ATAS International Inc. announces with deep sadness the passing of Nel Bus, who co-founded the company alongside her husband, Jacobus “Jack” P. Bus, in 1963. Nel was 95 years old, and her birthday was celebrated with a large multi-generational family gathering this summer.
Nel and Jack’s entrepreneurial journey began after the couple emigrated from the Netherlands to Rochester, N.Y., in the 1950s. While Jack worked installing siding and trim, the couple recognized an unmet need: contractors at the time lacked the equipment to bend their own trim products on-site. Jack set out to fill that gap, and with Nel’s steady support, the two built what would become Aluminum Trim And Shapes (ATAS) from the basement of their family home, where they raised their eight children.
What began as a small operation grew steadily. In 1972, the company moved into a 12,000-square-foot facility in Rochester, and by 1985, seeking a larger distribution footprint, ATAS relocated to Allentown, Pa., where it remains headquartered today. Two of Jack and Nel’s sons, Dick and Jim, joined the business in management roles, helping expand ATAS’ product offerings and cementing the company’s reputation for quality, innovation, and customer service.
Today, ATAS operates two locations in Allentown along with facilities in Mesa, Ariz.; University Park, Ill.; and Elkton, Md.. Its sister company, BRIGHTSMITH Coaters, added coil coating and post-painting facilities in Morrisville, Pa., and Trenton, N.J., and in March 2025, ATAS expanded further with the addition of Metalwërks Architectural Plate Systems. The company’s product lines now include metal wall cladding, metal roofing, ceilings, perimeter edge metal, and related accessories for commercial and residential construction, with several facilities holding ISO 9001:2015 certification.
More than six decades after its founding, ATAS remains a family-run business. Dick Bus serves as President and Jim Bus as Executive Vice President, with a third generation, including Mark, Eric, and Tony Bus, along with Tiffany Hutcheson, now active across ATAS and BRIGHTSMITH in operations and management roles.
Nel’s legacy lives on in everything ATAS has become, and an ATAS product, Omawall, was named in her honor (Oma is Dutch for grandmother). She and Jack built this company on hard work, family, and an unwavering commitment to quality, which are values that still guide the company today.
