John Plant

15 Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current

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

Personnel and Company Chatter

  • Roger Smith has recently been appointed Technical Manager at Plibrico Company, LLC.  Smith will be responsible for development of innovative refractory formulas, oversee product quality, and assist in identifying the best materials for refractory construction projects.
  • William “Bill” Cowell has been promoted to the position of Vice President of Operations at Advanced Heat Treat Corp. (AHT). Cowell, who has been at AHT since 1999, will oversee operations for all AHT  facilities.
  • Wirco has announced the promotion of Aaron Fisher to Vice President of our Fabrication Division. Aaron has been with Wirco for 19 years. In addition, Wirco welcomes Marco Möser as the Vice President of our Foundry Division.
  • Thomas G. Gasbarre has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of Gasbarre Products, Inc, a position he has held since his father George Gasbarre, the founder of the company, retired in 1990. Gasbarre also announced that Tom’s son, Alex Gasbarre, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and is now leading the development and execution of the company’s short- and long-term strategies. Heath Jenkins has been promoted and will succeed Alex as President, Press & Automation, and Manufacturing Technologies.
  • John C Plant has been appointed to serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Arconic Inc. The Board has also appointed Elmer L. Doty, a current Director, to serve as Chief Operating Officer, and Arthur D. Collins, Jr., a current Director, to serve as Lead Director. These appointments are effective immediately.
  • Xerox, based in Norwalk, Connecticut, has acquired metal additive manufacturing company Vader Systems, which will enable it to offer its customers access to low-cost metal additive manufacturing with a greater variety of metals. Based in Buffalo, New York, Vader Systems is a developer of liquid metal additive manufacturing technology.
  • Several convection ovens were supplied to a manufacturer of small medical parts in the southern U.S. by Lucifer Furnaces. Model 42-B18 has a working chamber size of 9”H x 9”W x 18”L and heats to 1200°F.
  • A floor-standing furnace has been shipped by L&L Special Furnace Co., Inc. to a worldwide leader of high tech ceramics and associated components located in the Northeastern United States. The furnace will be used for glass components along with fiber optics and research and development. It will also be used to fill in on various thermal projects and development.
  • A Treet-All™ Box Furnace has been shipped to a Japan-based global battery manufacturing company by Lindberg/MPH.  The maximum temperature rating of this light industrial box furnace is 2050°F and has work chamber dimensions of 18” wide x 36” deep x 18” high. The Treet-All™ Light Industrial Box Furnace is suited for multiple applications, including annealing, ashing, austempering, brazing, preheating, solution treating, stress relieving, and normalizing.
  • A supplier of the aerospace industry received shipment of a Electrically Heated Horizontal Quench Solution Treat System from Wisconsin Oven Corporation. The Horizontal Quench Solution Treat System has a maximum oven operating temperature of 1,200° F and work zone dimensions of 5’4″ wide x 5’6″ long x 5’4″ high (above the rollers).
  • Chromalox, a thermal technology provider, recently contracted with Sierra Monitor Corporation  to enable cloud system connectivity on their Heat Trace solution.
  • A cabinet oven is being used to finish batch loads of metal parts at a customer’s facility. The No. 828 is a 500°F (260°C) cabinet oven from Grieve Corporation.
  • A recycling and melting group has ordered for installation a Twin-Chamber Melting Furnace TCF® from Tenova LOI Thermprocess. Italy-based Fonderie Pandolfo specializes in processing of aluminum, mainly for extrusions. The casted billets are mainly extruded in the extrusion shops of the main European extruders.

Kudos Chatter

  • Buehler, an ITW Company, and ASM International are celebrating 75 of continuous partnership in 2019. Buehler has continuously supported of the ASM World Training Center in Novelty, Ohio, through its innovations for metallography and hardness testing, solutions for the newest materials and participation in ASM International activities.
  • Pennsylvania-based Onex Inc recently completed a forge furnace refractory reline in one week.

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 the editor at editor@heattreattoday.com.

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Arconic Splits Operations, Expands Hot Mill Capability

Arconic Inc., which specializes in lightweight metals engineering and manufacturing, recently announced plans to separate the company’s portfolio into Engineered Products & Forgings and Global Rolled Products, with a spin-off of one of the businesses. In addition, it will also explore the potential sale of businesses that do not best fit into engineered products & forgings or global rolled products.

The Global Rolled Products segment produces a range of aluminum sheet and plate products for the aerospace, automotive, commercial transportation, brazing, and industrial markets. The Engineered Products and Solutions (EP&S) represents Arconic’s downstream operations and produces products that are used mostly in the aerospace (commercial and defense), commercial transportation, and power generation end markets.

The New York City-based company’s decision to separate its portfolio comes after rejecting a $10 billion offer for the entire company and abruptly replacing its Chief Executive. John Plant, the newly appointed CEO, stated during the company’s 4Q18 conference call that he expects the spin-off would be completed within the next 9 to 15 months.

Arconic has also released investment plans to expand its hot mill capability and add downstream equipment capabilities to manufacture industrial and automotive aluminum products in its Tennessee Operations facility near Knoxville, Tennessee.

Tim Myers.

“This investment will add capacity to meet the growing demand for industrial products and automotive aluminum sheet,” said Tim Myers, President of Arconic’s Global Rolled Products business. “With this expansion, we are further diversifying the portfolio of one of our largest North American facilities.” The industrial market consists of products made with common alloy aluminum sheet, which is used in applications for commercial transportation, appliances, machinery, and construction.

 

 

Photo credit/caption: Bloomberg News / A worker controls a crane to move an aluminum coil at the Arconic Inc. manufacturing facility in Alcoa, Tennessee. 

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