Aalberts Surface Technologies (the world’s second largest commercial heat treater) recently invited Gord Montgomery of “The Monty Heat Treat News” to visit their Fairforest, SC, USA facility (this location was formerly known as Ionic Technologies).

In 1998 Netherlands based Aalberts made their first investment in the North American commercial heat treat industry in the form of a “greenfield” site in the Greenville, SC region. It was certainly a bold move on the part of the firm as they had little experience with commercial heat treating in North America and do not typically start locations from scratch. Nevertheless the initial investment in a single vacuum hardening furnace and vacuum tempering furnace under the capable leadership of Mr. Ray Monahan proved to be an instant sucess. In 2000 the first plasma nitriding furnace was installed and from these rather humble beginnings we now see a very substantial commercial heat treating facility.

What “The Monty Heat Treat News” saw yesterday was a 48,000 square foot facility with 5 plasma nitriding furnaces, 3 gas nitriding units and 5 vacuum furnaces including a very substantial Ipsen vacuum unit installed in 2020. At this point in time the firm’s revenues  are roughly 40% plasma nitriding, 40% vacuum hardening with the balance vacuum nitriding.

Ray Monahan has retired from the company and it is now in the very capable hands of Mr. Craig Rawley, Plant General Manager. Aalberts has several surface technoglies plants in the region and Gord Montgomery will be reporting on two others in the coming days along with several other companies involved in the heat treat industry in the area.

“About Aalberts Surface Technologies; In 2021 Aalberts began rebranding their heat treating and surface treament facilities as “Aalberts surface technologies”. The Fairforest facility was then aligned with the Aalberts surface technologies Heat Treatment US group which includes the companies formerly known as Applied Process and Premier Thermal.

In 2023 Aalberts surface technologies realigned the Heat Treatment US and Accurate Brazing divisions into the new HIP | braze | heat treatment. Aalberts surface technologies has 17 facilities in the HIP | braze | heat treatment division footprint. They are now one of the largest providers of heat treatment services in the US.

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Janet Jamison, Glenn Evans, Craig Rawley, Danny Kolb 

Craig Rawley, Gord Montgomery

Craig Rawley, Brent Davis, Gord Montgomery