HarbisonWalker International

12 Quick Heat Treat News Chatter Items to Keep You Current

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

Heat Treat Today offers News Chatter, a feature highlighting representative moves, transactions, and kudos from around the industry. Enjoy these 12 news bites that will help you stay up to date on all things heat treat.

 

Equipment Chatter

  1. Plastometrex, a materials science startup, is working with global testing and inspection provider Element Materials Technology.
  2. National Test Pty Ltd. has been contracted by AusGroup Ltd. to provide NDT and heat treatment services on 58 stainless steel and carbon steel tanks for the covalent lithium refinery in in Australia.

Personnel/Company Chatter

  1. Bodycote increases hot isostatic pressing capacity in Greenville, SC.
  2. PEER Energy GmbH and SCHWING Technologies GmbH signed a long-term cooperation agreement to further technical development and marketing of fluidized bed technology for the heat treatment of metal components.
  3. Nitrex, a global provider of fully integrated surface treatment solutions, has announced that G-M Enterprises has made its official market debut under the Nitrex banner as of January 2022.
  4. Nancy Easterbrook has joined HarbisonWalker International (HWI), a refractory products and services supplier in North America, as the director of Recycled Materials.
  5. GHI Smart Furnaces celebrated the 84th anniversary of their founding in December 1937.
  6. HeatTek announced the purchase of an additional facility in Ixonia, WI to serve primarily as a distribution center for the rapidly growing company’s components and spare parts inventory. This expansion follows another plant acquisition in West Allis, WI.
  7. Hubbard-Hall announced that they’ve made the Dow product line available on their e-commerce site.

Kudos Chatter

  1. Bodycote in Syracuse, NY passed certification to AS9100 standard with zero findings.
  2. A group of 70 employees and management of SECO/WARWICK located in Świebodzin, Poland planted 3,000 beech seedlings on Lumberjack and Forester World Day.
  3. Nitrex Metal, Inc., global of fully integrated surface treatment solutions and technologies, was selected to be part of a “Global Thought Leaders” series broadcast on CBS News.

 

 

 

Heat Treat Today is pleased to join in the announcements of growth and achievement throughout the industry by highlighting them here on our News Chatter page. Please send any information you feel may be of interest to manufacturers with in-house heat treat departments especially in the aerospace, automotive, medical, and energy sectors to bethany@heattreattoday.com.

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Search suppliers of heat treat products and services on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.com

 

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29 Quick Heat Treat News Chatter Items to Keep You Current

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

Heat Treat Today offers News Chatter, a feature highlighting representative moves, transactions, and kudos from around the industry. Enjoy these 29 news bites that will help you stay up to date on all things heat treat. 

 

Equipment Chatter

  1. Baowu Aluminum Technology Co., Ltd.’s continuous annealing and chemical pre-treatment line for processing strip coils for the aluminum market supplied by Tenova produced its first hot coil.
  2. A Midwest manufacturer of brass components is upgrading their heat treat capabilities with a new furnace from Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems.
  3. Plastometrex, a materials science startup, is working with global testing and inspection provider Element Materials Technology.
  4. A global bearing manufacturer decided to furnish one of its Chinese plants with a vacuum furnace by SECO/WARWICK with gas quenching, carburizing (LPC), and carbonitriding (LCPN).
  5. To support R&D and additive manufacturing projects, Solar Atmospheres of California has added some small vacuum furnace capacity to their equipment offerings.
  6. An Indian manufacturer of feed machinery and contractor for “turnkey” agricultural engineering projects has placed an order with SECO/WARWICK for a Vector® vacuum furnace with vertical insertion of loads.
  7. Heat treatment specialist Bodycote provided solutions for the world’s first hydroformed architectural stainless-steel façade screen that was manufactured by German fabricator Edelstahl-Mechanik. This screen was installed in the newly constructed Science and Engineering Complex at the Harvard University campus in Boston, MA.
  8. SECO/WARWICK will install a continuous line for controlled atmosphere brazing (CAB) of large-dimension battery coolers at the plant of a European manufacturer of heat exchangers.
  9. A Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems integral quench furnace line was recently commissioned to a manufacturer of specialty nut and bolt assemblies in the eastern U.S.
  10. One of the largest Brazilian hardening plants has started to operate a SECO/WARWICK Vector® vacuum furnace.

