UK Metals Council Chair named

Simon MacVicker, managing director of Bridgnorth Aluminium, the UK’s only aluminium coil manufacturer, has been appointed Chair of the newly-formed UK Metals Council.

This body, linked to Metals Forum, comprises leading UK metals companies, and speaks out for the UK metals sector with government and BIS. One of its primary roles is to deliver the UK Metals Industry Strategy, which was launched last year.

Mr MacVicker joined British Steel 1987, and undertook various commercial roles, selling steel around UK and Europe to a range of independent and multinational customers. 

In 1997 he moved to the aluminium industry when he joined Alusuisse as sales and marketing manager for lithographic printing products. In 2001 this business became a new lithographic products company, Bridgnorth Aluminium, under the ownership of Elval of Greece.

In 2004 Mr MacVicker was appointed managing director of Bridgnorth Aluminium, a position he holds today. Bridgnorth Aluminium is one of the largest aluminium business in the UK, a major exporter, and the only rolling mill in the UK producing aluminium coil. 

Mr MacVicker joined the Aluminium Federation’s Council in 2005, and was its President from 2014 to 2015. 

“With his extensive experience in both steel and aluminium, and in managing international businesses, Simon is the ideal person to take on this role at this challenging time,” said Sarah McCann-Bartlett, Chair of Metals Forum, the umbrella body covering UK metals industry trade bodies. “Indeed, in his first week, Simon represented the UK metals sector at a meeting with BIS and the Business Secretary, alongside the CBI, IOD and others, over business reaction to the vote to leave the EU.

”Simon will continue to represent the metals industry at this series of ‘round table’ meetings with government.”