Impol's history

1825-1914

• Founding of a company producing forged copper products
• Gradual expansion of the range of finished products and copper, brass and bronze semi-manufactures.

1915-1945

• Following a complete standstill of operations during World War I, resumed expansion of activities in the field of copper, brass and bronze rolled products and wires.

1946-1952

• The final period of exclusive production of copper and brass products.

1952-1960

• Gradual reorientation of production from copper to aluminium due to increased consumption of aluminium and estimates of its potential. The construction of an aluminium factory in Kidricevo contributed to the decision on reorientation.

1961-1965

• Renovation and modernization of the extrusion plant and the wire factory. Penetration of international markets, to the technological peak of this branch of industry.

1966-1970

• Renovation and modernization of the rolling mill. Production increased from 17,000 to 30,000 tons per year.

1971-1980

• Construction of a foil production and finishing plant
• Construction of a new building for the production of extruded products.
• Introduction of a new electrolytic oxidation procedure.
• Modernization of the production of wire products and beginning of production of welding materials.
• Production increased to 40,000 tons per year.

1976-1992

• The period of formal merger with neighbouring smelter TALUM, Kidričevo, in the organization called UNIAL. From that period till now close cooperation which results in long-term agreement for 40,000 t of aluminium slabs and billets.

1981-1990

• Installation of two cold Quarto-rolling mills.
• Construction of a new building for finishing aluminium.
• Renovation and modernization of the foundry with the introduction of modern surface and heat treatment of casts.
• Preparations for the introduction of modern manufacturing technology for high-quality extruded and drawn products.

1991-1995

• In the rolling plant, restructuring of the program for the production of more demanding products (circles, embossed sheets and coils, tread plate) and fulfilment of needs in new fields. The company becomes primarily oriented towards exports, since it sells 80% of its total production to foreign markets. Impol begins establishing subsidiaries abroad and becomes an international company.
• Investment into the modernization of the extruded products program in order to expand our product range in the field of extruded and drawn rods and wiresAcquisition of the ISO 9001 standard in 1992 confirms the merits of our business operation methods, in accordance with the highest requirements of the international community. In 1995, another certificate is received, and efforts are continued towards total quality management.

1996-1999

• Modernization of the production of extruded products (profiles, rods, bars).
• Discontinuation of all programs not directly involved with the central metallurgical activities.
• Introduction of strict ecological standards.
• Production increased to 60,000 tons.
• Introduction of a new method of strategic management and transformation into a joint-stock company

2000

• Acquisition of the ISO 14001 standard.
• Impol has a staff of 860 highly skilled workers that produce and sell over 74,000 tons of products a year.
• Our most important markets are those in Germany, Slovenia, Italy, the United States, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, France, Australia. The company’s annual turnover exceeds 180 million American dollars

2001

• A complete new and modified company strategy and market positioning till 2005 has been defined and accepted, where, for the first time, acquisitions and expansions have an important role in a company growth. Within this new strategy several investments have gotten a green light: modernisation of the foundry with new casting facilities, a complete new foil plant, a new press for hard alloyed bars and profiles etc.
• Impol has sold over 80,000 tons of products and turnover reached 191 millions of USD.

2002

• Profit is practically the same as last year’s. Profit totaled to 1 milliard SIT. Reached profit is a real ground for Impol to build its further development. In 2002, Impol acted in extremely turbulent environment that was recessional for more than half a year. Some changes were created by Impol and those changes that were harder to cope with were created by the environment.
• In 2002, Impol bought 70 percent of share of Impol Seval a. d, Sevojno from Serbia and expended its business also to international environment. In this way it set the expansion to the markets where it had previously not been present.
• 2002 was a turning point also for other developmental directions in Impol: finishing the modernization of the press. With the beginning of the last phase of modernization of rolling activities in the connection to the purchase of Impol Seval, Impol has finally formed the program of more demanding rolling and press production programs. Market possibilities of Impol increased by preserving the diversification of production programs.
• We have devoted most of our attention to quality. We have renovated the certificate of the system of quality with a version ISO 9001 : 2000. We have also set the basics for gaining the certificate of the system of quality in auto industry ISO/TS 16949.
• Impol is aware of the fact that it has a gradual effect on the environment. In accordance to the system of environmental standard SIO:14001, Impol prevents that it would harm the environment with harmful emissions.
• Impol received an acknowledgement by the Republic of Slovenia for business excellence for 2002. According to experts this shows to its adequate organizations of all business processes.

2003

• In 2003, the Impol Group processed and sold more than one hundred thousand tonnes of aluminium products.
• It was the year of the biggest investments to date – €48 million was spent for restructuring of the rolling programme.
• Impol entered the select committee of four business most excellent Slovene companies at the competition for the award for business excellence.
• European patent agent protected Impol´s alloy D90.
• On the list of the biggest Slovene exporters in 2003, Impol was the third biggest exporters to the countries of the European Union and the tenth biggest clear exporter.
• In 2003, we successfully carried out the needed activities for gaining the standard of the quality for auto industry, ISO TS 16964 as something higher that standard ISO 9001:2000.

