Hydro

22 News Chatter To Keep You Current

Heat Treat Today offers News Chatter, a feature highlighting representative moves, transactions, and kudos from around the industry. Enjoy these 22 news items.


Equipment

  1. ROGESA Roheisengesellschaft Saar GmbH has commissioned SMS group to carry out a comprehensive modernization of blast furnace 4 (BF4), which will extend the service life of the blast furnace and ensure effective monitoring of the hearth lining. The contract includes the planning and delivery of the Paul Wurth hearth lining and multi thermocouple sensor probes (MTPs), as well as technical support during the installation phase at the in Dillingen, Germany, location. Additionally, Future Forgeworks, a steel manufacturer based in Brisbane, Australia, has commissioned SMS group to supply the nation’s first continuous mill technology (CMT® 350) mill. Future Forgeworks’ landmark project, the Swanbank Green Steel Mill Project, will produce rebar steel in an endless process for the Australian company, guaranteeing low carbon emissions and highly efficient production. 
  2. Piper Industrial Manufacturing Company, a Piper Aircraft, Inc., subsidiary, has acquired a Flexform™ fluid cell press from Quintus Technologies, expanding its equipment inventory to target the growing demand for low volume, high-complexity sheet metal forming. The company provides turnkey world-class manufacturing solutions.
  3. Steel producer Colakoğlu Metalurji AS, has placed an order with SMS group for the modernization of the laminar cooling section and the downcoiler in its 1,850-millimeter hot strip mill. With the completion of the laminar cooling system upgrade, the Turkish company plans to enter the market for wear-resistant steel grades. Additionally, Fujian Kebao Metal Products Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Fujian Sanbao Group, has contracted with SMS for two tinplate continuous annealing lines (TIN CALs).
  4. A heat and energy management company that produces approximately 2 million complex parts per year has expanded with a custom-made VAB furnace for vacuum aluminum brazing. SECO/WARWICK has delivered the furnace to the company, located in the Czech Republic.
  5. Aluminum and renewable energy company Hydro has decided to invest in a new sow casting line at Husnes to increase its primary aluminum casthouse flexibility. The company’s primary plant produces low-carbon extrusion ingot for the European construction and automotive industries. The sow caster, which will have a capacity of 100,000 tonnes per year, will give flexibility to produce sow ingots in periods of lower demand for the plant’s main products.
  6. Secat, Inc., recently announced the addition of the Alubin extrusion press to its Nicholasville Pilot Lab. The press was donated by Wagstaff, Inc., which manufactures direct chill aluminum casting systems. This equipment will elevate the company’s testing, development, and small-scale production capabilities.
  7. Tenova will supply a new hot dip galvanizing line for PT Tata Metal Indonesia. The flexibility of the new line for zinc aluminum magnesium alloys will enable production of three types of coated coils.

Company & Personnel

  1. Can-Eng Furnaces International, Ltd. has announced the promotion of two long-standing employees to new leadership roles in 2025. Jason Clay has been promoted to manufacturing operations manager, overseeing the future direction of the company’s manufacturing strategies. Adam DeCiccio has been promoted to purchasing and logistics manager and will focus on implementing innovative strategies and improvements within purchasing, supply chain, and inventory planning to support company growth.
  2. thyssenkrupp Aerospace, a logistics service provider for the commercial aerospace industry, and aluminum manufacturer Novelis have renewed their strategic partnership through a multi-year agreement.
  3. Kolene Corporation recently announced the promotions of Timothy D. Shoemaker and Peter L. Shoemaker, both to co-chief operating officers for the corporation. Tim Shoemaker is responsible for sales and has oversight of the company’s engineering, field service, and project management departments. Peter Shoemaker continues to lead the company’s chemical supply chain and order fulfillment departments, as well as its critical replacement parts revenue segment.
  4. Gasbarre‘s new 150,000-square-foot facility in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, recently became fully operational, with expanded floor space, upgraded infrastructure, and state-of-the-art equipment.
  5. JSW Steel Dolvi Works has selected SMS group for a major expansion of its steelmaking facility, increasing the annual capacity of the existing steel mill by 3.7 million tons per year.
  6. Watlow, a provider of industrial technology and thermal systems, recently expanded its executive leadership team by appointing two regional presidents to oversee operations in Asia and Europe. Shiyi Zhou will serve as regional president of Asia, and Klaus Aarestrupp as regional president over Europe.
  7. Ipsen announced the 2025 schedule for its comprehensive training course on vacuum furnace equipment. Ipsen U will take place on April 1-3, June 10-12, August 12-14, and October 7-9 in Cherry Valley, Illinois.
  8. CAN-ENG Furnaces International Ltd has formed a strategic partnership with Piotr Pelian, founder of Industrial Process Technology to expand its European presence.
  9. Hydro and Northvolt have signed an agreement where Hydro will acquire the remaining shares in the battery recycler Hydrovolt for NOK 78 million, increasing its ownership in Hydrovolt from 72 to 100 percent through this transaction. Hydrovolt is a raw materials company established in 2020 as a 50/50 joint venture between Hydro and Northvolt.

