Heat Treat Today has gathered the four heat treat industry-specific economic indicators for May 2026. The results reinforce a continued growth outlook from the April 2026 predictions, with all four indices remaining above the growth threshold.
May’s data points to anticipated continued growth across the heat treat industry at a more measured pace than the stronger gains forecast in April. Inquiries are projected to remain steady at 63.0 (unchanged from April). Bookings are expected to remain firmly in growth territory at 57.5 (from 62.0 in April). The Backlog index forecasts healthy workloads at 60.7 (from 66.3 in April). Meanwhile, the Health of the Manufacturing Economy index signals continued optimism at 57.1 (from 62.5 in April).
May’s indicators suggest suppliers anticipate a stable operating environment heading into late spring and early summer production cycles. While several indices moderated from April’s stronger projections, all four metrics continue to reflect expected expansion rather than contraction — pointing to sustained activity across aerospace, automotive, energy, and general manufacturing markets.
The results from this month’s survey (May) are as follows: numbers above 50 indicate growth, numbers below 50 indicate contraction, and the number 50 indicates no change:
Anticipated change in Number of Inquiries from April to May: 63.0
Anticipated change in Value of Bookings from April to May: 57.5
Anticipated change in Size of Backlog from April to May: 60.7
Anticipated change in Health of the Manufacturing Economy from April to May: 57.1
Data for May 2026
The four index numbers are reported monthly by Heat Treat Today and made available on the website.
Heat TreatToday’sEconomic Indicatorsmeasure and report on four heat treat industry indices. Each month, approximately 800 individuals who classify themselves as suppliers to the North American heat treat industry receive the survey. Above are the results. Data collection began in June 2023. If you would like to participate in the monthly survey, please click here to subscribe.
Heat Treat Today publishes twelve print magazines annually and included in each is a letter from the publisher, Doug Glenn. This letter from the April 2026 Annual Induction Heating & Melting print edition highlights three hallmarks common to thriving companies — prioritizing people over technology, people over profit, and a relentless commitment to continuous improvement — drawing on a visit to Induction Tooling in North Royalton, Ohio, as a real-world example of these principles in action.
Michele Schaller, one of Heat TreatToday’s excellent editors (we have three excellent editors), and I recently visited Induction Tooling in North Royalton, Ohio, near Cleveland, to talk with Bill and Sherry Stuehr regarding their company’s 50th anniversary. I make it a point never to promote one company over and above other companies in this column because 1) our mission is to get good information to our readers as objectively as possible without showing preference to any one company, and 2) it would be bad business.
Meeting with the Stuehrs, however, did allow me to meditate a bit on what makes a company a good company…of which there are many in this industry. If a company is successful, the following will undoubtedly be true about that company.
1. People Over Technology
It is almost certain that the most successful companies prioritize people, both clients and employees, ahead of their technology or product offering. This may sound like heresy to some, but I’m convinced that it is true — as counterintuitive as it may appear. Ultimate business success is dependent on finding and keeping the right people employed and finding and keeping clients.
Finding and keeping competent employees is one of the most difficult business challenges in today’s world. Manual labor is not seen as something desirable. In fact, as Bill Stuehr said during our recent visit with him, “Industrial Arts” is not a thing at institutions of higher learning anymore. When Bill said those words, “Industrial Arts,” it was the first time our 30-something-year-old editor, Michele, had ever heard the words. This is telling. Kids just aren’t being educated or encouraged to go into industrial vocations. That makes finding and keeping them all the more important.
And while having a technology, product, or service that meets the client’s needs is critical to success, it is not the most important thing. Having an organization that remembers that “clients are people too” and treats them with respect and dignity is even more important in the success of a company.
Induction Tooling lives out this trait quite well, and it is Heat Treat Today’s desire to do the same. I frequently remind our team that while we are an industrial trade publication, we are first and foremost helping people and hopefully making them happy as our “Why Statement” asserts: We believe people are happier and make better decisions when they are well informed.
The bottom line is successful companies understand that they can have the best technology, product, or service in the world, but if they are not prioritizing their people — employees, vendors, and clients — they will ultimately fail.
2. People Over Money
As with technology, money (i.e. profits) should not be sitting in the driver’s seat either. Profits are important. Profits are good (more about this in my Publisher’s Page from the Aerospace Heat Treating, March 2025 edition). But truly successful companies will regularly sacrifice profits to please their employees and/or clients. A previous employer of mine became a “spreadsheet” company as opposed to a “people” company and has suffered because of it. Companies who are willing to sacrifice profits to keep their clients or their employees happy have a vastly better chance of being a successful company.
3. Better & Better
The final characteristic that seems to be common among successful companies is the desire to advance and never be content. Lethargy and complacency are the enemies of success. You are either growing or dying; there is no neutral. Treating clients better, providing a better service, doing things more efficiently, thinking of new ways to be helpful, spending less and less on necessary expenses, finding ways to be easier to work with or for — all of these are ways that successful companies strive to be better. Companies who become complacent will ultimately fail.
