Phoenix Heat Treating

20 News Items to Keep You Current

Heat Treat Today offers News Chatter, a feature highlighting representative moves, transactions, and kudos from around the industry. Enjoy these 20 news items, including Advanced Heat Treat Corp.’s Iowa expansion to grow carburizing and hardening capacity, Allied Graphite’s collaboration with Harper International and ONEJOON Gmbh to scale vertical furnace technology for battery-grade graphite production, Vac Aero International’s AS9100 certification achievement at its Greenville facility, and more!


Equipment

1. Advanced Heat Treat Corp. (AHT), a global provider of commercial heat treat services and metallurgical solutions, is expanding its Waterloo, Iowa, facility to increase capacity for carburizing, through hardening, normalizing, and other heat treatment processes. The 18,000 sq. ft. project broke ground on April 6 and is expected to be completed by fall 2026.

2. Treatnorte, a commercial heat treat company, will add a new vacuum furnace supplied by SECO/WARWICK to support vacuum heat treatment of tool steel, improving process control and consistency for components used in manufacturing applications.

3. RTX’s Pratt & Whitney, a North American aerospace manufacturer headquartered in East Hartford, Connecticut, is investing $100 million to expand production capacity through advanced manufacturing processes, including heat treatment of forged engine components, to support increased output of commercial and military aircraft engines. The expansion is expected to strengthen supply for aerospace programs and improve throughput of critical engine parts used across global aviation fleets.

4. A U.S. national laboratory has selected a plasma gas atomization (PGA) system supplied by Retech, a division of SECO/WARWICK Group in support of a critical materials initiative. The pilot-scale program will enable advanced powder development for next-generation materials used in high-performance manufacturing and emerging technologies.

5. Wallwork Group is doubling its hot isostatic pressing (HIP) capacity with the installation of a second HIP system supplied by Quintus Technologies to support improved component integrity and performance for aerospace applications.

6. Andis Company, a U.S.-based manufacturer of grooming tools, has completed a controls upgrade on a vacuum heat treat furnace used for hardening components. With support from ECM USA, the upgrade supports continued operation of a system critical to its production.

7. A U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer is expanding its heat treat capabilities for bearing components with the addition of vacuum heat treatment furnace supplied by SECO/WARWICK. The Vector vacuum furnace is equipped with a 15-bar absolute high-pressure gas quenching system that has been customized to meet the client’s requirements by integrating the low-pressure carburizing (LPC) option. The move supports increasing production capacity, process quality, and operational flexibility.

8. HYUNDAI-POSCO Louisiana Steel has selected SMS group to supply rolling mill technology for a new steel plant in Louisiana set to begin operations in 2029. The multi-billion-dollar project will produce high-quality automotive steel using advanced hot and cold rolling processes, supporting domestic supply for U.S. automakers and strengthening North American steel manufacturing capacity.

9. Gazi Metal has awarded Pomini Tenova a contract to supply a foundation-free roll grinding machine to expand roll shop capacity at its Karasu facility in Türkiye. The equipment is designed to improve precision, increase throughput, and streamline installation, supporting higher production efficiency for cold-rolled steel operations.

Company & Personnel

10. Allied Graphite is working with Harper International and ONEJOON GmbH to scale vertical furnace technology for battery-grade graphite production. Led by CEO Andy Goshe, this partnership to develop, validate, and provide engineering data for vertical furnace solutions will support the company’s progress toward commercial-scale production.

11. Velontra, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based startup, partnered with Innovative 3D Manufacturing, a rapid prototyping company in Franklin, Indiana, to produce propulsion system components using laser power bed fusion (L-PBF) technology from Renishaw. The approach enables rapid prototyping while addressing material use, dimensional tolerances, and cost constraints.

12. Signature Vacuum Systems, a small manufacturer of vacuum furnace equipment, recently implemented an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), placing partial ownership of the company into a trust that benefits its employees. The transition reflects a growing interest among small- to mid-sized manufacturing companies in alternatives to traditional ownership succession — particularly as many in the industry face workforce turnover and the challenge of preserving decades of accumulated knowledge.

13. Bluewater Thermal Solutions promotes David Farnham to CFO, effective April 27, 2026. In this role, David will oversee all aspects of finance, accounting, planning and analysis, and financial strategy, partnering closely with operations and executive leadership to drive long-term, sustainable growth.

14. Phoenix Heat Treating has added a third Pratt & Whitney-certified LCS representative to expand its ability to certify aerospace hardware in-house and support aluminum solution heat treating work. The move is expected to improve lead times and strengthen process control for aerospace manufacturers and machine shops supplying Pratt & Whitney programs.

15. The Precision Metalforming Association has appointed Mark Getsay as managing director as part of a broader leadership restructuring aimed at strengthening member engagement and supporting growth across the North American metalforming industry. The transition also includes the promotion of Katlyn Stratis to executive director of member services and the creation of a new membership leadership role, reinforcing support for manufacturers and suppliers serving precision metalforming and related manufacturing sectors.

