Business objective:
Outokumpu Copper Strip will lead global development in copper/brass strip for radiators and heaters. The company will act as part of the customer's development division in technology, materials, and processes for the manufacture of radiators and heaters in copper/brass, and will make an active contribution to cost-effective production for the customer.

History:
Outokumpu Copper Strip was previously known as Metallverken, which had antecedents going back to 1607. It had its original in the Skultuna works outside Västerås, where it made exclusive brass candlesticks for churches, castles, and stately homes. In 1986, it was acquired by the Finnish company Outokumpu.

Operational orientation, products and services:
Manufacturer of copper and brass strip for radiators and heaters for 30 years. The product programme consists of hyper-thin copper strip for manufacture of heat exchanger fins (0.025 mm), brass strip for tube manufacture (heat exchanger tubes), as well as brass strip for tanks and headers. Annual production for 1996 was about 90,000 tonnes.

Product development:
The company works closely with its customers, and develops new processes for copper/brass radiator strip manufacture, as well as new production methods, machinery and alloys for use in-house. It has its own wind-tunnel facility for radiator testing at Finspång, Sweden.

Environmental policy:
The company's manufacturing processes will involve minimal environmental damage. The new brazing technology, which eliminates lead from radiators, is an example of this. The technology also facilitates recovery of scrap copper/brass radiators. The production units at Zutphen in the Netherlands and Finspång in Sweden will be certificated to ISO 14 001 environmental standard in 1997.

Share ownership:
Outokumpu Copper Strip is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Finnish Outokumpu Copper Group. The Group has about 5,500 employees, is quoted on the stock exchange, and is 40% owned by the Finnish government.

Organisation including subsidiaries and sales agencies:
The Group's five divisions are Tube, Drawn Products, Rolled Products Europe, Rolled Products USA, and Strip.
Outokumpu Copper Strip belongs to the Strip Division. This also includes Electrostrip, which manufactures strip for vehicle electronics. The head office is at Västerås, Sweden, and the company also has offices in Japan, the USA, Thailand, Hong Kong, Turkey, Morocco, and Singapore. Manufacturing units are located at Zutphen (Holland), Finspång (Sweden) and Kenosha (Wisconsin, USA).

Turnover and exports:
Turnover is around SEK 3.5 billion, and some 95% of production goes for export. The fastest-growing markets are in Asia, the Middle-East, and Latin America. These three markets account for a third of sales, with the USA and Europe accounting for a further third each. World market share is 50%. Market share in Thailand is 65%.

No of employees: about 1,000
Chairman: Erkki Ström, Finland
Managing Director: Staffan Anger
Marketing Manager,
(Asia, S America and Iran): Gert Lundmark
Environmental Manager: Inga Magnusson
Media Contacts: Staffan Anger

Head Office:
Outokumpu Copper Strip AB
Kopparbergsvägen 28
S-721 88 VÄSTERÅS, Sweden
Tel: +46 2119 8000
Fax: +46 2119 8041