Personnel/Company Chatter

  1. With increased interest in U.S. semiconductor research and manufacturing, ECM USA, Inc. recently announced a strong bi-monthly sales order pattern for 2021 related to their product expansion both in research & development and with laboratory furnace systems.
  2. Pfeiffer Vacuum introduced OmniControl® universal control unit for pumps and measurement instruments.
  3. Ipsen reported a surge in interest for standardized equipment and revealed a steady increase of orders for TITAN® vacuum furnaces this year, with five in July. Clients range from those in cutting tools and machinery to additive manufacturing and aerospace.
  4. Heating technology company Kanthal announced the agreement to divest its semiconductor capital equipment business to Yield Engineering Systems, Inc., headquartered in Fremont, CA.
  5. Bodycote increased hot isostatic pressing capacity in Greenville, SC.
  6. Nitrex, a global provider of fully integrated surface treatment solutions, has announced that G-M Enterprises has made its official market debut under the Nitrex banner as of January 2022.
  7. Nancy Easterbrook has joined HarbisonWalker International (HWI), a refractory products and services supplier in North America, as the director of Recycled Materials.
  8. HarbisonWalker International is building a manufacturing and service hub for its steel customers in North America.
  9. During the Metal Treating Institute’s (MTI) Fall Meeting, Ipsen, along with several other vested organizations, presented donations to support the MTI Educational Foundation, which provides scholarships for the next generation of heat treating industry professionals.
  10. GHI Smart Furnaces celebrated the 84th anniversary of their founding in December 1937.
  11. HeatTek announced the purchase of an additional facility in Ixonia, WI to serve primarily as a distribution center for the rapidly growing company’s components and spare parts inventory. This expansion follows another plant acquisition in West Allis, WI.
  12. Hubbard-Hall announced that they’ve made the Dow product line available on their eCommerce site.

Kudos Chatter

  1. Leading women at HarbisonWalker International (HWI) based at the company’s headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA have recently been recognized for their work: HWI has promoted Melissa Bihary to vice president of People and Organizational Effectiveness Also, the — the workforce development and education partner of the — has presented Bryn Snow, director of Application Technology-Nonferrous/Glass at HWI, with a STEP Ahead Award. Lastly, Jodi L. Allison, CAP,OM, has been promoted to chief executive assistant & administrative manager at HWI.
  2. At the recent Metal Treating Institute (MTI) 2021 Fall meeting held in San Antonio TX, Ed Engelhard, vice president of Corporate Quality, has been recognized with the MTI Award of Industry Merit. This award is given in recognition of current/ongoing commitment to the betterment of the commercial heat treating industry with one or more significant accomplishments.
  3. Tony Karadimas has been nominated as vice president of UPC-MARATHON Sales and NITREX.
  4. Bodycote in Syracuse, NY passed certification to AS9100 standard with zero findings.
  5. A group of 70 employees and management of SECO/WARWICK located in Świebodzin, Poland planted 3,000 beech seedlings on Lumberjack and Forester World Day.
  6. Nitrex Metal, Inc., global provider of fully integrated surface treatment solutions and technologies, was selected to be part of a “Global Thought Leaders” series broadcast on CBS News.
  7. Deep Cryogenics International trademarked the slogan “Infinitely Renewable, Infinitely Recyclable” for the use of liquid nitrogen in their deep cryogenic treatment process.

Heat Treat Today is pleased to join in the announcements of growth and achievement throughout the industry by highlighting them here on our News Chatter page. Please send any information you feel may be of interest to manufacturers with in-house heat treat departments especially in the aerospace, automotive, medical, and energy sectors to bethany@heattreattoday.com.

 

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20 Quick Heat Treat News Chatter Items to Keep You Current

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

Heat Treat Today offers News Chatter, a feature highlighting representative moves, transactions, and kudos from around the industry.

