Braidy Industries: Leading a National Transformation in the Use of Efficient, Eco-Friendly Aluminum Alloys

“The new Braidy Industries mill will focus on Series 5000, 6000, and 7000 aluminum sheet and plate products, while also supporting research and development to advance the science and technology of molten-metal manufacturing.”

Aluminum alloys market is majorly driven by the global tourism industry owing to rapid development in the commutation means such as land and air. People are travelling from one place to another through various means of transport. The growing need for better and superior transportation is to surpass the industrialization is likely to push the market in the near future.

In view of the above-mentioned scenario, we’re delighted to present Braidy Industries.

Braidy Industries manufacture aluminum alloys for global transportation and defense industries. The company was incorporated in 2016 and is headquartered in Ashland, Kentucky.

Braidy Industries: Synopsis

Leading the Generational Shift in Materials Science

Braidy Industries was created by Craig T. Bouchard to lead a national transformation in the use of efficient, eco-friendly aluminum alloys that are also lighter and stronger. Its goal is to lead the generational shift in materials science that is currently underway.

With a board of directors that includes acknowledged experts in business, research, development, and materials science, Braidy Industries is ideally positioned to take advantage of the rapidly growing market for aluminum in the automotive and aerospace industries.

Braidy’sRevolutionary New Aluminum Mill

Braidy’s initial project—a 2.5 million-square-foot, fully integrated aluminum rolling mill in Eastern Kentucky that will be the most technically advanced mill in the U.S.—will be built with a roughly $1.6 billion investment.

It will be the first new mill of its kind in the U.S. in more than 30 years and will create up to 1000 construction jobs. Upon completion of the factory, Braidy will be able to provide 600+ full-time, well-paying skilled labor and administration jobs.

Located in Greenup County, near Ashland, Kentucky, the mill is ideally located on the Ohio River, with already permitted barge capacity.

A State-of-the-Art Aluminum Company

The new Braidy Industries mill will focus on Series 5000, 6000, and 7000 aluminum sheet and plate products, while also supporting research and development to advance the science and technology of molten-metal manufacturing.

With board members that include prominent MIT scientists, Braidy’sown in-house R&D department, and a thirst for innovation, the company plans to continually outpace its competition in developing new technology and materials that will become a major part of building a more efficient, sustainable future.

Braidy’sCompetitive Advantages

Through Braidy’s collaboration with local and state government officials and the Ashland Alliance, it has partnered with the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) to receive up to $10 million in tax incentives through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The company will also be working with the Kentucky Skills Network, which will provide it with no-cost job recruitment and placement services, reduced-cost customized training, and other job training incentives.

Those important local connections will help form the backbone of Braidy’ssuccess, but its growth will be dependent on numerous competitive advantages in the aluminum sector that will allow it to offer the highest quality aluminum products at the lowest prices.

Braidy’scompetitive advantages include:

• Highly respected and successful board of directors
• No environmental legacy costs due to “green” plant design
• Lower energy prices due to deal with local energy company
• Highly efficient plant design and logistics processes
• Easy access to highway, rail, and water transportation
• Located within a 300-mile radius of dozens of automotive and aerospace manufacturing facilities
• Located close to our aluminum supplier’s warehouse in Louisville, KY
• Top technical in-house R&D department
• Mini-mill scrap-driven technology
• Advanced robotics
• Closed-loop scrap recycling for automotive companies
• Non-union labor force (Kentucky recently passed “right-to-work” legislation)
• No pension legacy costs
• Fewer employees needed on a p/ton basis

Revitalizing Kentucky’s Coal Country

Through Braidy’scollaboration with local and state government officials and the Ashland Alliance, it has partnered with the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority to receive up to $10 million in tax incentives through the Kentucky Business Investment program.

Craig Bouchard, CEO: A Brief Background

Craig Bouchard became the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive OfficerBraidy Industries. Previously, Craig became the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Real Industry, Inc., (then Signature Group Holdings) in June 2013 after leading a proxy battle to remove the company’s board. This was Craig’s third successful hostile takeover on Wall Street. The company grew from $40 million of annual revenue in 2013 to roughly $1.3 billion under Craig’s stewardship.

In 2010, Craig founded Shale-Inland, named for his daughter Shale, and his father’s company, Inland Steel. Shale-Inland is the nation’s leading master distributor of stainless steel pipe, valves and fittings, stamped and fabricated parts to the US energy industry. The company’s revenues grew from $10 million in 2010 to roughly $800 million by 2012.

In 2004, Craig co-founded Esmark Inc. a company that acquired nine steel companies, including the celebrated hostile takeover of Wheeling Pittsburgh Corporation on its way to becoming the 4th largest American steel company. Craig innovated the first hostile reverse tender merger in Wall Street history in 2007 when the Wheeling board and executive management team were removed at its annual shareholder meeting. Esmark revenues grew from $4 million in 2003 to $3.5 billion in 2008. The company was sold in 2008 for $1.25 billion. That year Esmark (ESMK) became the highest appreciating stock on either the NASDAQ or NYSE (for the full year). The story is chronicled in “America For Sale, How the Foreign Pack Circled and Devoured Esmark.” Copyright 2009 Craig T. Bouchard and James V. Koch, (ABC-CLIO.)

Craig holds a Bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University (1975), a Master’s Degree in Economics from Illinois State University (1977), and Honorary Doctorate of Science from Illinois State University, and an MBA from the University of Chicago (1981).

“Braidy Industries is ideally positioned to take advantage of the rapidly growing market for aluminum in the automotive and aerospace industries.”