Capral Aluminium marks its 90-year anniversary, reflecting the enduring role and unique history of aluminium in Australia, from supplying critical electricity network infrastructure in the 1940s, to now powering the nation’s world-leading transition to clean energy.
Capral Aluminium was established in 1936 through the Australian operations of the British Aluminium Company, at a time when a broader industrial shift was underway across the Western world.
It was in the 1930s that aluminium emerged as a viable alternative to copper in Australia’s electricity networks, offering comparable performance at a lower cost and with greater availability. Aluminium’s strong conductivity and lighter weight quickly positioned it as a critical material for transmission infrastructure. This shift drove major electricity providers, including the State Electricity Commission of Victoria, to expand their networks using aluminium conductors. As demand grew, Capral, formerly known as Australuco and later ALCAN, played a foundational role in developing Australia’s renowned aluminium manufacturing capability.
By the early 1940s, Capral’s Granville operations in New South Wales were producing the country’s first locally manufactured aluminium sheet and extrusions, supporting both wartime production and post-war reconstruction.
And then in the mid-20th century, as Australia’s electricity networks rapidly expanded, aluminium became embedded across transmission and distribution systems, substations and a wide range of industrial applications.
Throughout its 90 years in operation, Capral has continued grow alongside the nation’s industrial base, supplying aluminium into construction, transport and marine projects, and most recently, Australia’s renewable projects as part of the nation’s broader transition to clean energy and net zero goals in the 21st century.
Continuity through change
Although aluminium’s applications have diversified over the last 90 years, its core requirement from industry remained the same: To be a reliable, high-performance material capable of withstanding demanding conditions, including Australia’s harsh climate. Capral’s longevity has been driven by its ability to meet Australia’s demand for a local and reliable aluminium supply chain. This has led to company continually refining its extrusion and distribution capabilities in line with evolving engineering demands and regulatory compliance requirements.
Tony Dragicevich, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Capral, explains how Capral’s 90-year milestone is a monument of Australia’s high-performing and adaptive manufacturing industries critical to the country’s economy.
“Reaching this milestone is something we don’t take lightly. It reflects the dedication and expertise of our people, along with the enduring strength of our relationships with customers and partners over many years,” Dragicevich says.
“That foundation has allowed us to adapt and grow through changing economic and political conditions. What hasn’t changed is our commitment to manufacturing in Australia and supporting the industries that rely on locally produced aluminium.”
That continuity is particularly evident in the energy sector. While the generation mix has shifted from coal-fired power to an increasingly diverse portfolio of renewables, the need for robust, high-quality infrastructure has only intensified. However, aluminium has remained central to that infrastructure, valued for its electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance and strength-to-weight ratio.
Enabling modern energy infrastructure
Today’s energy systems are more complex than ever. Interconnectors, large-scale renewable projects and grid-scale batteries require aluminium components that can perform reliably under variable conditions, while supporting greater levels of flexibility and resilience.
Project EnergyConnect is one such example. The 900-kilometre interconnector links the distribution networks of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia – playing a key role in strengthening the National Electricity Market. Designed to improve energy security and facilitate the integration of renewable generation, the project highlights the importance of both engineering expertise and long-term material performance.
Within Project EnergyConnect, aluminium plays a critical role in the form of busbars, providing key components that connect electrical equipment within substations. These are not standardised products. Each busbar is custom engineered to meet precise specifications, reflecting the complexity of modern grid infrastructure.
As a key supplier to PLP Australia on projects such as the EnergyConnect, Capral’s aluminium extrusions are used in more than five kilometres of busbar for substations at Buronga, Dinawan and Wagga Wagga, illustrating how local manufacturing capability continues to underpin major national infrastructure projects.
Adam Talbot, General Manager of Sales and Marketing at PLP Australia, emphasises the importance of material performance and supplier collaboration in delivering projects of this scale.
“We engaged with Capral from our early tendering stage, particularly working through ensuring the right alloys for the mechanical strength required within a substation,” Talbot says.
Capral’s ability to produce long-length aluminium extrusions (up to 13 metres) is a key advantage that reduces the number of joints and welds required during installation. This not only improves efficiency onsite, but also contributes to overall project cost-savings.
“Capral’s ability to deliver those long lengths for us helps cut down the overall cost of Project EnergyConnect, and also reduces the amount of welding needed, simplifies the supports, and just makes everything fit together better onsite,” Talbot says.
Beyond technical capability, Capral’s partnership with PLP Australia highlights the value of local supply chains.
“We’ve been working with Capral for over 10 years on large-scale projects like this. They’re definitely our preferred supplier. If I’ve got a question, I can pick up the phone and get someone right away,” Talbot says.
Aluminium in the energy transition
As Australia accelerates its shift to renewable energy, aluminium is taking on an expanded role across the sector. Its properties make it well-suited to applications ranging from solar panel framing and mounting systems to battery enclosures and electrical transmission infrastructure.
Its sustainability profile is equally important. Aluminium is highly recyclable and can be reprocessed using a fraction of the energy required for primary production. This supports efforts to reduce lifecycle emissions and improve resource efficiency.
Dragicevich affirms that aluminium will remain central to the industries shaping Australia’s future.
“Aluminium is one of the most versatile and sustainable materials available today. It has shaped our transport systems, buildings and infrastructure for decades, and will continue to play a critical role in the energy transition,” Dragicevich says.
Capral’s focus on its ‘LocAL’ (lower-carbon aluminium) reflects growing demand for materials with reduced environmental impact. For developers and asset owners, sourcing locally produced, lower-carbon materials is becoming an increasingly important consideration.
The energy transition is an opportunity to scope and strengthen domestic manufacturing and capture more value within the Australian economy.
Capral’s partnership with Tindo Solar highlights this shift. As Australia’s only solar panel manufacturer, Tindo is scaling operations, with plans for a future Gigafactory capable of producing up to 7000 panels per day.
Under the agreement, Capral will supply extruded aluminium for Tindo’s locally produced panels, supporting greater use of Australian-made components in the renewable energy supply chain.
Luke Hawkins, Divisional General Manager of Industrial and Supply Chain at Capral, says the partnership reflects broader industry potential: “Capral’s collaboration with Tindo is a testament to the strength of Australian manufacturing.”
Richard Petterson, Chief Executive Officer at Tindo Solar, adds that domestic partnerships is key for a resilient sector.
“We’re committed to integrating Australian-made components into our solar panels, and Capral Aluminium is a vital partner in this effort,” Petterson says.
