Five plants, one coastline

Böss Group runs five plants down the length of the country, and they do different jobs rather than the same job five times. Billet is cast and homogenised at Yen Bai. The main press hall, powder coating, final inspection and container loading are at Binh Duong. Anodising is at Quy Nhon, beside the port. The die shop and the second press hall are at Thanh Hoa, and fabrication and machining are at Nghe An. Together they draw 62,000 tonnes a year.

Keeping extrusion, anodising, powder coating and fabrication under one roof is the reason a customer can order a complete window system rather than a bundle of bars. It also means that when a colour has to be matched two years after the first delivery, the matching is done on the line that made the original, against a retained sample, rather than negotiated between three subcontractors.

Finished aluminium leaves for four export regions, and they do not ask the same question first. North America takes the largest share at 34 per cent and asks about AAMA classes and lead time. The European Union is 31 per cent and opens on thermal performance and recycled content. ASEAN is 23 per cent and three days away by road. Australia is 12 per cent and asks about cyclonic rating and coastal exposure. The specification that follows is different in each case, and it is cheaper to say so at the enquiry than at the first delivery.