On a Steady Course

Shipbuilding has been undergoing continuous transformation for years. New operating profiles and rising efficiency requirements place increasingly demanding expectations on design and material selection. Aluminium has played a decisive role in this development: what once began as a lightweight option has evolved into a key material for many maritime applications. At the same time, the perspective on the material itself has sharpened. Modern shipbuilding is no longer just about weight advantages or good weldability. What truly matters is how reliably material properties can be ensured over long service lives, changing loads, and international project requirements.

6xxx aluminium alloys for high-performance busbars

The global transition toward renewable energy and electrified infrastructure is driving rapid growth in high-power electrical systems. Wind and solar power plants, energy storage systems, electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, data centres and modern power grids all depend on efficient, reliable, and scalable solutions for electrical power transmission and distribution. Within this context, busbars play a critical role as compact conductors designed to carry high currents with low electrical losses and high operational stability.

Research. Support. Leading the way

For almost two decades, Helmut Kaufmann has shaped AMAG’s development in Ranshofen as a member of the Management Board: the IPO in a challenging environment, a comprehensive expansion and modernization program, and the consistent strengthening of research, technology, and partnerships. In this interview with AluReport, he looks back and ahead and explains why, in the end, one thing matters most to him: people.

On a Steady Course

6xxx aluminium alloys for high-performance busbars

Research. Support. Leading the way

Titanium as an additional pillar in aircraft manufacturing

Material selection in the aerospace industry has always been a careful balancing act. Topics such as weight reduction, structural integrity, and durability are of paramount importance. In addition to the indispensable material aluminium, titanium has established itself as another key pillar in aircraft manufacturing since the 1950s.

Anode materials for aluminium batteries

The global transformation of energy systems requires innovative storage solutions that go beyond established lithium ion technology. Rechargeable aluminium batteries (RABs) are considered promising candidates for large, stationary applications in the context of renewable energy sources due to their exceptional theoretical capacity, high level of safety, and the excellent availability of aluminium. However, the development of high performance anodes has so far often been limited by the stable native oxide layer and the resulting interfacial reactions, which represent a major obstacle to stable and efficient aluminium plating and stripping in ionic electrolytes.

Thicker 6xxx plates

For many years, AMAG has been among the leading specialty suppliers of high quality aluminium flat products and is known for reliably producing demanding product dimensions and qualities on an industrial scale. When AMAG built its new hot rolling mill and plate production facilities as part of the large scale “AMAG 2014” project, the entire plant and process design was initially based on a maximum plate thickness of 6 inches.

Research. Support. Leading the way

AMAG is set to become a magnificent cathedral

We are meeting today for this conversation because a change is also imminent on the AMAG Scientific and Technological Advisory Board. Univ.-Prof. Peter Uggowitzer (ETH Zürich) will step down from the Board at the end of April 2026 and hand over the chairmanship to Univ.-Prof. Stefan Pogatscher (Technical University of Leoben, MUL).

6xxx aluminium alloys for high-performance busbars

Determination of the recycled content

Recycling is a key lever for a functional circular economy and sustainable industrial added-value. It conserves natural resources, reduces energy consumption, and lowers CO₂ emissions along the entire value chain. At the same time, recycling is becoming increasingly important economically in light of geopolitical uncertainties and volatile raw material markets. However, to fully realize this potential, not only technological solutions are needed, but also clear, transparent, and comparable framework conditions for all materials.

AMAG AL4® Defense

As Europe redefines its security landscape, the defense industry has moved to the forefront of industrial innovation. This strategic shift is driving record investments and an urgent demand for next-generation defense systems placing high-performance materials like aluminium at the heart of modern protection.