Some people are naturally change-averse. That’s difficult. In business, the one constant is change and successful companies find a way to encourage and embrace continual change, continual improvement.
Embrace and Influence for Good
If you are looking to make your company successful, if you are in a position to influence the direction and culture of your company, I recommend that you encourage your company to embrace these pillars of success. There are many companies in the North American thermal processing industry that do and are successful including the good folks over at Induction Tooling.
Doug Glenn Publisher Heat TreatToday For more information: Contact Doug at doug@heattreattoday.com
In this episode ofHeat TreatRadio, host Heather Falcone sits down with Doug Glenn, publisher ofHeat TreatToday, to break down the most important heat treat industry events on the horizon. From the massive international state of the THERMPROCESS trade show to the technical knowledge of Furnaces North America, they explore where those in the industry can learn, network, and grow. The conversation also highlightsHeat TreatToday’sown events, includingHeat TreatBoot Campand Helium Leak Detection seminars. Together, they offer practical guidance on choosing the right events to stay engaged and informed in today’s heat treating landscape.
Below, you can watch the video, listen to the podcast by clicking on the audio play button, or read an edited transcript.
The following transcript has been edited for your reading enjoyment.
Introduction (00:05)
Heather Falcone: Hi, I am Heather Falcone and welcome to Heat Treat Radio. Today we are talking about a variety of upcoming events in the industry in 2026 and beyond. Joining me today is Doug Glenn, publisher of Heat Treat Today, and longtime host of Heat TreatRadio. Doug has had a front row seat to this industry for years, from the technical side to the people driving it forward. He’s also someone that I consider a mentor and a friend. I’m looking forward to digging into this conversation with him.
It’s an honor to sit down together with this one, Doug, as it’s kind of a bit of a hand off and a nod to the legacy that you’ve built here.
Doug Glenn: It’s a pleasure, and I couldn’t think of a better person to hand it off to. Heather, you’re doing great, and I appreciate you taking the time to do it and having the courage to do it.
Heather Falcone: Obviously, you have recorded over a hundred episodes, so I have so much to learn for you. Thank you so much for trusting me with this.
Key Events for 2026 and Beyond (1:19)
Heather Falcone: Doug, walk us through 2026 and beyond. We have so much going on for events. What are the key events that people should have on their radar?
Doug Glenn: We often say at Heat TreatToday that we believe people are happier, and they make better decisions when they are well informed. Our whole goal is to make people happy by giving them good information so they can make better decisions, and that that always works well. We do that in a variety of ways. Primarily it’s through our print publication — the technical articles that go out in that print publication. Our most popular product is our print publication. Most of that deals with heat treating, thermal processing, technologies, materials, etc.
But there’s also the element of continuing to sharpen your saw, as Stephen Covey says; keep yourself fresh. To that extent, attending industry shows, events, and educational seminars is helpful.
There’s a there’s a big show coming up in Germany in 2027. It’s called THERMPROCESS, but it’s actually one of four events that are all metals related, so we will talk about that whole quartet of shows. I will also talk about Furnaces North America because it is the leading thermal process/heat treat event of 2026. Then also we also have two Heat TreatToday events that I think might be helpful. Our Heat TreatBoot Camp, and then also our Helium Leak Detection seminars.
Those are the events I’m going to talk about today, but there are more events than that. If you are interested in learning more about important industry events, visit our website, heattreattoday.com, and look under Resource tab. There is the Industry Events calendar. That would be a real good place to start because we try to put all of the events that we think are important to most heat treaters and suppliers of the industry.
It’s important to note, when we talk about heat treat, we have to be very careful. We are not only talking about commercial heat treaters. That’s only about 10 to 15% of the audience that we reach. We are talking about captive heat treaters. That’s who Heat TreatToday is meant to be helpful to.
Heather Falcone: Reaching the broader industry at large is always our goal. Making sure that everyone has access to this. When you have an in-house heat treat operation, sometimes you can be even more isolated. So getting those companies exposed to as much information and data as possible.
THERMPROCESS 2027 (4:26)
Heather Falcone: Speaking of that, if someone can only commit to one or two events this year, I think we should really start with THERMPROCESS, because that one kind of rises to the top. We can unpack that a little bit first.
Doug Glenn: I think that’s a really good idea. The show itself, THERMPROCESS 2027 (thermprocess-online.com), is only one of four [in a trade fair quartet]. That show does not take place until June 21–25 of 2027. It’s over a year away. But the reason we need to talk about it now is because, unlike shows here in the United States, this is a huge show, and if you want to exhibit there, which many of our listeners may be suppliers in the industry, applications need to be in by the end of May of this year, not next year. So I wanted to make sure people are aware of that.
To give you a sense of what’s going on in that event, I want to provide a site map of the campus where THERMPROCESS is taking place. First thing to know is that there are four shows altogether. It’s held only every four years in Dusseldorf, Germany. Looking at the map, they call it “The Bright World of Metals,” you’ll notice the four logos across the top, which are GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS, and NEWCAST.
