ATAS International Co-Founder Nel Bus Dies at 95

ATAS remembers co-founder Nel Bus, whose family helped build the metal products company from the ground up

Jack and Nel Bus — ATAS International

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.

ATAS International co-founder Nel Bus, who helped grow the company from a basement startup into a multigenerational manufacturer of metal roofing and building products, died Aug. 25 at age 95.

Nel and Jack Bus emigrated from the Netherlands to Rochester, N.Y., in the 1950s. While Jack worked installing siding and trim, the couple identified a need among contractors who lacked equipment to bend their own trim products on the job site. That opportunity eventually led the couple to establish Aluminum Trim And Shapes, now ATAS International, from the basement of their family home.

The business grew alongside their family, which included eight children. In 1972, ATAS moved into a 12,000-square-foot facility in Rochester. The company relocated to Allentown, Pa., in 1985 as it sought to expand its manufacturing and distribution capabilities.

Two of the couple’s sons, Dick and Jim Bus, later joined ATAS in management roles and helped broaden the company’s product offerings. Today, Dick Bus serves as president and Jim Bus as executive vice president.

ATAS has since grown into a manufacturer of metal wall cladding, roofing, ceilings, perimeter edge metal and related accessories for commercial and residential construction. The company operates two locations in Allentown, along with facilities in Mesa, Ariz.; University Park, Ill.; and Elkton, Md.

The family’s building products operations have also expanded through sister company BRIGHTSMITH Coaters, which operates coil coating and post-painting facilities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In March 2025, ATAS expanded its architectural offerings with the addition of Metalwërks Architectural Plate Systems.

More than 60 years after its founding, ATAS remains a family-run operation. A third generation of the Bus family, including Mark, Eric and Tony Bus, as well as Tiffany Hutcheson, holds operations and management roles across ATAS and BRIGHTSMITH.

Nel Bus also has a direct connection to the ATAS product portfolio. The company’s Omawall metal wall panel was named in her honor, with “Oma” being the Dutch word for grandmother.

According to ATAS, the values Nel and Jack brought to the company, including hard work, family and a commitment to quality, continue to guide the business today.

This article was originally posted on www.wconline.com.