Kudos

  1. Solar Atmospheres, Inc. has been recognized as the industry leader in the Surface Treatment Services category of the 2024 Leadership in Medtech Awards.
  2. Phoenix Heat Treating has announced that their furnaces have received approvals from Pratt & Whitney and Bell Helicopter, increasing the company’s capacity to process orders that require specifically approved furnaces, ensuring compliance with stringent aerospace and defense standards.
  3. Steelhead Technologies recently announced the launch of the Tides of Steel Sweepstakes, in partnership with Calvary Industries. The contest offers an opportunity for job shops to win prizes that will accelerate 2025 growth and reward hard-working teams.
  4. The Otto Junker Foundation announced the winners of the Otto Junker Prize 2024, honoring outstanding academic achievements at the RWTH (Technical University of Aachen). The recipients are: Daniel Baggen, Moritz Diewald, Gerrit Ipers, and Jan Krusenbaum.
  5. Mark Thomason and John Blauser, both of Gasbarre, have received the 2025 Distinguished Service to Powder Metallurgy Award from the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF). The award recognizes individuals who have dedicated at least 25 years to the powder metallurgy (PM) industry and made outstanding, long-term contributions that have earned the admiration of their peers.
  6. The inaugural class of field service engineers recently graduated from the Ipsen FSE Academy, a next-generation training program building on the foundation of the former Ipsen Corporate Academy. This revamped initiative reflects Ipsen’s ongoing commitment to developing top-tier talent. These engineers successfully completed an intensive 20-week training program focused on mastering the complexities of heat treatment furnace repair and service

Find Heat Treating Products And Services When You Search On Heat Treat Buyers Guide.Com

22 News Chatter To Keep You Current Read More »

Arconic Divests, Hydro Acquires Latin American Extrusions Plants

Svein Richard Brandtzæg, president and CEO

Lightweight metals engineering and manufacturing firm Arconic, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, recently announced that a global integrated aluminum solutions company will acquire its Latin American extrusions business, located in Brazil, part of the company’s transportation and construction solutions segment.

Hydro Extruded Solutions AS, formerly Sapa, which produces extruded shapes (standard and custom), seamless and structural pipe & tube, and standard and specialty rod and bar, noted in a company release that the transaction will expand its capacity to provide solutions for its manufacturing sectors in Brazil. Arconic is divesting two extrusion plants in Utinga and Tubarão in southern Brazil as part of its strategy to streamline assets and production; the assets include one casthouse, seven extrusion presses ranging from 7 to 14 inches, and value-added capabilities.

“We believe in the integrated business model and Brazil is the country where Hydro’s entire value chain is present. From bauxite and alumina, via primary production to extruded solutions, this will strengthen our ability to serve our customers,” said Svein Richard Brandtzæg, president and CEO.

Completion of the transaction is subject to approval from relevant competition authorities in Brazil and is expected within the first half of 2018.

