Manufacturing Heat Treat News

New Strip Casting Furnace Commissioned in U.S. Collaboration

/ MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

A vacuum induction melting strip casting furnace (VIM-SC) was commissioned for a manufacturer in North Carolina.

Consarc Corporation and Vulcan Elements announced the commissioning and delivery of the furnace at Vulcan Elements’ new facility in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. The collaboration marks a significant milestone in the effort to re-shore rare earth magnet production and strengthen supply chain resilience.

Source: Consarc

This furnace enables the rapid solidification of Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeB) alloys—critical materials for high-performance magnets used in electric vehicles, defense systems, wind turbines, and advanced electronics.

Jai Narayan
President
Consarc Corporation
Source: Linkedin

“Consarc is proud to play a vital role in reestablishing America’s rare-earth magnet manufacturing base,” said Jai Narayan, president of Consarc Corporation.

John Maslin, chief executive officer of Vulcan Elements said, “Vulcan Elements’ mission is to onshore a secure, traceable, and transparent rare earth magnet supply chain…As demonstrated by this newly-commissioned strip casting furnace, Consarc is a core part of that ecosystem, and Vulcan Elements is committed to developing and galvanizing domestic equipment production.”

John Maslin
CEO
Vulcan Elements
Source: Vulcan Elements

Press release is available in its original form here.

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SECO/WARWICK Consolidates in the U.S.

/ HEAT TREAT NEWS

Two entities located in Meadville, PA will now operate as one organization.

SECO/WARWICK and SECO/VACUUM Technologies have consolidated their U.S. operations. Piotr Zawistowski, the current president of SECO/VACUUM, will remain at the helm of the merged organization.

Growing market needs, changing geopolitical conditions, and the aim to further strengthen the global SECO/WARWICK brand were motivations for the decision.

Sławomir Woźniak
CEO
SECO/WARWICK Group

Sławomir Woźniak, CEO of the SECO/WARWICK Group shared that “operating under one brand (SECO/WARWICK) is an important step in implementing our product strategy in the North American market. The consolidation will strengthen brand recognition, optimize operational processes, and simplify administrative formalities. I want to emphasize that while the formal structure and name change, the values, mission, and vision of the SECO/WARWICK Group remain unchanged. The goal of the entire undertaking is growth on all fronts.”

“I would also like to emphasize that all existing product lines of both entities will continue,” added Piotr Zawistowski, Managing Director of the American SECO/WARWICK branch.

Piotr Zawistowski
Managing Director
SECO/VACUUM

One of the short-term goals following the merger will be the transfer of technology and the expansion of the product portfolio in the American market. The remaining branch of the Group in the USA – RETECH in Buffalo, New York – will maintain its existing production, product segment, and separate brand.

Merger Announcement On SECO/VACUUM Website
Source: SECO/VACUUM

Press release is available in its original form here.

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HIGH VACUUM TECHNOLOGIES (HVT) Launches As New Thermal Processing Company

/ HEAT TREAT NEWS

A new thermal processing company has launched under the oversight of industry leaders.

High Vacuum Technologies (HVT) has announced its inauguration as a new vacuum furnace manufacturer. HVT is committed to serving the industry with energy efficient equipment.

HVT Logo


The executive team for HVT consists of Suresh Jhawar, named chief executive officer, who has 54 years of experience in the industry. He spent the first ten years of his career at IPSEN USA, holding positions of senior project engineer, manager engineering services, manager marketing services, and technical director of Heavy Equipment Division. Later, he assumed the role of vice president general manager at ABAR Corporation. In 1987 he joined G-M ENTERPRISES as a minority partner and became the sole owner in 2005 and oversaw its acquisition by NITREX of Canada. Jhawar earned BSc in physics, BSME in heat transfer & thermodynamics and a MBA in marketing.

Steve Turmala is one of the co-founders and will serve as HVT’s executive vice president of technology. He has thirty-five years of experience in the furnace industry, working with electrical and computer control systems. He actively seeks out and invents furnace control systems, with particular attention to reliability and early warning signs for malfunctions.

Jeffrey Taino is a co-founder and will serve as the executive vice president of engineering & R&D for HVT. He has over 30 years of industry experience, including design and equipment development for heat processing of zirconia tubes for nuclear energy.

Veena Jhawar will fill the role of chief operating officer and co-founder of HVT. She spent 25 years in her career at G-M Enterprises managing supply chain and operations. Veena has a master of science degree in economics. She is aware of the challenges of increasing costs for materials and the impact of tariffs on the industry, but she is ready to meet those challenges.

Suresh Jhawar, CEO
Steve Turmala, EVP Technology
Jeffrey Taino, EVP Engineering
Veena Jhawar, COO

As HVT begins its operations, stay tuned for the announcement of a multi-million dollar agreement coming soon.

For more information: Contact Steve Turmala at turmalasc2@yahoo.com

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28,000-Square-Foot Facility Acquired for U.S. Heat Treat Company

/ MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

The largest family-owned heat treating company in the United States announced the opening of its seventh U.S. heat treat operation.