This is a huge campus. If you were to walk from the upper left corner, the Merkur Spiel Arena, all the way down to the east entrance, that would take you probably 10 to 15 minutes.
GIFA is a foundry show, and is located in halls 11 through 17. The dark blue on the map is all GIFA.
METEC is the gray on the map, halls 1, 4, and 5. This show is basically steel making, metallurgy, etc.
THERMPROCESS is in one hall, hall 10, and it’s the largest hall. It’s larger than any heat treat show here in the United States by far.
NEWCAST is basically a metallurgy show, steel processing, some forging as well. That’s in halls 14 and 15.
This show is open five days, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., all five days. If you were to spend your time walking through this show, it would basically take you all five days to go through this. It’s a huge event.
Let me give you a sense of this size. The total attendance for this entire event for 2023, which was the last one that they had, was 63,000 attendees. Even if you divide that by four, because there’s four different shows, that’s almost 16,000 people per show. To give you a sense of size difference in the United States: our biggest heat treat show, typically Furnaces North America or the ASM Heat Treat Show, attendance is no more than 2,500 people, including exhibitors and everything. You can get a sense that this is the right show.
It’s held in Dusseldorf, Germany. Germany of all countries in the world knows how to do trade shows. There are booths in these halls that are double decker booths, large booth displays. There are even restaurants on the upper level — it is a full event. Companies will spend millions of dollars just on this show.
My suggestion is, if you’ve never been to this show, or if you have a need for a full understanding in the thermal processing/heat treating industry, this is the premier event in the world, as far as I’m concerned. China has some big shows as well. I believe this one is more international. You will see people from all over Europe and the United States as well. 63,000 people total.
For just THERMPROCESS, there are 276 exhibitors, and the show takes up 8,400 square meters, which is about 90,000 square feet. Over on the Foundry side, obviously the biggest show here, taking up almost six halls, there are 854 exhibitors in about 41,315 square meters or 445,000 square feet of booth space. These are big shows.
Heather Falcone: It’s massive.
Doug Glenn: It is massive. There are companies exhibiting there from all over. Not only Western Europe, but Eastern Europe too, Turkey, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, China, India, etc. The United States, to be quite honest, is not always that well represented.
I think this is probably one of the more important things that I wanted to mention about this event. Heat TreatTodayis promoting and sponsoring a pavilion there at THERMPROCESS. If you would like to be part of that pavilion, you can call me and we’ll see what we can do.
It’s a big deal, it’s a big show. May 31 of this year is the exhibitor deadline. For those of you who are interested in attending, which I highly recommend, thermprocess-online.com is the website.
If you’ve never been to Dusseldorf, it’s definitely worth going just to see Dusseldorf. There’s this place in Dusseldorf, a section of the town called the Altstadt, which is the old city. It’s a great place, hundreds of restaurants and great to experience the culture. It’s worth it after the show ends.
Also, the public transportation in Germany is very good. There are trams that run, which make it pretty convenient to get to the exhibit hall.
Heather Falcone: What kind of company roles do you think would be best suited to attend THERMPROCESS? Who do you think would most benefit from this event?
Doug Glenn: You would want more of your upper management personnel attending this event, not so much your furnace operators. You could do that — it would not be a problem taking the furnace operators over there. But it’s typically more engineers and up. One big difference between this show and most shows in Germany compared to shows in the United States: there is not a conference associated with it. They do offer some technical presentations, typically five or six a day in the small auditorium on the show floor. So you might get 30 different technical presentations, but this is primarily a trade show. It is a show where people sit down in their meeting rooms in their booths where they can close the door and have a private meeting, and they buy and sell there.
This is a show where if you want to do business, this is the premier event. In my 30 plus year experience, this has been the most impressive show, for thermal processing/heat treating, so I highly recommend attending.
Furnaces North America (14:28)
Heather Falcone: That’s a great point that you brought up, the difference between a trade show and the technical presentations. Compared to Furnaces North America (FNA), it’s a whole different ball game.
Doug Glenn: FNA is October 12–14, 2026 in Indianapolis. The website for that event is furnacesnorthamerica.com.
The difference is marked between THERMPROCESS and FNA. It’s just a whole different category in a variety of ways. The number of exhibitors is going to be somewhere in the range of 150 to 200, maybe right on the upper end. The trade show hours are typically a little bit shorter, maybe 11 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. It’s only a two-day show, not a five-day show. And there are a lot of technical sessions that are held. There’s a much better opportunity for more formal learning, if you will, where you can go to some classroom environments.
Furnaces North America is owned and operated by the Metal Treating Institute (MTI), which Heather and I are both members of, which is great. MTI is the world’s largest association of commercial heat treaters. While MTI is commercial heat treaters, Furnaces North America is really intended for captive heat treaters, as well as commercial heat treaters, to help advance the technology, knowledge of processes, and materials in the North American market.
