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Since production began in 1972, the extrusion plant has had different names, technology advances have replaced each other and the world has changed in every conceivable way, but the soul is the same, now and then. In the town of Magnor, the heart still beats to give people and the environment better conditions with the help of aluminum profiles, which find their way into more and more products.

There is a Norwegian saying that 'dear children have many names'. It really suits Hydro Magnor, even though the company is by no means a newcomer to the aluminum industry. Hydro Magnor is among the industry's most recognized and experienced extrusion plants.

Maybe it was a coincidence that the first trial press was done on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1972, or it was fate that made the business popular and talked about by an entire community. When the company saw the light of day, it went by the name Norsk Hydro Aluminumprofiler AS. Over the years, the company name was changed to Hydro Aluminum Magnor AS, Hydro Aluminumprofiler AS, Sapa Profiler Magnor AS and finally Hydro Extrusions Norway AS.

Regardless of the name, the small town on the Swedish border is still synonymous with aluminum.

‘All time high’

Since production started in earnest in March 1972 and Hydro Magnor delivered its first order of 2,732 kg to an English customer, a lot has happened, both within Hydro and the rest of the world. Last year, Hydro Magnor delivered an "all time high" in the volume of aluminum produced.

The aluminum profiles sold from Hydro Magnor are used in, for example, buildings, electronics, vehicles and for various offshore applications. From the beginning, 30 people stood by the levers in the factory. Today, the factory has a total of 105 full-time equivalents. In addition to extrusion of aluminum profiles, the company works with machining and surface treatment of profiles. In other words, the future looks bright, both for Hydro Magnor and for the products that are leaving the factory at an ever-increasing pace.

“It has been a unique journey for the company as part of a large group, but also for Magnor as a town. The facility means a lot to the area and it feels very good that we can contribute to the local community and at the same time support our customers internationally with high-quality and sustainable products. With the positive properties of aluminum, I am convinced that our product will play an even more important role in the next 50 years, both at Magnor and the rest of the world,” says Morten Bråten, factory manager at Hydro Magnor.

‘Pride and creativity in everything we do’

Like Hydro's other companies in the world, Hydro Magnor has three key values: care, courage and cooperation. These three words make a strong contribution to Hydro's ability to create a more sustainable society and turn natural resources into products and solutions that make a real difference in peoples lives.

“At Magnor, you hardly need to say the words out loud. They feel natural and are just as relevant today as they were during the first day of production fifty years ago,” says Gro Beathe S. Boger, HR Manager at Hydro Magnor.

“A large part of our success is based on the fact that we have respect for each other as people and the world we live in. We care about what happens inside and outside the factory, but also about what happens on the other side of the globe. There is also a built-in pride and creativity in everything we do. Together we create products and solutions that make a difference for people, society and the environment. Our birthday is really something to celebrate and be proud of,” says Boger.

Given the ongoing pandemic, the birthday will not be celebrated in the traditional way in February. The 50th anniversary will be celebrated at an appropriate time later in 2022, with a party for employees and pensioners, and celebrations for customers and other guests.