Personnel & Company Chatter

  • Tim Merryweather has joined U.K.-based heat treater, the Wallwork Group, as vacuum brazing technical sales engineer.
  • A manufacturer of monolithic refractories and precast refractory shapes has opened its second manufacturing facility in Tianjin, China. The newly constructed, 210,972 sq ft Allied Mineral Products plant will resolve production space needs as well as expand workspace.
  • In partnership with a manufacturer of robotics and automation equipment for the construction industry, a refractory supplier recently introduced a device that provides workers in the refractory industry with on the jobsite safety and productivity benefits. HarbisonWalker International (HWI) joined forces with Construction Robotics in production of the MULE-R (Material Unit Lift Enhancer – Refractory).
  • A new hot isostatic pressing (HIP) system was revealed at an open house in Cleveland, Ohio,  hosted by Paulo to unveil the company’s new HIP capabilities, available via its Quintus model QIH-122 Hot Isostatic Press, which can combine HIP with heat treating.
  • Gasbarre Products, Inc. has announced that at the end of 2019 all thermal processing systems will be manufactured in its 50,000 sq. ft. facility located in St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania. In 2011 Gasbarre acquired the JL Becker brand of industrial furnace equipment, and over the last eight years, Gasbarre has run parallel manufacturing facilities in Michigan and Pennsylvania for its furnace equipment. Consolidating the manufacturing of its common product lines allow for the most efficient use of its floor space, equipment, and manufacturing processes. Gasbarre will maintain its presence in the Detroit area with a sales, engineering and service facility.  Ben Gasbarre will maintain his leadership role within the Plymouth, Michigan location.  The sales and technical team will drive Gasbarre’s furnace systems into the future.  Gasbarre has plans to not only design and service its equipment but to eventually establish a technical center for process testing and demonstration purposes.  Ben Gasbarre stated, “The move will allow us to better utilize our highly-skilled personnel to accelerate advancements to our products, technology and services.”
  • In a move to realize approximately $6 million to $8 million of annual savings, TimkenSteel Corp., Canton, Ohio, announced plans to close its TimkenSteel Material Services facility in Houston, Texas, in the first quarter of 2020. The 100,000-square-foot operation currently employs approximately 100 people who provide precision value-added and finishing services, primarily to customers that service the energy market.
  • A supplier of nitrogen generators and related products to utilities, petrochemical producers, manufacturers, and energy providers announced a move into an existing 66,000-sq.-ft. building as part of an enhanced growth strategy that includes additional hiring and new products. South-Tek Systems LLC will remain in the Wilmington, North Carolina, area.
  • A global stainless steel manufacturer with headquarters in Spain has reached an agreement for the acquisition of VDM Metals Holding GmbH. Acerinox, S.A. purchased the Germany-based leader producer of specialty alloys from Lindsay Goldberg Vogel GmbH and Falcon Metals BV.
  • An aluminum giant recently broke ground on a $36 million investment to expand and upgrade the company’s capabilities in automotive closed-loop recycling, a process to take aluminum scrap created during stamping. Novelis Inc’s investment in new vehicle production at the Greensboro, Georgia, facility includes adding state-of-the-art equipment for aluminum scrap recycling, a new baghouse for improved dust mitigation and enhanced designs for safer and more efficient traffic flow.