It is a good event. It starts on a Monday night, the 12th of October, with a nice opening reception. Then Tuesday is a full day of conferences and the trade show. Wednesday, the conferences begin again in the morning, and then the trade show is open until around 2 p.m. So it’s a rather abbreviated show compared to THERMPROCESS.
Heather Falcone: It’s one of the more unique events because often, when you’re at a trade show, you do want to try and get some learning in, but you also want to get out and see the vendors on the floor. So they’ve set it up really well so that you never have to miss a concurrent session. In fact, they don’t even have the trade show floor open during the conferences. So, it ensures the exhibitors do not have to leave the trade show to attend session, and it lets people attend sessions without feeling guilty that they’re not out there hitting the booths at the trade show.
Doug Glenn: Exactly, they can actually go and do some of the learning as well. If I remember correctly, Heather, you’ve been involved with program development of FNA in the past.
Heather Falcone: Yes, I tend to do a session or so. Last time I think I talked about industry involvement, which is similar to the topic today. Getting involved in the industry is one of the best things you could do for yourself and your company.
Doug Glenn: That’s FNA in a nutshell. There are still some booths available. Although I don’t anticipate that will last long. Call or go to furnacesnorthamerica.com to check in on that, or contact me or Heather, and we can steer you in the right direction.
Heather Falcone: I honestly believe anyone would benefit from going to FNA because of the technical sessions. There’s a lot of learning to be had, even down to someone that’s more operational. It’s not just meant for that owner level. It’s pretty approachable.
Doug Glenn: I would agree. The expense of going to FNA is also substantially less than the expense of going to THERMPROCESS over in Germany. So you do see a good number of shop floor personnel at this, but it is also a good place to send your upper management personnel, depending on the size of your company, and your decision makers, as far as capital expenditures go. It is a good place to bring those people. You can gather a lot of information in a very short time walking around this show.
Heather Falcone: You can cover a lot of ground and really get some good relationship and networking going. It’s a great setup.
Heat Treat Today Events (19:20)
Heather Falcone: Let’s discuss the Heat TreatToday events, I think that there’s some truly unique offerings.
Doug Glenn: While Furnaces North America is not a Heat TreatToday-owned and operated event, we are the exclusive media sponsor of the event. But Heat TreatToday also has its own events.
Firstly, we have our most fun event, which is called Heat TreatBoot Camp. It was a brainchild of mine quite a few years ago because I tend to have a mile wide and an inch deep knowledge of the industry. I am no expert in any one area, but I have this experience of being here and absorbing over 30 years worth of information and relationships. So I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to share some of that information with people who are just wanting to get their heads wrapped around the North American heat treat market? What is it, who’s there, what are we doing, what are the materials — all that good stuff.
So we put together this event called Heat TreatBoot Camp. It is not heavily technical — you don’t need to know metallurgy or anything of that sort to attend. And it’s not just focused on any one piece of equipment, any one company’s equipment, or any one process, like brazing. It is cross-cutting. If you’re coming into the industry, or if you’ve been in the industry for a long time but have only focused on point X because that’s what you’re paid for, you can attend Heat TreatBoot Camp to get a broader view of this whole market. The added benefit of that is that you might find out there are other areas that your company could add that could potentially be profitable.
This is our fifth year coming up. It’s going to be held in Cleveland, Ohio, from Monday, September 14 to Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Our first four events were held in Pittsburgh, which is a great city. But we’re going to Cleveland this year, which should be very good.
Here are the five things that we cover: heat treat markets, materials, processes, products, and players. By players, we mean, Who are the companies that manufacture the equipment… Equipment, components, supplies, materials? That’s the players.
We start the event on Monday night with a very nice opening reception. It’s usually just a nice time to get together and meet each other. Tuesday is the bootcamp day. It’s grueling, it’s a solid day of intensive learning, talking, slideshows, passing on knowledge. Thomas Wingens from WINGENS Industrial Consultancy is my partner and we teach the lectures. Thomas focuses more on the technical side because he’s a metallurgist. So he tries to explain processes and materials in terms that people who are not metallurgists can understand.
Wednesday morning is another half day of classes, and then it’s officially over at the end of the half day. However, we offer an optional heat treat plant tour afterwards on Wednesday afternoon. It is very cool actually because people who have never been to a heat treat shop can experience one.
When we were in Pittsburgh, we went to two. We alternated between Penna Flame Industries in Zelienople, PA, and Solar Atmospheres of Western Pennsylvania in Hermitage. Both are an hour from downtown Pittsburgh. Now that we’re going to Cleveland, we will be visiting Euclid Heat Treating, which is going to be a blast.