16. AICHELIN Americas has appointed Wm. Wright & Associates as a regional representative to support its portfolio of thermal processing equipment, technologies, and services across North America. The partnership expands access to brands like AFC-Holcroft, Nitrex, and UPC-Marathon, aiming to improve local support, streamline service, and strengthen lifecycle solutions for manufacturers.

17. ABB AB Sweden and SMS group GmbH have agreed to work in partnership to jointly market and further develop FC Mold X (Flow Control Mold X), and electromagnetic flow-control system for thin and medium slab continuous casting.

18. Skuld LLC is leading a project in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Rubble to Rockets (R2R) program to develop methods for converting scrap metal into usable components through advanced manufacturing approaches. Skuld contributes research in alloy characterization, casting evaluations, and AI-supported design methodologies. It is collaborating with partners including Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Foundry Casting Systems, MatMicronia LLC, and other research partners working across materials science, AI/machine learning, and advanced manufacturing.

Kudos

19. Vac Aero International‘s Greenville, South Carolina facility has achieved AS9100 certification.

20. Hindalco-Almex Aerospace Limited has secured the NADCAP certification for the Non-Destructive Testing (UT) process which is a hallmark of aerospace quality.

20 News Items to Keep You Current Read More »

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

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22 News Chatter To Keep You Current Read More »

US Heat Treater Adds Furnaces, Marquenching Capabilities

A commercial heat treating company recently added new furnaces and process improvements to its operations in order to serve manufacturers in advanced industries, including aerospace and defense. The improvements include a high-temperature oxidation furnace, a fully rebuilt furnace, and the expansion of marquenching capabilities.

Phoenix Heat Treating, based in Phoenix, AZ, has introduced a high-temperature oxidation furnace specifically designed for space components. This equipment has a maximum operating temperature of 1975oF and operates in an air atmosphere, providing the thermal stability and precision needed for the demands of aerospace applications and to serve the evolving needs of the space industry.

A fully rebuilt furnace has been reactivated in the company’s production lineup. This furnace is tailored for processing primary long Inconel 718 and A286 age cycles. With a maximum weight capacity of 2000 lbs., it handles heavy and complex loads with a goal of ensuring consistent and reliable results for critical nickel-based alloy applications and improving efficiency and capacity by increasing the number of Inconel 718 cycles per week.

Marquenching operations are also seeing an upgrade as materials have been ordered to increase load sizes from 25 lbs. per load to 250 lbs. per load. Expected to be complete by mid-February, this enhancement represents a tenfold increase in capacity, allowing Phoenix Heat Treating to achieve faster turnaround times and larger batch processing capabilities.

Additionally, a state-of-the-art freeze/temper unit has been brought online. This equipment is capable of reaching temperatures between -270oF and 200oF and will be a part of the company’s aluminum thermal cycling processes, enabling precise control over temperature profiles for optimal material performance. The new unit’s capacity is roughly double that of the previous maximum reached and will allow Phoenix to handle significantly larger loads and meet growing customer demand.

The press release is available in its original form here.



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10 Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current

10 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

  • A Berwick, Pennsylvania, machining company which offers heat treating among its services was recently acquired by precision machining provider DPMS, based in Santa Clara, California. K-Fab Inc. operates a 22,000-sq.-ft. precision machine shop that manufactures parts for the aerospace, defense, and semiconductor sectors.
  • GKN Powder Metallurgy recently announced a strategic collaboration with HP Inc, becoming the first to deploy the just-launched HP Metal Jet, a groundbreaking binder jetting technology, into its factories to produce functional metal parts for auto and industrial leaders, including Volkswagen and Wilo, and for companies around the world.
  • Joshua Farrell recently took over the Operations Manager position at Mid-South Metallurgical, based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Equipment Chatter

  • California-based Delta H Technologies, LLC, recently delivered a commissioned dual chamber aerospace heat treating system — the largest and most advanced to date — to a leading U.S. military aircraft manufacturer. Both chambers are certified for heating parts up to 1200°F and capable of solution heat treating, aging, annealing aluminum, stress relieving titanium and ferrous castings, weldments, and aging of PH stainless steel.
  • An auto parts manufacturer recently received shipment of a customized oxidation nitriding furnace, manufactured by JGEF Furnace, a vacuum heat treating  equipment supplier with U.S. offices in San Francisco, California. The pit furnace, which has useful dimensions of 43.3 inches (1,100 mm) in diameter x 70.9 inches (1,800 mm) high, has a maximum temperature rating of 1292°F (700°C). The goal for this project was to represent an advanced solution for metallic parts. The furnace includes an advanced oxidation system that ensures the workpieces are preheated in a controlled oxidizing atmosphere and guarantees corrosion resistance, which in turn facilitates nitrogen uptake and growth of the nitride compound layer.
  • A large capacity fastener hardening furnace system has been commissioned by a tier one automotive supplier based in Detroit, Michigan. CAN-ENG Furnaces International Ltd has been contracted to design and commission the system for the company, which offers heat treating among its services.
  • A large capacity SECO/Warwick vacuum furnace was delivered to U.K.-based Wallwork Heat Treatment company just before Christmas.

