systems for the stand building and event industry. "This year marks our twentieth anniversary," says Michiel Lesage, R&D Manager at Aluvision. "And all this time, we have been working together with Hydro (formerly Sapa). Due to the longstanding contact with the same individuals, many things go without saying. Hydro understands our way of working, and vice versa. We share the same values, such as doing what you say and saying what you do."

Advice and support
In his role, Michiel is responsible for R&D. Additionally, he oversees the purchase of extrusion profiles and components, which are the core materials for the stands and displays. Michiel states, "Hydro really works with us. There is good contact with people both in Drunen and Raeren, and they are truly dedicated. We can always rely on advice from their drawing office, whether it's technical feedback or innovative ideas; Hydro really supports us every step of the way with both advice and action. They go the extra mile. For example, Hydro contributed to the development of the Omni-55 Pro, our high runner, which is pressed in Drunen."

From inside to outside
 "Hydro has never let us down. They are more than an extruder; they are truly a partner," says Michiel. This was evident also during the pandemic. "During that period, we suddenly had no more business because events were not allowed to take place. Fortunately, we could place orders on hold at that time. Very nice, Hydro’s flexible attitude of Hydro about those things." "At Aluvision, we didn't throw in the towel during that time. We applied our innovative approach to modularly organize interior spaces to the outdoors. This led to the creation of an outdoor segment. For about three years now, we have been delivering an outdoor range under the Sundaze brand, including pergolas and cabanas. Hydro in Raeren is our main partner for the extrusion of these products." "We are working together to reduce our footprint."

Knowledge from the source
 "Where could Hydro improve even further?" Michiel needs a moment to think about this question. "They could further expand the Profile Academy. I saw with my own eyes how the entire process works there. That is also interesting for our entire R&D team. How can we design our profile so that it can be extruded as efficiently as possible? The beauty of the academy is that you get it directly from the source!"

Sustainable packaging
Sustainability is also an important theme in which Aluvision and Hydro aim to take further steps together. "Hold on a moment," says Michiel. A minute later, he shows a blue strip and explains: "The profiles that Hydro makes for us are delivered on a pallet. Usually, they are wrapped in plastic film, a packaging method that generates waste." "This reusable packaging strip with subdivisions is specially developed so that, for example, our Omni-55 Pro profile –which we produce in high volumes – can be transported without all that plastic. We expect to implement this sustainable packaging method after the summer. This way, we are working together to reduce our footprint and become progressively more sustainable."

Alain Defour, Key Account Manager at Hydro Extrusion Raeren: "I find it very impressive what Aluvision has managed to achieve during the pandemic. Suddenly, they were faced with a total collapse of their market. Through product diversification, they were able to benefit from the fact that there was a significant demand for these outdoor products among consumers. This allowed them to partially utilize their production capacity. Now, three years later, trade shows are running at full speed again, and the outdoor department has grown significantly. The future looks very bright for Aluvision."