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Gabrijel Aluminium: 60 Years of Growth
Gabrijel Aluminium is a Slovenian family business founded by Stane Gabrijel in the 1960s. From its modest beginnings, the company developed into a global supplier of aluminium components for established international brands, including VW, Samsung, Philips, BSH, Bang & Olufsen, and others. The company manufactures complex decorative aluminium components by using both mechanical and surface treatment of aluminium. In 1999, the company opened an automatised aluminium anodising plant in Lavrica, enabling Gabrijel Aluminium to begin mass production. Their clients include manufacturers of TV sets, screens, computers, AV components, and loudspeakers. They work with manufacturers of household appliances, as well as the automobile, furniture, nautical, aviation, and railway industries, and many others. Due to its aesthetic appeal, lightweight nature, and ease of handling, aluminium is an attractive and highly sought-after material in these fields. Additionally, it is recyclable.
Founder Stane Gabrijel set up his first workshop together with his brother Miro in 1963. A year later, he officially established his own company. In 1991, he handed over the reins to his son Andrej Gabrijel, who remains the majority owner.
Through innovation and expertise, Gabrijel Aluminium delivers competitive solutions on a global scale. The fact that much of its output is exported serves as proof of this. The company employs almost 200 people, and its revenue continues to grow each year. In 2016, it generated revenue of 8.4 million euros; this grew to roughly 25.5 million in 2023. Andrej Gabrijel explains the team’s enthusiasm: “The word ‘no’ is not in our vocabulary. We push forward until we find a solution.”
So far, we haven’t shied away from any challenge or turned down any customer. We never stop until we find a solution.
Gabrijel Aluminium is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. From a small family workshop, the company has grown into a world-renowned manufacturer of aluminium components and is committed to quality and excellence.
From noodles to aluminium
The company began with Stane Gabrijel’s wish to create something on his own. In the early ‘60s, he teamed up with his brother Miro, a trained toolmaker, to convert a pigsty into a modest workshop, where they began making cooking accessories. “Our first product was a potato peeler, which was a novelty on the Slovenian market,” Stane recalls. He adds that, at the time, authorities were not particularly supportive of small businesses.
Soon after, they began to make noodle-making machines, which quickly became popular throughout the former Yugoslavia, particularly in Vojvodina and Croatia. “Our machines were transported throughout the former Yugoslavia in a Zastava 101 car. They were used by ‘egg ladies’ who sold eggs and noodles at farmers’ markets,” adds Andrej.
In the following years, the company explored new markets and expanded its product range, which contributed to its revenue growth. In 1981, the company opened an aluminium anodising workshop in its (now defunct) facility in Škofljica near Ljubljana. This marked a pivotal shift in the company’s focus, moving from kitchen accessories to anodising and decorative aluminium components. The first major orders came from BSH early this century, marking company’s specialisation in the manufacture of quality decorative aluminium components. In 2005, they relocated to new facilities in Grosuplje and began processing aluminium using state-of-the-art production lines.
“In the early ‘60s Stane Gabrijel teamed up with his brother Miro, a trained toolmaker, to convert a pigsty into a modest workshop, where they began making cooking accessories.
The son’s ambition gave the company new wings
In 1972, Stane’s wife, Janja Gabrijel, joined the company and assumed responsibility for accounting. Andrej, the second of three children, also helped his dad as a small boy. “When I was ten, I was sorting pieces in my father’s workshop. I later moved on to working on the machines.” I was always determined to exceed the production norms. Later on, I enjoyed working in the anodising plant,” recalls Andrej, who became an employee in 1987.
Taking over the company in 1992, aged 25, was a big step for Andrej. He took his father’s business to a new level. “My father never imposed his views on me. He supported me when I wanted to expand the company into industrial design,” Andrej explains. His vision has propelled the company to international success, and Gabrijel Aluminium now collaborates with some of the world’s largest brands. “You were driven by your ambition,” Stane tells Andrej.