Jamie Jones
President
Solar Atmospheres

Solar Atmospheres will acquire an existing industrial facility located in Berlin, Connecticut. The 28,000-square-foot facility is located in the Spruce Brook Industrial Park and will further expand the company’s capabilities in the Northeast region.

“We are excited to establish a new presence in Connecticut,” said Jamie Jones, president of Solar Atmospheres. “This strategic location allows us to…continue supporting the aerospace, medical, and commercial manufacturing markets throughout New England.”

The company provides vacuum heat treating solutions. This new heat treat operation is slated for completion in 2026.

Press release is available in its original form here.

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Deal For First U.S. Smelter in 45 Years

/ ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

A site in Oklahoma is the planned future home of a $4-billion dollar smelting operation. The plant would have a capacity of producing 600,000 metric tons of primary aluminum each year that would nearly double current domestic output for the United States.

Governor Kevin Stitt
Source: Sengov

Emirates Global Aluminium plans to build a primary aluminum plant in the Sooner State. If all goes accordingly, the plant will create up to 1,000 new jobs, and 4,000 jobs during its construction.

The plan is currently undergoing a feasibility study, however, Emirates Global Aluminium already has aluminum operations in the United States under EGA Spectro Alloys, the manufacturer of secondary aluminum alloys. 

“We want more goods to be manufactured in Oklahoma and EGA is the perfect partner,” said Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt. “My administration has worked closely with the company for over a year to clear the way for the first new primary aluminum production plant in the United States for more than four decades.”

“The United States has been an important market for EGA for several decades, and we know there is strong demand for our high-quality metal ‘made in America’,” stated Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban
CEO EGA
Source: EGA

Primary aluminum is created by dissolving aluminum oxide in a cryolite solution and applying electrolysis to extract a pure metal. Securing an affordable electric power source will be a major factor in the speed at which this agreement moves forward. Primary aluminum is used in domestic automotive, energy, construction, and aerospace sectors.

If its current deadlines are met, construction would begin next year, and the plant would begin operations by 2029.

Press release is available in its original form here.

Sources

$4B Plan for First US Smelter in 45 Years. American Machinist. Accessed May 20, 2025. https://www.americanmachinist.com/news/article/55291130/4b-proposal-for-first-us-smelter-in-45-years-emirates-global-aluminium.

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Vacuum Induction Melting Furnaces for Aerospace & Energy Industries

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, ENERGY HEAT TREAT NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING NEWS

A Chinese partner has purchased two vacuum induction melting (VIM) furnaces for melting and producing castings that will support the aerospace and energy industries.

Sławomir Woźniak
CEO
SECO/WARWICK Group

SECO/WARWICK Group will be providing the two VIM furnaces, which will be shipped to China. The first of the two furnaces on order is a 50 kg VIM induction furnace for producing castings in an equiaxed structure. The furnace is unique due to its high degree of automation. It is often a chosen solution in the field of vacuum metallurgy. Various metals can be processed in vacuum metallurgy furnaces, such as titanium and its alloys, silicon, nickel, or cobalt alloys. The second furnace is the JetCaster VIM DGCC, used to produce high-quality precision turbine blade castings in the aerospace and energy industries.

Sławomir Woźniak, CEO of SECO/WARWICK Group, stated how the furnace benefited “the field of unidirectional crystallization castings of nickel- and cobalt-based superalloys. Years of work by our R&D engineers on the development of new unidirectional crystallization casting technology has allowed us to create a device equipped with a supersonic argon stream cooling system.”

“The growing popularity of VIM furnaces and the increasing importance of vacuum metallurgy is a consequence of the constantly changing production needs of heavy industries.” said Liu Yedong, managing director of SECO/WARWICK China.

Liu Yedong
Managing Director
SECO/WARWICK China.

Press release is available in its original form here.

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Manufacturer Upgrades Hot Zone For Aerospace Industry

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

A prominent United States-based global aerospace company replaced a hot zone for their vacuum furnace. The company performs thermal processing on a variety of critical aerospace components used across multiple aircraft platforms.

John Hahn
Aftermarket Sales Manager
Solar Manufacturing
Source: Linkedin

Solar Manufacturing was contracted to replace an Ipsen VFC-924 hot zone.

John Hahn, aftermarket sales manager at Solar Manufacturing, noted: “They trusted our engineering and service teams to design and build a hot zone with key modifications that would enhance performance and longevity.”

The hot zone was implemented with improvements to boost hot zone efficiency, serviceability, and lifespan, such as graphite felt insulation for thermal efficiency, CFC 0.050” hot face for increased durability, and CFC edge trim throughout (door, bottom, and top bung) to extend hot zone life.

Press release is available in its original form here.

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Company Expands Services In Aerospace Industry and Beyond With Vacuum Furnace

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

A company that services the aerospace industry has expanded its thermal processing capabilities with a new vacuum furnace, growing their operations into multinational thermal processing.

Piotr Zawistowski
Managing Director
SECO/VACUUM

SECO/WARWICK has produced the vacuum furnace, which is customized to meet the rigorous heat treating standards of the aerospace industry, one of the industries they serve. As such, the 6-bar Vector is equipped for dual gas quench with nitrogen, argon, or any partial-pressure of the two, automatically set and maintained according to the batch recipe. It is also equipped with a high-vacuum system with a diffusion pump, key features for many aerospace-grade thermal processes.