That’s bootcamp. It’s really worthwhile. You can visit heattreatbootcamp.com to learn more or you can go to our website, heattreattoday.com and look under events and hit Heat TreatBoot Camp. Feel free to register. If your company is bringing three or more people, get ahold of me and I’ll give you a discount code so you can get a little bit of a deal on registration. It’s a great event. It’s not overly technical. We had a couple company owners who bought furnace manufacturers and so have come to listen and learn. It’s meant for personnel in sales, marketing, and engineering to a certain extent as well. It’s really targeted at suppliers, but we have had quite a few captive heat treaters and commercial heat treaters who have also attended.
Heather Falcone: It’s a very approachable event and anybody should try it. This is a good opportunity for folks that are not necessarily exposed to a lot of the operations. Your HR people even. What’s a great chance to understand what your floor people are going through so that your HR can serve them better? Or accounting or anybody who hasn’t been exposed to the ins and outs of the industry. It’ll give them such a nice strategic understanding across the board without getting too heavy. Really good bang for the buck for such a short amount of time.
Doug Glenn: “Two plus years of industry knowledge in two days.” It’s like drinking out of the proverbial fire hydrant. Very worthwhile.
Helium Leak Detection Seminars (26:00)
Heather Falcone: Let’s finish off by talking about Dave and the seminars.
Doug Glenn:Dave Deiwert is a helium vacuum leak detection expert who has been in the industry many, many years. These are single-day, in-person seminars where attendees will learn hands-on tips. Dave has leak detection equipment from several different suppliers. He will explain the theory behind helium leak detection, and provide solid, practical advice on how to do it. We had our first one this year in March in Charlotte, which was well attended.
The next helium leak detection seminar is in Philadelphia on June 10th, and then we’ll have one in Long Beach, California on August 12. Our final one is scheduled the day after the Furnaces North America event ends in Indianapolis. It’s going to be located right in that neighborhood. The idea was, go to Furnaces North America, stay an extra day, and attend the Helium Leak Detection seminar. It’s scheduled for the October 15 in Indianapolis.
Doug Glenn: It is a lot going on. It is a lot going on, and I want to give a shout out to our in-house events director who’s just taking on the role this year, Karen Gantzer. Karen’s been doing a great job squaring all this stuff away. We give her this wild thing and she’s taken it by the horns and is getting it done.
Heather Falcone: With a smile always!
We covered a lot of ground today. I’m really excited about what we’ve got to be able to offer to the industry. This has been unpacking these, helps them understand exactly what might speak to them individually.
It was a lot of fun spending a little time with you. You’re a mentor, you’re the legacy. You brought us over a hundred episodes of radio, I’m going to say it until I’m blue in the face!
Doug Glenn: Yeah, well it’s nice to not have to ask the questions. It’s nice to actually be able to answer them, so thank you. I appreciate you allowing me to come on.
About the Guest
Doug Glenn Publisher Heat Treat Today
Doug Glenn is the founder and publisher of Heat TreatToday, a thermal processing industry consultant, and a longtime industry voice and conference speaker with over 30 years of experience. He spent two decades as publisher of Industrial Heating magazine, where he helped expand its global reach, and has played a key role in launching major industry events, including Furnaces North America.
Heat Treat Today publishes twelve print magazines annually and included in each is a letter from the publisher, Doug Glenn. This letter from the March 2026 Annual Aerospace Heat Treating print edition highlights the growing presence of heat treat-focused podcasts in North American market, spotlighting both The Heat Treat Podcast with Carlos Torres and Heat Treat Radio, including the transition to a new host, Heather Falcone and the continued evolution of digital content in the industry.
It’s amazing to me that there are at least two professionally done heat treat podcasts in the North American heat treat marketplace. There are actually more than two podcasts, but the two I’m speaking of are ongoing and very targeted toward the North American heat treat industry. Check the end of this column for a link to some of the other podcasts I won’t be discussing at length here.
The Heat Treat Podcast with Carlos Torres
Let’s start with the podcast that it not part of Heat TreatToday — The Heat Treat Podcast with our friend Carlos Torres. Carlos is the CEO of TORSA Group Mattsa and a director at Mattsa Furnace Co. in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Carlos’ video podcast is housed on YouTube (www.youtube.com/@theheattreatpodcast) and has roughly 70 episodes. Carlos cooperates with Super Systems Inc. (SSI) in Mexico, so it is no surprise that Episode #1 from 2021 featured SSI president and all-around great guy, Jim Oakes. Carlos is a very engaging podcast host and has interviewed the likes of Tracy Dougherty, AFC-Holcroft; John Hubbard, former CEO, Bodycote; Chip Keough of the Atmosphere Group; Chad Wright from Wirco; and many other industry notables including Joe Powell, Ben Rassieur, Karen Stanton, Jason Orosz, Jim and Andy Orr, Andrew Bassett, and Trevor Jones.
When Carlos first started his podcast, I joked with him that there was no way he could keep up the pace of turning out good quality heat treat interviews. That was at least four years ago — I was wrong. Carlos continues to do a great job interviewing and posting helpful, timely heat treat content.