Equipment Chatter

  • A manufacturer of excavating equipment purchased a high-temperature car bottom furnace with an operating temperature of 1000°F (538°C) to 2282°F (1250°C) for stress relieving, normalizing, and other high-temperature processes. Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems was commissioned to design and manufacture the system to meet customer’s strict NOx and CO requirements as well as AMS 2750 temperature uniformity requirements across a wide temperature operating range.
  • A company requiring annealing or normalizing process recently purchased No. 1049, a 1050°F (566°C) cabinet oven with two drawers from Grieve. In addition, a customer has received shipment of No. 1039, a 2,000°F (1,093°C) inert atmosphere, heavy-duty furnace used for heat treating turbine components.
  • A manufacturer in the technology industry has received shipment of an indirect gas-fired heavy-duty walk-in series oven from Wisconsin Oven Corporation. The walk-in oven will be used for heat treating materials used in the production of vehicle batteries.
  • A world-leading international supplier of parts to the automotive industry acquired a Sinac stationary induction heating system from EFD Induction to be used for preheating in a series production of steel pump housing.
  • A Vietnamese steel producer has issued the final acceptance certificate for the latest state-of-the-art acid regeneration plant (ARP) at their new plant in Binh Dinh, Vietnam, which will operate in accordance with stringent European environmental regulatory standards. Hoa Sen Group issued the
    certificate to Tenova.
  • German steel distributor Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH (SZFG) has awarded the contract to build a 2.2 megawatt PEM electrolysis plant (PEM = proton exchange membrane) to Siemens Gas and Power, which will cover SZFG’s entire current demand for hydrogen. The necessary electrical power will be generated by seven wind turbines with a capacity of 30 megawatt.
  • A customer in the secondary smelting industry purchased a gas-fired aluminum stack melting and holding furnace from Lindberg/MPH. This stack-type central melting furnace will be utilized to produce aluminum ingot and sows. The furnace has a melt rate of 4,500 pounds per hour.
  • A world-leading steel producer has been commissioned to be the main supplier of steel plate to the first U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier built in more than 35 years. Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding contracted with ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor for the steel supply to build the carrier, which likely will help haul raw materials to the mill after its launch.
  • An aerospace company recently ordered four TITAN® H6 2 bar vacuum furnaces that will be used for heat treating additively manufactured parts in full-scale production. Ipsen USA shipped two of the furnaces in November and will ship the remaining two in January.

Kudos Chatter

  • The Women in Finishing FORUM announces registration is open for the second annual program to be held at the Embassy Suites South Bend, Indiana, at Notre Dame from May 6-8, 2020. The FORUM features a variety of professional and personal development sessions, team-building exercises, and networking events geared towards women in industrial finishing. Women in Finishing is sponsored by the Chemical Coaters Association International (CCAI).
  • Muhammed Odeh, the General Motors (GM) supplier quality engineer, visited ALD Thermal Treatment Inc. (Port Huron, MI, USA) plant to officially present the GM Supplier Quality Excellence Award for 2018.  This is ALD’s 5th consecutive year for this prestigious award since 2014. In addition, ALD was again recognized as a Supplier of the Year for providing heat treatment services.

Heat Treat Today is pleased to join in the announcements of growth and achievement throughout the industry by highlighting them here on our News Chatter page. Please send any information you feel may be of interest to manufacturers with in-house heat treat departments especially in the aerospace, automotive, medical, and energy sectors to editor@heattreattoday.com

20 Quick Heat Treat News Chatter Items to Keep You Current Read More »

Refractory Supplier Celebrates Manufacturing Facility Expansion

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES, INSULATION NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

A supplier of refractory products and services in North America recently celebrated the completion of its phase one facility expansion plan.

HarbisonWalker International (HWI) hosted a ribbon-cutting event at its manufacturing operations in White Cloud, Michigan, to celebrate completion of the first phase of an expansion that increases the floor space of the facility by 35%.  The project is part of a $9 million investment being made this year to significantly increase warehousing space along with the addition of new, advanced manufacturing and hydraulic press technologies.

Carol Jackson
President & CEO
HarbisonWalker International

“White Cloud is an extremely important facility that has been vital to our company and the community for more than four decades,” said Carol Jackson, chairman and CEO at HWI. “Historically, and especially in the past two years, the team at White Cloud has helped fuel our steel industry customers’ success by consistently delivering on their tremendous demand for the refractory products we produce here. We’re so proud of the great work our White Cloud employees do every day for our company and our customers.”

HWI’s White Cloud operations primarily produces refractory products that are utilized by the steel industry.

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Increasing Steel Demand Prompts Capital Investment by Refractory Supplier

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES, INSULATION NEWS

A large North American supplier of refractory products and services is responding to domestic steelmakers’ increased capacity and solving their refractory challenges through several new initiatives.

Mirroring its steel customers’ investments to boost production capabilities and upgrade facilities, HarbisonWalker International (HWI) is investing to increase capacity by 25 percent in 2019 at key steel refractory facilities. In fact, approximately one-half of HWI’s capital investment dollars will have a direct positive impact on its steel industry customers. Much of the investment will be at its White Cloud, Michigan facility, which manufactures refractory products primarily for steelmakers.