Director of Operations, one of the family-business owners, stated, “Our ongoing success is powered by our partnership with SECO/WARWICK. This state-of-the-art furnace introduces advanced automation, ensuring faster turnaround times while maintaining the highest quality standards for our customers. Additionally, this new technology enhances our capabilities, granting us the confidence to enter new markets and secure new opportunities with exceptional reliability.”

“We never take that partnership for granted.” Piotr Zawistowski, Managing Director of SECO/VACUUM, responded.

This new Vector is horizontally configured with a 24x24x36 inch (600x600x900 mm) hot zone equipped for a payload of 1750lbs (800kg).

Press release is available in its original form here.

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Low-Carbon Aluminum Casting Products for the Automotive Industry

/ MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS
Hanne Simensen
Executive Vice President
Hydro Aluminium Metal

Two companies have signed a letter of intent (LOI) to develop low-carbon aluminum casting products for the automotive industry. This will serve to accelerate decarbonization efforts and support car manufacturers in reaching their sustainability goals.

Hydro and Nemak have signed the LOI, with the intention that the decarbonization will be done by using more post-consumer scrap and changing to cleaner energy sources like natural gas and electrical boilers at Hydro’s Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil. The long-term ambition is to develop foundry alloy aluminum solutions qualified for automotive applications with a CO2 footprint below 3.0 kg CO2 per kilo aluminum. The objective is to utilize the full potential of aluminum as a low-carbon solution in casting components, such as engine and structural components for vehicles. 

“This can make a difference for automotive companies looking to decarbonize their supply chains and meet ambitious sustainability goals,” says Hanne Simensen, Executive Vice President for Hydro Aluminium Metal.

Hydro currently supplies Nemak with Hydro REDUXA primary foundry alloy (PFA), with an estimated carbon footprint below 4.0 kg CO2 per kilo aluminum. This is 25 percent of the global average and the LOI aims to further reduce the CO2 footprint by 25 percent. Hydro and Nemak share the decarbonization target of making net-zero products by 2050 or earlier.

Armando Tamez
CEO
Nemak

For more than 40 years, there has been continuous growth in the use of aluminum in the automotive industry. This is due to its light weight, alloy strength, corrosion resistance and processing possibilities.

“As the automotive industry accelerates toward sustainability. . . aluminum is one of the most effective ways to improve the energy efficiency of electric and hybrid vehicles. Through our collaboration with Hydro, we are enhancing our lightweighting solutions to drive sustainable mobility forward,” says Armando Tamez, Chief Executive Officer for Nemak.

Press release is available in its original form here.

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Roller Hearth Furnaces Crafted for Top Tier Automotive Supplier & Energy Companies

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, ENERGY HEAT TREAT NEWS

Three endeavors are underway to deliver advanced roller hearth furnace technology, featuring large-scale atmosphere quench and temper, annealing, and solution treatment systems to support the automotive and energy industries.

CAN-ENG Furnaces International, Ltd. is engaged in providing three separate systems amounting to over 450 feet of roller hearth furnace capacity.

Tim Donofrio
Vice President of Sales
Can-Eng Furnaces International, Ltd.
Source: Can-Eng Furnaces International, Ltd.

The first of the three undertakings is a high capacity, roller hearth lamination annealing system. Produced for the transformer manufacturing industry, it will be supplied to one of North America’s largest transformer core manufacturers with operations in the USA, Canada, Mexico and China. The lamination annealing process is applied to transformer cores to enhance their magnetic properties and reduce core loss, ultimately improving efficiency and performance. The system integrates a pre-heat system, high temperature annealing furnace with integrated protected atmosphere-controlled cooling and accelerated cooling chamber. It is more than 300ft long and is capable of producing over 14,000 lbs/hr of atmosphere protected electrical steel core laminations used to manufacture high voltage transformer stations needed in the development of North America’s electrical distribution infrastructure. 

“This project is being carried out largely to satisfy the demand for improving America’s aging and overburden power distribution network. As part of improving the nation’s power distribution network, consideration is being made to increase access to electric vehicle charging stations of which transformer cores are a critical part,” shared Tim Donofrio, Vice President of Sales, Can-Eng Furnaces International, Ltd.

The second endeavor is a roller hearth solution treatment furnace system for a tier one supplier of cast aluminum automotive components. The furnace will be used as part of a continuous T-6 heat treatment system for the manufacturing of cast aluminum, safety critical suspension components, and will serve to supply for one of America’s largest Japanese-based automotive manufacturers. These suspension components are to be integrated into future hybrid and electric automobiles produced in America by the manufacturer.

The third project is a roller hearth atmosphere mesh belt furnace system for a tier one supplier of safety critical, high value fasteners. This system is used to atmosphere, quench and temper high value, safety critical fasteners used in automotive manufacturing. The system is rated for processing over 6000 lbs/hr, and is being supplied to an existing customer with four similar roller hearth furnaces. The system supports the ongoing demands for domestic-supplied, high volume, heat treatment capacity. 

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