Heat Treat Today
The podcast that is a part of Heat Treat Today is Heat TreatRadio. By the time this column is published in March of 2026, Heat Treat Radio will have deployed over 131 episodes since 2016. Initially, the podcasts were strictly audio, but since January 2023, episodes have been video, audio, and transcribed. The list of industry notables is too long, but suffice it to say, it is impressive.
Heat Treat Radio’s new host, Heather Falcone
The BIG news regarding this podcast is that starting last month (February 2026), Heat Treat Radio has a new host, Heather Falcone, former CEO of Thermal-Vac Technology and currently the CEO of Falcone Consulting. Since 2016, I’ve had the pleasure (and responsibility) of hosting the Heat Treat Radio. Heat Treat Today‘s managing editor, Bethany Leone, has been hugely instrumental in the scheduling and production of episodes for the past four years. Both Bethany and I have handed over the reins to Heather, and we are very excited about how the podcast will morph and grow under Heather’s leadership.
By the way, Heather, in her previous life, was interviewed by both The Heat Treat Podcast (Carlos Torres) and Heat Treat Radio. She is, by every measure, an industry legend in her own right.
The nice thing about having Heather take the lead is her ability to “talk turkey” with other industry experts…something I was not able to do being a lowly “publishing guy,” and her creativity and technical savvy when it comes to digital products like audio and video productions. We’re very excited to have Heather on the Heat Treat Today team.
If you have a topic you’d like to see covered on a future episode, or if you know of someone that you think Heather should interview, please reach out directly to Heather at heather@heattreattoday.com.
Whether it’s The Heat Treat Podcast or Heat Treat Radio, I hope you find some of the heat treat audio (and video) helpful.
Heat Treat Today has gathered the four heat treat industry-specific economic indicators for April 2026. The results suggest continued forward-looking stability compared to the March 2026 predictions.
April’s data points to anticipated continued growth across the heat treat industry, as all four indices remain above the growth threshold. Inquiries are projected to remain strong at 63.0 (from 63.9 in March). Bookings are expected to strengthen to 62.0 (up from 57.5 in March). The Backlog index forecasts a notable increase to 66.3 (up from 55.5 in March). Meanwhile, the Health of the Manufacturing Economy index points to a more confident outlook at 62.5 (up from 58.0 in March).
April’s indicators suggest suppliers to the heat treat industry anticipate steady-to-strengthening demand conditions in the month ahead, with particular momentum in backlog and bookings supporting operational continuity. With all four metrics projected to remain comfortably in growth territory, the outlook reflects a manufacturing environment where suppliers can expect continued activity from heat treaters, supported by improving confidence and sustained demand across key markets as the second quarter begins.
The results from this month’s survey (April) are as follows: numbers above 50 indicate growth, numbers below 50 indicate contraction, and the number 50 indicates no change:
Anticipated change in Number of Inquiries from March to April: 63.0
Anticipated change in Value of Bookings from March to April: 62.0
Anticipated change in Size of Backlog from March to April: 66.3
Anticipated change in Health of the Manufacturing Economy from February to March: 62.5
Data for April 2026
The four index numbers are reported monthly by Heat Treat Today and made available on the website.
Heat TreatToday’sEconomic Indicatorsmeasure and report on four heat treat industry indices. Each month, approximately 800 individuals who classify themselves as suppliers to the North American heat treat industry receive the survey. Above are the results. Data collection began in June 2023. If you would like to participate in the monthly survey, please click here to subscribe.
Heat Treat Today has launched its 2026 Helium Leak Detection Seminar series, with the first stop held on March 25, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The one-day, hands-on training event brought together vacuum furnace users, OEMs, and industry suppliers for practical instruction on leak detection methods and equipment used in thermal processing environments.
Dave Deiwert leads with a focus on real-world application, showing off leak detection equipment during the Charlotte seminar.
Led by Dave Deiwert of Tracer Gas Technologies, the seminar focused on helping attendees better understand the challenges associated with helium leak detection and how to troubleshoot common issues encountered in vacuum furnace operations. Participants included both end users and manufacturers of vacuum furnaces, reflecting broad industry interest in improving leak detection practices.
The program combined classroom instruction with live demonstrations and hands-on experience using multiple helium detection systems. Onsite sponsors included Aaron Barton of Busch Vacuum Group, who demonstrated the Pfeiffer Vacuum ASM310 helium leak detector and guided attendees through hands-on use. Additional demonstrations were supported by Bob Delabio and Bryant Crisp of Edwards Vacuum, who provided access to the Edwards ELD500 Dry Helium Leak Detector for live testing and application-based learning. Deiwert also incorporated an Inficon Protec 3000 helium sniffing leak detector into the training, offering attendees exposure to multiple leak detection approaches used in vacuum furnace environments.
Dave Deiwert engages attendees with live demonstrations of helium leak detection equipment.Hands-on training walks attendees through leak detection equipment and troubleshooting methods.
