“Boeing” Vacuum Furnace Order-The Inside Scoop

April 5/2026 "The Monty" had an exclusive story entitled; "Boeing Invests $7 Million in 2 Bottom Loading Vacuum Furnaces". The story made for fascinating reading for anybody in the heat treatment industry, this prompted "The Monty" to dig a little deeper into the story and get a few more details about the equipment and the order.

To this end we approached "Mr. Dave Farmery", President of "Vac Aero" with a few questions-here are his answers;

Dave congratulations on your recent order from Boeing for two new vacuum furnaces, it must have made your day if not your year;

DF; It is a tremendous vote of confidence and a meaningful acknowledgment of our ability to design, build, and deliver mission-critical equipment to the world’s largest airplane manufacturer."
The press release had very few technical details about the furnaces themselves. Can you share with us some information about the size of the furnaces, capacity hot zone etc?

DF; The two are:

Model VAV6060 HV-2 10^2 range 2-bar quench 60”x 60” 3000lbs all metal hot zone

Model VAV6098 HV-2 10^2 range 2-bar quench 60”x 98” 4000lbs all metal hot zone

Both systems are designed for high-performance aerospace applications and long-term operational reliability.
Why Vac Aero? Certainly I know that few vacuum furnace builders have the aerospace experience that your company has but at the end of the day the competition for this order must have been fierce. What made Boeing decide to go with your company?

DF; That’s a great question, and the answer is straightforward: decades of trust built on results. Our relationship with Boeing dates back to 1965. Over that time, we’ve developed a deep, collaborative understanding of their materials, processes, and production challenges. That experience allows us to approach furnace design not simply as an equipment supplier, but as a long-term solutions partner.

One telling example is that Boeing is still operating a Vac Aero furnace that has been running at peak performance for over 35 years. We’ve supported that system throughout its life with hot-zone replacements, control upgrades, and spare-parts support. Customer service and lifecycle support are core to how this Vac Aero grows.

Additionally, our expertise in vacuum oil quenching is truly second to none. On the service side, Vac Aero has processed more than 50,000 shipsets of Boeing landing gear, and that legacy performance was a key differentiator in this decision.
Will these be the largest bottom load vacuum furnaces Vac Aero has ever built?

DF; No, these are not the largest. We have previously built a larger system—the VAV8484 HV-2, featuring a 10² vacuum range, 2-bar quench capability, and an all-metal hot zone measuring 60” x 98”. That project further demonstrates our ability to scale furnace design to meet demanding aerospace and defense requirements.
My impression is that 2026 is shaping up to be a very good year for you, how many new furnace orders are you forecasting for 2026?

DF; 2026 is indeed shaping up to be one of our strongest years yet. Our sales pipeline is at an all-time high, and we fully expect to continue our growth trajectory. Boeing, GE, and Pratt & Whitney—customers who have trusted Vac Aero for decades—are once again returning to us for additional furnaces. Looking ahead, I see continued momentum driven by customer-focused solutions, long-term partnerships, and opportunities that extend well beyond 2026.