HWI Announces Investments and Digital Refractory Transformation at Booth 1715; Carol Jackson, CEO, will Join Steel Industry Leaders as an AISTech 2019 Town Hall Forum Panelist
HWI Announces Investments and Digital Refractory Transformation at AISTech 2019

This is the latest in a series of capital investments that HWI has made at White Cloud over the past three years. In 2018, HWI integrated new equipment and technologies to modernize the facility.

The 2019 investment includes expansion to accommodate new warehouse and shipping space, which is being constructed with American-made steel. Additional manufacturing space will house new production technologies, including a new brick press and packaging line, manufacturing technologies that improve production efficiency and worker safety.

“The improvements will further optimize production, product quality, and delivery efficiencies for our steel customers,” said Carol R. Jackson, Chairman and CEO, HarbisonWalker International. “The new press and warehouse increase our capacity to supply our industry-leading products including mag carbon brick for steel ladles, electric arc furnaces (EAF), and basic oxygen furnaces (BOF). The new packaging line allows for increased handling safety and provides quality control benefits associated with our product.”

One year after announcing its plan to significantly invest in monolithic refractories manufacturing, HWI built and opened a new, state-of-the-art facility in South Point, Ohio in 2018. It is North America’s most technologically advanced refractories plant and one of the top globally. Featuring state-of-the-art processes and technology, the South Point plant is now fully operational and supplying steel industry products.

In addition to physical expansion and technology integration in its plants, HWI is evolving the refractory industry for the 21st century by taking a holistic approach to advancing its use of data. HWI is aggressively initiating programs to help customers transition numerous decision-making processes from experienced-based to data-based, through use of various sensor and data acquisition systems, for instance.

Through the expertise of its team and strategic partnerships with industry leaders, HWI is employing sensor technologies, such as infrared cameras, and also utilizing three-dimensional laser measurement to make digital twins of physical assets. These technologies, along with ‘edge’ software that can access datasets from various plant level sources, are helping HWI develop tools to increase product campaign life and improve worker safety. Performance data will also benefit future generations of HWI products.

The outcomes for steelmakers include closer collaboration for customized products and continuous improvement, optimizing throughput and analytical insights to find even more significant cost savings.

“HWI is working to transform data into process improvements and business intelligence that help steel industry customers work safer and smarter, with even better tools for knowledge sharing,” noted Jackson. “Combining our digital transformation with HWI’s proven products and the industry-leading expertise of our field services team, we’re effectively positioned to deliver for our steel customers today and in the future as our industries evolve together.”

HWI has also recently innovated and patented new functional product solutions that are helping steel customers further reduce downtime and increase performance. These solutions allow for faster, easier installation with improved ergonomics.

In addition to its products, HWI also provides around-the-clock support from the most extensive service team in the U.S. and offers dedicated iron and steel application specialists who provide highly customized solutions.

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Refractories Supplier Opens New Plant in Ohio

/ HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

 

Carol Jackson, chairman and CEO, HWI

The largest supplier of refractory products and services in the U.S. celebrated the grand opening of its newly constructed, state-of-the-art monolithic refractories manufacturing plant in South Point, Ohio, featuring new processes and technology and marking a new chapter in the company’s 150+ years of operation.

HarbisonWalker International (HWI), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, announced in February 2017 that it was investing $30 million to build a technologically advanced refractories plant as the next step in its strategy to continuously improve performance and respond to customers’ needs. Ground was broken for the new plant on June 8, 2017. The plant began shipping products in spring 2018, opening in just one year and within its planned schedule and budget.

“Our new plant at South Point is a game-changer,” said Carol Jackson, chairman and CEO, HarbisonWalker International. “It is the most advanced refractory facility in North America and, likely, in the world. It reinvents how we’re producing and delivering quality monolithic products. It represents the future of our company and, in many ways, the future of US refractories manufacturing.”

Douglas Hall, senior vice president, Integrated Supply Chain, HWI

The plant utilizes lean manufacturing techniques throughout its operations to maximize material flow efficiency and production.

“While some of the advanced technologies, processes, and equipment at South Point may be similar elsewhere – what makes this plant so outstanding is the ingenious design, engineering, and configuration of these elements. This configuration – combined with our overall approach – is completely revolutionary,” said Douglas Hall, senior vice president, Integrated Supply Chain at HarbisonWalker International.

Watch the time-lapsed video of the construction of the new facility below.

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