Attendees were encouraged to engage throughout the session, with open discussion around common frustrations in leak detection and strategies for improving accuracy and efficiency. According to Deiwert, many participants identified leak detection as a persistent challenge in their operations, underscoring the value of practical, experience-based training.
Dave Deiwert and Karen Gantzer at the first session of Heat Treat Today’s Helium Leak Detection Seminar in Charlotte.
The event was organized by Heat Treat Today, with coordination led by Publisher Doug Glenn and Director of Events Karen Gantzer, who also managed onsite execution in Charlotte.
Deiwert emphasized a service-oriented approach to the training, encouraging attendees to continue the conversation beyond the seminar. “If you help people when they have problems, business seems to take care of itself,” he said, noting that responsiveness and technical support play a key role in building long-term relationships across the industry.
The Charlotte seminar marks the first of four planned stops in Heat Treat Today’s2026 Helium Leak Detection Seminar series, which aims to provide accessible, application-focused training for professionals working with vacuum furnaces and related equipment.
Heat Treat Today publishes twelve print magazines annually and included in each is a letter from the publisher, Doug Glenn. This letter from the February 2026 Annual Air & Atmosphere Heat Treating print edition celebrates the return of in-person industry events following the disruptions of COVID-19, and previews the lineup of events that Heat Treat Todaywill be involved in throughout 2026 and beyond, such as THERMPROCESS 2027 in Germany and Furnaces North America (FNA) in Indianapolis.
We are five years out from COVID-19 and life is returning to normal, including in-person events. In 2026, Heat TreatToday is starting an Events Division spearheaded by Heat Treat Today veteran, Karen Gantzer. Here’s a preview of the in-person events that Heat TreatToday will be working on in 2026. These events may be important and of interest to you.
Helium Leak Detection Seminars
We are holding four seminars in 2026, one each quarter. If you hurry, you might be able to register for the Helium Leak Detection Seminar scheduled for March 25 in Charlotte, North Carolina. You can register up to the day, including walk-ins. The remaining three seminars are scheduled for June 10 in the Philadelphia area, August 12 near Long Beach, California, and October 15 in Indianapolis, the day after Furnaces North America 2026 concludes. Pricing is very reasonable; standard pricing is $795 for the day, but early-bird registrations are available at $695.
Dave Deiwert, Heat Treat Today’s new favorite vacuum leak detection guy, will be instructing. These should be super-helpful, super-practical seminars. If you have vacuum furnaces, send someone. More information and registration can be found at www.heattreattoday.com/leakdetectionseminar.
THERMPROCESS 2027
This event is not until 2027, but exhibitors should sign up now because the exhibitor registration deadline is May 31, 2026. Heat Treat Today is both sponsoring and helping to create a North American Pavilion at THERMPROCESS. Find out more by reading last month’s Publisher’s Page or by going to www.heattreattoday.com/pavilion.
Heat Treat Boot Camp
Scheduled for September 14–16 in Cleveland, Ohio, Heat Treat Today’s 5th annual Heat Treat Boot Camp is becoming one of the industry’s leading educational events. With a day and a half of classroom instruction sprinkled with some excellent and entertaining networking opportunities, as well as a small (10–12 vendor) tabletop exhibit, Heat Treat Boot Camp has been growing in popularity since its inception in 2022. Last year (2025) saw over 60 attendees. This event has some technical content but is more geared for non-technical individuals who want to understand the marketplace better. Discussions include markets, materials, products, processes, and players. Register early to make sure you or your team get a seat at the 2026 event. Learn more at www.heattreatbootcamp.com.
Furnaces North America 2026
I, alongside the team at Industrial Heating (now out of business), started Furnaces North America (FNA) in 1995 in Cleveland, Ohio. We sold the event to the Metal Treating Institute (MTI) in 1998 after the Las Vegas show. MTI, under the leadership of Tom Morrison, has done a great job growing the show to be one of the top two heat treating events in North America. Heat Treat Today is the exclusive media partner. FNA is in Indianapolis this year, October 12–14. FNA will be the largest and most important technical and commercial trade show of the year in North America. If you’re not planning on being there, please reconsider. More at www.furnacesnorthamerica.com.
Others — And Your Suggestions
There is one other vacuum furnace-related event that we are hoping to do later in the year. More details are forthcoming.
And finally, we’d like to hear your thoughts on what events might be worth doing. Please send your ideas — crazy or sane — to me.
A new service center in Concord, North Carolina, is now fully operational. Kanthal, an Alleima company, added U.S.-based production and service capabilities for silicon carbide (SiC) heating elements used in high-temperature applications across industries such as electronics, glass, and steel manufacturing.
Kanthal leadership celebrating the official inauguration of its new service center located in Concord, North Carolina | Image Credit: KanthalSimon Lile President, Business Unit Heating Systems Kanthal
“This is not just a new service center. We have implemented improvements in Concord that allow us to adapt product configurations based on customer furnace setups and order cycles. The result is a more responsive operation, faster to quote, faster to ship, and better aligned with U.S. [client] needs,” says Simon Lile, president of Business Unit Heating Systems at Kanthal.
