CAB appoints Jan Lukaszewski technical manager as Qualicoat secretariat moves from ALFED

The Council for Aluminium in Building (CAB) has appointed Jan Lukaszewski as technical manager as it takes over the Qualicoat UK & Ireland secretariat from the Aluminium Federation (ALFED) this month.

CAB said the appointment, announced on 5 November, adds expertise in metal coatings, metallurgy and manufacturing to the trade body and forms part of the transition of the Qualicoat secretariat to CAB.

Lukaszewski has led the Qualicoat secretariat for more than a decade while serving as technical manager at ALFED, according to CAB. He also sits on the Qualicoat UK & Ireland Board of Governors as general licensee.

Jan Lukaszewski, technical manager at CAB, said: "With many members already involved in both organisations, there is a real opportunity to share expertise and strengthen the support available to the aluminium sector."

The secretariat transfer

Qualicoat UK & Ireland announced in April that it had appointed CAB as its new secretariat with effect from 1 November 2026, transferring the role from ALFED. Under the arrangement CAB takes responsibility for the day-to-day administration of the organisation.

Qualicoat UK & Ireland described the change as a strategic move to align the quality label organisation more closely with the architectural and building industries. It said the transition would be completed with minimal disruption and no anticipated impact on member services.

The association said it would keep a working relationship with ALFED and thanked the federation for 12 years of service as secretariat. ALFED describes itself as a non-profit organisation representing and supporting the UK aluminium industry.

Chris Mansfield, Qualicoat UK & Ireland chair and director of Tomburn, said at the time that CAB's expertise and industry connections would enable growth and enhance value for members, many of whom share membership across both organisations.

Background

Lukaszewski began his career as a chain maker's apprentice and holds a degree in metals technology, CAB said. He spent more than 20 years as a metallurgist, concentrating on failure analysis and the mining industry, before moving into ultra-high-tensile steels and project management.

Nigel Headford, chief executive of CAB, said: "His practical experience across metallurgy, manufacturing and corrosion protection will add valuable technical expertise to our team."

Headford added that the closer relationship with Qualicoat would help CAB connect that specialist knowledge with the needs of its members and the wider aluminium-in-building sector.

CAB describes itself as the principal trade association for the architectural aluminium sector in the UK and Ireland. It was established in 1994 through the merger of three specialist trade organisations and represents more than 140 companies across the architectural aluminium supply chain.

Qualicoat describes itself as the world's only global specification for architectural powder coating. The association says it has developed powder coating technology through its membership since 1986 and maintains specification documents that members must follow.

Qualicoat UK & Ireland has appointed a Board of Governors to guide the regional association. It held its second council meeting of 2026 in the Council Chamber of Cork City Hall, the first since announcing the move to CAB, and reported two new licences finalised and four more in progress.