 

Arconic Divests, Hydro Acquires Latin American Extrusions Plants Read More »

Automotive Aluminum Sheet Line Starts in Germany

Carmakers all over the world are looking for lighter materials so that their cars pollute less. As a consequence of this industry megatrend, Hydro has made several strategic investments in Norway and Germany over the last few years to meet this demand and at the same time secure the viability of high competence industrial jobs in both countries.

The EUR 130 million automotive line in Germany is the biggest in a series of investments Hydro has made recently to meet the increasing demand from carmakers.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg are attending the grand opening at the Grevenbroich plant. Both officials will speak before Hydro employees, customers and other guests from politics and industry, before unveiling the state-of-the-art facility.

The metal of the future

Aluminium is a preferred metal for automotive applications for several reasons: its density is only one-third that of steel, it has excellent corrosion properties, leads heat and electricity effectively, and not least – it is infinitely recyclable. In addition, aluminium – when alloyed and manufactured in a smart way – absorbs energy very effectively, making the cars safer.

“While global demand for aluminium is growing by 2 to 3 percent per year, we expect demand from the automotive industry to accelerate by 14 percent every year. This is due to rules and regulations, incentivizing car makers to build lighter cars that are more environmentally friendly. A car part in aluminium weighs about half of steel. In an uncertain world, one thing is certain – the world needs more aluminium,” says Hydro President & CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg.

Made in Europe

The automotive line investment is closely linked to investments Hydro has made further upstream in the value chain in Norway. Over the past couple of years, Hydro’s casthouses in Sunndal, Høyanger, Årdal and Karmøy in Norway have been upgraded with new innovations and equipment, specifically designed to meet the requirements of car makers. Altogether, these investments are worth close to NOK 150 million. Since 2012, Hydro has invested around NOK 7.5 billion in Norwegian primary aluminium and power production. New casting technology is under implementation in Høyanger and Årdal, where Hydro produces sheet ingot which at our plants in Germany can be rolled into plates and used in so-called hang-on car parts such as doors, hoods, roofs, and trunk lids.

At Karmøy, Hydro is investing in the world’s most climate- and energy-efficient production technology for primary aluminium – the Karmøy Technology Pilot – and also upgrading one of two casthouses to become a specialty products casthouse, mainly targeting the automotive industry. Metal from Karmøy is used in extruded car parts such as bumpers, piping systems and posts.

In Sunndal, Hydro has recently invested in so-called electromagnetic stirring equipment in one of the furnaces. The intention is to secure higher-quality aluminium ingots, a large part of which ultimately ending up as metal for cast car components such as engine parts and wheels.

Germany most important market

Germany is Hydro’s main market, with an overall turnover of about 1.4 billion Euro in 2016 and more than 6,000 employees in Hamburg, Rackwitz close to Leipzig, Neuss and Grevenbroich.

In the Neuss area, Hydro is running the biggest and most powerful aluminum network in Europe consisting of the aluminum and recycling smelter in Rheinwerk, the rolling mill Alunorf joint venture and the finishing mill in Grevenbroich. All activities are supported by the largest central research and development center in the European aluminum industry, based in Bonn, and the sorting center for used aluminum in Dormagen.

The main businesses for Hydro in Germany are Automotive, Foil, Cans, General Engineering and aluminum for lithographic applications.

Automotive Aluminum Sheet Line Starts in Germany Read More »

Status and Outlook of the North American Billet Industry

  Source:  Light Metal Age

The editors of Light Metal Age Magazine have provided their interviews with Matthew Lanzer, Bob Katsiouleris, Christopher Boland, Robert Convery, Erik Fossum, and Tom Horter regarding the status of the North American aluminum billet industry.  Read what insights these leaders from Service Center Metals, UC Rusal, Nanshan America, Matalco, Hydro and Alexin LLC have to offer regarding billet supplies.

Read more: Status and Outlook of Billet Supply by Andrea Svendsen, Managing Editor of Light Metal Age

 

Status and Outlook of the North American Billet Industry Read More »