UK Automotive Production

Served by our network of extrusion presses in both the UK and Europe, our automotive production facility in Bedwas, South Wales, is specialized in producing a wide range of automotive components from structural beams and crash management systems to battery housing and anodized castings. Through dedicated production cells, we can take simple long length profiles or castings and turn them into ready to fit, light weight components.

Product Portfolio

Using aluminium extrusion as a material of choice provides components and parts that are light in weight, high in strength with greater design freedom. This creates a versatile opportunity for a wide range of vehicle applications. Our production services at Bedwas create the platform for our core product areas in structural components, e-mobility and battery housing and vehicle connecting systems.

Structural components: we specialise in producing fully assembled crash management systems including front and rear bumpers, crash boxes, door sills, side sills and side beams.

Battery housings & applications: from single profile battery casings to multi-part, fully assembled battery housing sets, utilizing aluminium and our fabrication offerings can enable for light weight, functional EV applications.

Connecting and fixture systems: a wide portfolio including fixtures, tread-plates, seating brackets and other connecting systems for body in white and structural components.

Services & Capabilities

Through continued investments and growth in technology, we have carefully expanded our range of production offerings to serve the automotive market in the UK through both core competencies and unique offerings for the UK market.

Cutting

Wide range of saws available including CNC, Double Mitre and 5 axis sawing.​  

Machining​

5 & 4 axis long bed CNC machining for components up to 12.2 meters in length. Available for solid blocks or profiles, suitable for prototypes with efficient production.

Punching​

Suitable from 1.5mm to 6mm wall thickness, capabilities to work for project requirements.  

Bending​ & Forming

Draw bending and roll forming with bending up to 180 degree arc, profiles up to 250mm(h), tight bends, multi-radii and reverse bends.

Welding​

Variety of capabilities based on project needs and OEM requirements including MIG, TIG & CMT welding. Material groups 21, 22, 23.1 for MiG & TiG.

FSW​

Friction Stir Welding – minimal heat impact with few easily controllable variables.

Assembly​

Product and/or Part assembly including riveting, fixings and adhesives

Anodizing

Available in natural finishes for parts up to 8,000mm in length with 5-25 microns for increased durability and corrosion resistance. Can be performed for long length profiles, casted parts and components.  

Within our production facilities, we also possess our in-house toolroom – fully equipped for designing, engineering and manufacturing specialist machine tools, including hydraulic and pneumatic, as well as bespoke jigs and fixtures for all of our machining operations.

Qualifications & Certifications

Our Bedwas production facility is fully accredited to ASI Performance and ASI Chain of Custody inline with our extrusion production facilities. Hydro Bedwas is also certified for ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO45001, ISO50001, IATF 16949 and EN1090 as well as being TISAX approved. Contact us directly for further information on qualifications and certifications.

Benefits of aluminium extrusion

Car designers are facing many challenges, modern vehicles need to be lighter for performance benefits, more sustainable to meet regulations and ambitions as well as more efficient in production to remain strong in a competitive market. The unique properties of aluminium, combined with the efficiency of the extrusion process, enable vast opportunities for lighter, safer and greener components and vehicles.

From advanced alloys for high strength and crash applications, to recycled and low carbon aluminium, our alloy portfolio can help tackle the challenges you are faced with. Utilizing extrusion and fabrication, in one seamless production chain, can result in improved cost efficiency with less waste material and higher reliability.