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is a company specialized in aluminium products, starting from its early days as a supplier of reflector components for local Italian companies to its present position as a supplier to all the world’s major lighting system producers. This specialisation has led the Group to become one of the world's biggest producers of components for the lighting technology, solar energy industries and decorative market.

Electrochemical polishing or brightening
Anodising
Colouring

Electrochemical polishing or brightening

It is well-known that the reflective properties of aluminium can be enhanced by reducing the roughness of the surface.
This can be achieved in an electrochemical cell in which the aluminium strip represents the anode.
Under certain conditions linked to the voltage, current density and chemical composition of the bath, the metal dissolution speed will be quicker on the rough areas than on the rest of the surface.

This makes it possible to achieve an "electrochemical" polishing, increasing the surface's brightness.

Thanks to a lot of research carried out in this area, Almeco Group has over the years developed a particularly effective micro-electrochemical polishing technique for aluminium.
This exclusive technique enables to significantly reduce the level of surface defects, achieving high-quality mirror-like surfaces from cold-rolled products. It can also be used to increase the brightness of coloured products.

Electrochemical polshing

Anodising

In the same way as brightening, anodising represents another electrochemical technique.
During anodisation, the surface of the aluminium strip, representing the anode for an electrochemical cell, is oxidised and transformed into aluminium oxide.

This transformation, called anodising, can be controlled.

The oxide layer formed in this way, which is also known as the anodic layer, is closely linked to the aluminium matrix. It offers the aluminium significant protection, while remaining transparent, and therefore invisible.
The structure of the aluminium oxide formed during anodising may be porous or compact, depending on the specific technique used.
A compact oxide layer is characterized by significant barrier properties in relation to external agents and electric currents.
On account of its isolating nature, its thickness is limited to just a few hundred nanometres.
Although the pores, in the same way as the oxide layer, are invisible to the naked eye, they give the aluminium a number of exclusive strengths. Indeed, a porous oxide layer is highly sought-after for various design uses : it can be coloured, its thickness can easily be controlled and adapted for different uses, and it can be used as a primary layer for subsequent treatments.

However, for the anodised products to be homogenous and reproducible, the anodising technique must be perfectly under control. Almeco Group is able to control all the parameters involved in anodising.

The thickness and structure of the oxide layer can be adjusted depending on operating conditions.
Decor product range can be anodised in a controlled way on both the front and the reverse side of the metal, opening up a wide range of possible uses.

Colouring

By its very nature, the porous oxide layer is able to be coloured.

During colouring, dye particles spread through the pores in line with a capillary process, giving the transparent anodic layer a clearly determined colour.
The final shade of the anodised surface depends on the nature of the dye and a number of other parameters, which are just as important.

Colouring

Thanks to its expertise on this technique, built up through its extensive experience, Almeco Group is able to guarantee an excellent level of reproducibility on its colours, offering a large variety of products today.

Each year, new colours are developed to meet new customer needs.