Heat TreatToday publisher Doug Glenn attended the ribbon-cutting and open house event to better understand how electrification is shaping high-temperature thermal processing. During the event, attendees toured the Concord facility and discussed how electric heating technologies are being evaluated as alternatives to traditional fuel-based systems. Conversations reflected growing interest in approaches that support improved process control and reduced emissions in industrial applications. “This kind of investment signals a broader shift in how manufacturers are approaching high-temperature processing,” Glenn said. “It’s not just about replacing a heat source — it’s about rethinking how these systems operate in the long term.”
The site includes expanded capacity for Globar® silicon carbide heating elements, which enable electrification of heating processes up to 2950°F and offer an alternative to fossil fuel-based systems. These heating elements can support improved energy efficiency, cleaner operations, and enhanced process control while contributing to reduced CO2 emissions.
Globar® silicon carbide (SiC) heating elements | Image Credit: Kanthal
The Concord service center is part of an approximately $11 million investment that also includes updates to the company’s production site in Perth, Scotland. Together, these developments are expected to increase production capacity by about 40%, while improving lead times and service for clients in the U.S. market.
In 2022, operations from multiple locations were consolidated into the Concord facility, creating a centralized manufacturing and distribution center. The latest investment builds on that foundation to support current client demand.
Press release is available in its original form here. Main image shows the ribbon-cutting ceremony, along with a photo inset of Heat TreatToday Publisher Doug Glenn with President of Business Unit Heating Systems for Kanthal Simon Lile and Production Unit Manager for Kanthal Bruce Dionne.
Heat Treat Today has gathered the four heat treat industry-specific economic indicators for March 2026. The March results show continued stability compared to the February 2026 predictions.
March’s data indicates anticipated continued growth across the heat treat industry, as all four indices remain above the growth threshold. Inquiries are projected to stay strong at 63.9 (from 67.5 in February). Bookings are expected to hold in healthy expansion territory at 57.5 (from 58.2 in February). The Backlog index continues to forecast growth at 55.5 (up from 52.5 in February). Finally, the Health of the Manufacturing Economy index growth expectations remain constant at 58.0 (up from 57.9 in February).
March’s indicators show suppliers anticipating steady demand from heat treaters in the month ahead. With all four metrics projected to remain comfortably in growth territory, the outlook points to continued activity from shops supporting aerospace, automotive, energy, and general manufacturing markets as we move further into the spring production cycle.
The results from this month’s survey (March) are as follows: numbers above 50 indicate growth, numbers below 50 indicate contraction, and the number 50 indicates no change:
Anticipated change in Number of Inquiries from February to March: 63.9
Anticipated change in Value of Bookings from February to March: 57.5
Anticipated change in Size of Backlog from February to March: 55.5
Anticipated change in Health of the Manufacturing Economy from February to March: 58.0
Data for March 2026
The four index numbers are reported monthly by Heat Treat Today and made available on the website.
Heat TreatToday’sEconomic Indicatorsmeasure and report on four heat treat industry indices. Each month, approximately 800 individuals who classify themselves as suppliers to the North American heat treat industry receive the survey. Above are the results. Data collection began in June 2023. If you would like to participate in the monthly survey, please click here to subscribe.
Heat Treat Today has gathered the four heat treat industry-specific economic indicators for February 2026. The February results show building momentum compared to the January 2026 predictions.
February’s data points to a steady manufacturing environment, as all four indices remain above the growth threshold, driven by a notable jump in expectations for growth in the Number of Inquiries at 67.5 (up from 56.9 in January). Bookings stayed firmly in growth territory, reflecting stable demand at 58.2 (from 59.5 in January). The Backlog index showed modest softening but remained neutral, indicating balance rather than decline at 52.5 (from 57.8 in January). Finally, the Health of the Manufacturing Economy index continued its upward trend at 57.9 (up from 56.1 in January).
February’s indicators reinforce a theme of stability with underlying momentum. While month-to-month fluctuations remain, the overall picture points to resilience and selective strengthening as the industry moves deeper into the first quarter.
The results from this month’s survey (February) are as follows: numbers above 50 indicate growth, numbers below 50 indicate contraction, and the number 50 indicates no change:
Anticipated change in Number of Inquiries from January to February:67.5
Anticipated change in Value of Bookings from January to February: 58.2
Anticipated change in Size of Backlog from January to February: 52.5
Anticipated change in Health of the Manufacturing Economy from January to February: 57.9
Data for February 2026
The four index numbers are reported monthly by Heat Treat Today and made available on the website.
Heat TreatToday’sEconomic Indicatorsmeasure and report on four heat treat industry indices. Each month, approximately 800 individuals who classify themselves as suppliers to the North American heat treat industry receive the survey. Above are the results. Data collection began in June 2023. If you would like to participate in the monthly survey, please click here to subscribe.