2004

• Impol, d.d., was the sixth largest Slovene exporter to EU member states in 2004.
• In 2004, Impol d.d. introduced new technologies and optimized production in the rolling and pressing programs. The share of rolled products attained 60 percent of the entire production.
• Impol was in 2004 once again among the three finalists for the Business Excellence Award of the Republic of Slovenia. The company received two special awards for progress made in the introduction of the business excellence method.
• The production processes foundry and pipes have with their support processes gained the ISO TS 16949 certificate with special demands for the application of the ISO 9001 standard for serial production and production of replacement parts in the car industry.
• Impol is successfully developing its own research activities - in 2004, 18 researchers prepared 40 development and research studies.
• The company once again confirmed its environmental awareness as regards the use of resources. The use of non-potable water decreased 52 percent respectively 387,000 m3 in 2004 as compared to the year before.
• In 2004, Impol concluded the preparations for the process structure of the company

2005

• Impol celebrated the 180th anniversary of its operations as an organized company in the year 2005.
• Group Impol was the seventh largest exporter respectively the largest exporter in the region of Podravje according to total exports in 2005. The Group was also the fourth largest exporter to the European Union.
• In 2005, we processed and sold for 139,769 tons of aluminium products.
• The sale of products of Group Impol increased 14 percent in comparison to 2004 as regards quantity.
• In the production structure, we above all increased the share of foils, the most demanding rolled product, in 2005.
• In 2005, the Impol system continued its investment cycle that ensures competitiveness on the global market. The intensity of investments was smaller than in the previous year, but nevertheless still on a very high level. Investments altogether amounted to almost seven billion SIT.
• Impol provides for the preservation of natural resources. Investments into new technologies thus shouldn’t only increase productivity, but also minimize effects on the environment. Environment protection and the health safety of our employees is constantly checked and improved through systems ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001.
• In April 2005, the production programs were divided into the division of rolled and division of press programs in order to improve the production process in terms of technique and development.
• In 2005, Impol didn’t expand its activities to new areas, because it devoted all of its attention to the improvement, modernization and better use of the existing capacities. At the same time, the company specialized and restructured its production programs. The company gave up the production of products with low added value in Slovenia.
• Inventiveness is gaining on importance. As many as 266 employees prepared more than 170 useful proposals.

2006

• The production equipment for the rolling and foundry activities of Impol Seval, a. d., operating in Serbia, was modernised.
• The Impol Group exceeded 400 million euros of annual turnover.
• The Impol Group was the sixth largest Slovenian exporter; in terms of selling to the European Union it came third. The value of exports amounted to 378 million euros.
• The Impol Group was thirteenth in terms of financial revenues of the companies in the Republic of Slovenia, and fortieth in terms of the number of employees.
• The Impol Group invested 2.7 million euros in research and development.Impol, d. d., underwent an internal reorganisation resulting in the group operating as a holding concern.
• Operation activities were organised in five new subsidiary companies included in the Impol Group. The basic aim of the reorganisation was to increase the added value for the whole group, as well as increasing its profitability.

• Event that will have had the longest-term influence on the operation of the Impol Group (also referred to as Impol) took place in October when Ipol 2000, d.d., bought, at an auction, another 45 percent of the shares of Impol, d.d., to  be added to the amount covering almost 49 percent of of the shares that Impol, 2000, d.d., had already controlled before this purchase. As a result, Impol 2000, d.d., having a total of 94 percent of the shares of Impol, d.d., became the controlling company within the group, which, thus, increased by two new companies, while Impol, d.d., became one of the subsidiaries in the group.
• For the first time during its operation, Impol realised half a billion euros.
• In 2007 Impol was the fifth largest exporter in Slovenia.
• The production amount exceeded 160,000 tones, while the annual growth was 11 percent.
• Since 1 January 2007 Impol has been operating within a different organisational structure. Most of its support services are provided an a contractual basis, by outsourcing, while each production programme is organised, as a processing activity, within  a specific company.
• In 2007 Impol upgraded its information tehnology, providing support to risk insurance and risk management. The prices for aluminium raw materials are controlled by avoiding the risks associated with their abrupt and significant changes.

2007

• Event that will have had the longest-term influence on the operation of the Impol Group (also referred to as Impol) took place in October when Ipol 2000, d.d., bought, at an auction, another 45 percent of the shares of Impol, d.d., to  be added to the amount covering almost 49 percent of of the shares that Impol, 2000, d.d., had already controlled before this purchase. As a result, Impol 2000, d.d., having a total of 94 percent of the shares of Impol, d.d., became the controlling company within the group, which, thus, increased by two new companies, while Impol, d.d., became one of the subsidiaries in the group.
• For the first time during its operation, Impol realised half a billion euros.
• In 2007 Impol was the fifth largest exporter in Slovenia.
• The production amount exceeded 160,000 tones, while the annual growth was 11 percent.
• Since 1 January 2007 Impol has been operating within a different organisational structure. Most of its support services are provided an a contractual basis, by outsourcing, while each production programme is organised, as a processing activity, within  a specific company.
• In 2007 Impol upgraded its information tehnology, providing support to risk insurance and risk management. The prices for aluminium raw materials are controlled by avoiding the risks associated with their abrupt and significant changes.The sales of aluminium products account for 98 percent of all of Impol's sales.