The aluminium factory Talum Kidričevo is the successor of the Boris Kidrič Alumina and Aluminium Factory (Tovarna glinice in aluminija Boris Kidrič). The factory’s work has an impact on the entire area and carries exceptional economic importance. In 1942, the German trust company Vereinigte Aluminium Werke started to build an alumina factory in Strnišče (as Kidričevo used to be called). The building of the factory continued after World War II, and it officially opened its doors in 1954, with regular production of alumina and aluminium beginning at the end of that year.
Alongside its main business production, Talum continues to pursue an open policy of supporting cultural and social activities, which also characterized its predecessor. It has contributed to the creation of exhibitions, books, poetry collections, CDs, and concerts. In particular, Talum has a distinguished record of supporting painting and is considered an important patron of contemporary art in Slovenia. It also has its own valuable art collection, which consists of more than 500 works. The company’s administrative building, designed in the 1950s by the architect Danilo Fürst, is a jewel of modernist architecture. Meanwhile, the factory and the people who work in it have been immortalized in the photographs of master photographer Stojan Kerbler. A wind orchestra and a male chorus also operate under the company’s wing. And Talum sponsors the football club Alminij in Kidričevo and contributes to sport events. Its funding also helps individuals and organizations obtain needed equipment of various kinds.
The exhibition presents both the history of the factory and its involvement in the local area and wider region. The show’s emphasis is on presenting the raw material and its all-round utility. A synonym of modernity and progress in the 20th century, aluminium is viewed even today as the metal of the future.
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday: 8:00-16:00