Kudos Chatter

  • America Makes recently announced the awardees of a Directed Project Opportunity on advancing additive manufacturing (AM) post-processing techniques (AAPT), funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Manufacturing and Industrial Base Technology Division. Awardee #1 is Arizona State University, in conjunction with Quintus Technologies; Phoenix Heat Treating, Inc.; and Phoenix Analysis & Design Technologies, Inc. Awardee #2 is ASTM International Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE), a collaborative, which includes ASTM International, Auburn University, EWI, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wichita State University – National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), in conjunction with Quintus Technologies, Carpenter Technologies Corporation, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Rolls Royce Corporation, Honeywell Aerospace, GE Aviation, and Raytheon.
  • Paulo recently announced the recent addition of the St. Louis Division to the approved heat treat sources list for General Motors High-Pressure Die Casting Die Insert Material. The approval list references AWQ49658 which includes the heat treatment specifications for Hot Work Tool Steels for GM High-Pressure Die Casting applications.  The St. Louis Division joins Paulo’s Nashville plant on the approval list, which includes only seven approved locations in the US. AWQ49657 covers approved material providers, heat treaters, and testing labs. Paulo is the only US source with two facilities on the list.
  • Nominations are open for the ASM HTS/Surface Combustion Emerging Leader Award, which recognizes an outstanding early-to-midcareer heat treating professional whose accomplishments exhibit exceptional achievements in the heat treating industry. The award was created in recognition of Surface Combustion’s 100-year anniversary in 2015. The winning young professional will best exemplify the ethics, education, ingenuity, and future leadership of our industry. Deadline for the nomination is February 1, 2019. Past winners include Olga Rowan of Caterpillar in 2015 and Lee Rothleutner of Timken in 2017. For nomination rules and forms, visit the Heat Treating Society website at hts.asminternational.org and click on Membership & Networking and Society Awards.

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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Heat Treat CEO Comments on 3D TUS Tool

Shaymus Hudson - Heat Treat Radio #5Mr. William Jones, CEO of the Solar Atmosphere Group of Companies, listened with interest to the recent Heat Treat Radio podcast featuring Phoenix Heat Treating president, Peter Hushek. Peter introduced a new 3D TUS tool, Virtual Visual Surveys.

Below, Mr. Jones offers his comments about this new tool and TUS practices in general.

If you’d like to listen to the Heat Treat Radio episode that sparked these comments, click here.

Please note that immediately following Mr. Jones’ comments is a response from Peter Hushek.


Unedited comments from Mr. Bill Jones, CEO, Solar Atmospheres & Solar Manufacturing…

Like Peter Hushek we have been in this TUS business for more time than we like to remember. So, most up to date HT companies track our TUS data on paperless video recorders and down load onto an Excel spread sheet and plot out the data a minimum of every 30 seconds. This is done with a preprogrammed digital temperature controller thru the necessary ramps, soaks, and set points. The Excel spread sheets also contains all the survey and controller TC correction factors. Prior to the survey each data point contains the preset temperature controller PID parameters. All survey TC’s are set into their preset locations per AMS 2750E with careful notation to position and correct TC length and care for equal hot / cold lengths. Prior to survey each electronic instrument is checked with a calibrated thermocouple millivolt run-up box and each instrument calibrated. Normally midafternoon each furnace under test is set up thus and the survey to run preprogrammed overnight. Our QC department downloads the data, reviews and makes the pass fail decision, within a few hours, the next day. If the TUS failed back to maintenance to look into the issues, make corrections and rerun the TUS. Problems are not always furnace related but thermocouple, TC position, jack panel, jack panel wiring, instrumentation, and numerous other issues. I view the VVS 3D presentation as an aide but only part of the story”.

William R. Jones, CEO, FASM
Solar Atmospheres Inc.
Souderton, Pa.

More about Solar Atmospheres? www.solaratm.com


And Peter Hushek’s unedited response to Mr. Jones’ comments…

In regards to the response from the listener I can say he makes some valid points.  There are many issues that can affect the outcome of a TUS.  We realize that the evaluation of the furnace uniformity involves many aspects and we are only addressing the data generated by the process.  We believe that when companies begin the process of actual data analytics they will become more aware of the process and improve the quality of their processing as a result.  VVS is only beginning to scratch the surface of the data flow that occurs daily in processing companies.  We look to greater innovation through customer supplier interface as well and technological improvements that can be used as feed stock to improve future generations of this software.  We are only starting the process and I hope the market realizes that this is not a static process or company.


If you haven’t done so already, clicking here to listen to the Heat Treat Radio episode being discussed above.

To find out more about VVS, go to www.virtualvisualsurveys.com.

Peter Hushek. Heat Treat Radio podcast - President of Phoenix Heat Treating

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