Andrej inherited his father’s belief that they can always improve as a company, and that mindset has paid dividends. “At first, things were a bit forced. Sometimes, I worked a day and a half without a break,” Andrej admits, and adds that he soon began to invest in equipment and set up an automatised production line. He did this primarily to ease the burden on workers and to hire leaders, not just workers. “I know how to build teams and create a vision for years, even a decade, in advance. I have a sixth sense for that,” Andrej jokes. This includes the hiring of new managers, such as Marko Arzenšek and Andrej Pezdirc, who each head their own departments in the company. “I left the operations to them. I deal with strategic matters,” says Andrej. He takes pride in the team spirit and the sense of trust that permeates the company.
Andrej also helped his dad as a small boy. “When I was ten, I was sorting pieces in my father’s workshop. I later moved on to working on the machines.”
Not defined solely by aesthetics
During its six decades in existence, Gabrijel Aluminium has built an reputation as a manufacturer of quality aluminium components. These determine the aesthetic value of a product, something the company values greatly. However, their sense of aesthetics is not their only quality. “Most of all, I’m proud that we are the only provider that has developed a solution in a joint project with Philips.” This was a product range that makes up the outer casing of Senseo coffeemakers. It’s a complex product with a polished surface that cannot be machined by robots. We developed a special 3D polishing machine especially for this purpose,” Andrej explains.
The company is committed to quality, meeting the demands and wishes of their customers, and ensuring their complete satisfaction. They meticulously plan, engineer, and monitor the quality of their products in line with ISO standards. They also track the quality of incoming and outgoing products and issue measurement reports for each product. They emphasise the high job satisfaction and training of their employees, while also maintaining a long-term commitment to sustainability. In 2020, they were awarded by the public agency SPIRIT Slovenia for successfully completing the Academy for a Sustainable Strategic Business Transformation for the period of 2019/2020.
Gabrijel Aluminium celebrated their 60th anniversary in 2024. From a small family workshop, the company has grown into a world-renowned manufacturer of aluminium components and is committed to quality and excellence.
“Gabrijel Aluminium operates two distinct production lines that work in tandem: mechanical and surface aluminium processing.
Supporting the local environment
Gabrijel Aluminium invests considerable resources into environmental protection, and this is reflected in their manufacturing processes. As early as the 1980s, they set up their own wastewater treatment plant. Today, they operate in compliance with the highest environmental standards. Their commitment to the environment is an integral part of the company’s management system and corporate culture. They aim to prevent all kinds of pollution, while their products are manufactured in a way that minimises their environmental impact.
The company actively supports the local community, primarily in the sports arena. Andrej is a fan and supporter of basketball, serving alternately as a sponsor of the KK Grosuplje, a team he once led. “Through sports, I learned the importance of giving back to society. It’s the crucial extra step toward success,” Andrej emphasises. He was instrumental in developing local basketball teams and is committed to the principle of fair play.
“They meticulously plan, engineer, and monitor the quality of their products in line with ISO standards. They also track the quality of incoming and outgoing products and issue measurement reports for each product.
Greater output = more opportunities
Gabrijel Aluminium operates two distinct production lines that work in tandem: mechanical and surface aluminium processing. The anodising plant is a part of the latter. The company recently set up a new anodising line, a key investment valued at ten million euros. This investment boosted the company’s production capacity, fostering growth and enabling the manufacture of higher-quality products. The company plans to expand its mechanical processing and focus on more complex technical and decorative products, while re-purposing old production lines for specific manufacturing processes, thereby ensuring stability and growth for the next five to ten years.
In the near future, the team plans to expand production facilities to more than 12,000 square metres, enabling them to venture into new areas, including e-mobility. “Our vision is to remain a leader in decorative aluminium components in Europe and continue to expand,” says Andrej.
Company name: GABRIJEL ALUMINIUM d.o.o.
Number of employees (2023): 180
Net sales revenue (2023): €25.5 million
Interviewees:
Stane Gabrijel, Founder
Andrej Gabrijel, Owner
Summary
GABRIJEL ALUMINIUM in a nutshell: quality, aesthetics, innovation, a global mindset, sustainability.