BUG Aluminium-Systeme celebrates its 70th anniversary

Wilhelm von Humbolt already said, “After all, it is always the connections with people that give life its value.” This was an opportunity to thank BUG customers for their many years of partnership, while also putting BUG employees centre stage. “The success of BUG Aluminium-Systeme over the past 70 years is first and foremost down to the people. On the one hand our customers and on the other hand our employees,” says Martin Götze, Head of BUG Aluminium-System.

BUG Aluminium-Systeme is a quality manufacturer of window sill, flat roof and facade systems as well as aluminium systems for wood-aluminium windows and weather protection systems for wooden windows. The fact that BUG is celebrating its 70th anniversary is testament to its consistent performance and high-quality standards. This demonstrates the brand’s ongoing commitment to establishing itself in the market and driving forward its development. Tradition, consistency, knowledge sharing and futureproof system products are all hallmarks of the BUG Aluminium-Systeme brand.

The origins of BUG

Founder Josef Uhl laid the foundations for BUG Aluminium-Systeme’s success story. It all started with the development of sheet steel rain protection rails. Shortly afterwards, his sons Karl and Paul Uhl founded their company “Gebrüder Uhl GmbH” in Vogt in Upper Swabia in 1952. The name “BUG” is derived from the first letters of the names Bertsch, Uhl and Großerode.

After the company was founded, sales of the rain protection rails began. The brothers then opened their own production site in Vogt. The production hall was equipped with its own extrusion lines and processing centres, as well as an extensive high-bay warehouse. The aluminium window frame manufacturing area is still in Vogt today.

This location has created an attractive workplace for many local residents and those from the surrounding area for generations, both then and now. BUG still benefits today from the experience that has been passed on over seven decades. “Our progress lies in the wealth of experience of the past,” says Günter Haseitl, Head of BUG Product Development. Since then, BUG has stood for innovative, simple and practical aluminium system solutions for the construction industry.

“We started with the development of rain protection rails. Today, we offer a comprehensive and solution-oriented product range of innovative aluminium systems for windows, facades and flat roofs,” says Martin Götze, adding, “in all our activities, we never forget to respect the achievements of the past. Because they are the basis for our future success. This allows us to continue inspiring our business partners with innovative, value-generating products and customer service. At the same time, we are protecting the environment and nature – as we have done for the past 70 years. BUG has demonstrated the importance of facing upcoming challenges and new framework conditions in order to succeed.

Further development of the business units

BUG has had an instructive past and is currently facing a challenging present due to adverse conditions, including the Coronavirus pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine, difficulties sourcing raw materials and energy, and supply bottlenecks. Despite these challenges, BUG has continued to develop positively. Since acquiring Sankyo Tateyama Inc. in 2015, extensive investments have been made to expand capacity and develop the brand in the market, further expanding the brand. This is also due to the associated STEP-G group of companies. This is because BUG is a brand of ST Extruded Products Germany GmbH and is therefore closely integrated into the Group. Shared press lines across various locations are just one important component. Investments such as the newly developed BUG processing and logistics distribution centre in Hettstedt continue to strengthen BUG’s business areas.

BUG has chosen the ideal location in Hettstedt to expand its range of window sills, flat roofs, facades, wood-aluminium systems and weather protection systems for wooden windows. With a total of four locations in Germany and Austria, BUG can offer a comprehensive portfolio, including production and further processing, a logistics distribution centre, and an overarching sales team.

A balanced combination of traditional manufacturing and targeted, structured production processes ensures consistently high quality and safety across all product segments. Through the STEP-G corporate group, BUG is anchored in a holistic added value supply chain based in Germany. The process stages cover casting the billets to extruding and finishing the profiles, right up to delivery. A comprehensive network supplies the market with high-quality BUG products and services.

High-quality products “Made in Germany”.

There is a growing demand for customised designs for windows, facades and flat roofs. A great opportunity for BUG. Due to the extensive new product developments, BUG is optimistic about this trend. Well-thought-out, sophisticated technical components offer the possibility of quick, easy and safe installation, often directly on site. “We see ourselves as problem solvers with a tradition of “Made in Germany” craftsmanship: from craftsmen for craftsmen,” emphasises Christian Razik, BUG Sales Team Leader for Germany. He adds: “It has always been important to us to keep up with the times and develop forward-looking solutions for craftsmen. Close dialogue with retailers and processing companies is extremely important for this.”

Joint celebrations

To celebrate the BUG brand anniversary, two exclusive events for partners and customers were organised at the Hettstedt and Vogt locations. There was an attractive programme for all visitors. They were able to explore the extensively modernised location with foundry and the new BUG processing and logistics distribution centre in Hettstedt. During the factory tour, visitors could view the extrusion presses and modern CNC machining lines, which focus on manufacturing aluminium window frames, at the Vogt location. This gave visitors an insight into the employees’ daily work processes and provided an opportunity to talk to them.

BUG Aluminium-Systeme
Schachenstraße 14
88267 Vogt, Germany

Tel.: +49(0)7529 999 0
E-mail: bug.sales(at)step-g.com