The CAB furnace on order is a technologically advanced production line including, among others, a thermal degreasing furnace, preheating chambers, a radiation furnace, a de-icing furnace, a final cooling chamber and an advanced control system. The solution has been designed to meet the rigorous requirements of the automotive industry in the production of components for commercial vehicles, as well as to ensure long-term and reliable operation in demanding industrial conditions. This Partner has dominated the Chinese heat exchanger sector for years.
Controlled Atmosphere Brazing (CAB) is the technology of first choice in the production of aluminum heat exchangers in the automotive industry.
“We are one of the leading manufacturers of lines intended for brazing heat exchangers. It is thanks to our furnaces that radiators for passenger cars, delivery vans, agricultural machines and power generators are created. As for the automotive industry, the radiators produced in our furnaces supply all key automotive concerns. The CAB line with a 1,400 mm wide belt ensures excellent temperature uniformity across the entire width, which translates into the final product quality. Our advantage is also the global ability to provide service,” added Liu Yedong, Managing Director of SECO/WARWICK China.
Specialized brazing lines using CAB technology (Controlled Atmosphere Brazing) also works for the HVAC industry – air conditioning and refrigeration – because these systems allow for a significant reduction of CO2 emissions and costs resulting from stricter environmental regulations due to global warming and overall environmental protection. This is currently a huge advantage allowing for a real reduction in manufacturing costs.
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February 19th of this year manufacturer and captive heat treater SPS Technologies in Jenkintown, PA suffered a “Devasting Fire” . The question on everybody’s lips in a case like this is what was the cause of the fire? According to this story from “WHYY” News the cause has still not be determined and “Little Additional Information” has emerged.
“Last month, a massive fire destroyed the SPS Technologies factory in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. The fire, which broke out at the 600,000-square-foot plant on Highland Avenue, burned for five days before being fully contained. More than 80 fire companies responded, working to prevent further damage. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
SPS Technologies, founded in 1903, has been in Jenkintown since 1920. The company manufactures high-strength metal fasteners for aerospace, military, and industrial applications. It was once a major employer, with up to 3,000 workers at its peak. That number dropped to 475 in recent years, but the company remained an important part of the local economy.
The fire caused major disruptions across Montgomery County. Schools closed, SEPTA trains were delayed, and Abington Township officials issued a shelter-in-place order due to concerns about hazardous chemicals. Residents in nearby areas, including Jenkintown and Glenside, were advised to stay indoors or leave the area voluntarily. The township also declared a disaster emergency. Beyond the economic damage, the fire affected local recreation. Behind the factory’s parking lot is Abington’s Hallowell Park, a public park with soccer fields and a baseball diamond.
For decades, Hallowell Park hosted one of the top fast-pitch softball leagues in the Philadelphia suburbs, with large crowds gathering for playoffs. Many SPS Technologies employees participated in the league. The future of this local custom is now unknown, as the factory’s presence helped support community events. The next major question is whether SPS Technologies will rebuild in Jenkintown. The company has not made any public statements about its plans. If it leaves, the loss will be more than financial—it will change the identity of the area, which has relied on the company for generations.
Meanwhile, legal action against SPS Technologies is moving forward. Four law firms have filed lawsuits on behalf of affected individuals and businesses. The cases involve a school bus driver for the Abington School District, co-owners of a local auto service shop, and a Jenkintown resident who experienced respiratory issues from smoke exposure. Attorneys from three law firms—Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky and Levin Sedran & Berman (Philadelphia), Stranch, Jennings and Garvey (Tennessee), and Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman (New York)—have requested that a judge consolidate their lawsuits into a single class-action case.
The attorneys argue that the lawsuits involve the same event, the same legal questions, and many of the same witnesses. Consolidating the cases would lessen costs and prevent conflicting verdicts. The complaints claim SPS Technologies failed to properly inspect, maintain, and operate its facility, leading to widespread harm. The lawsuits allege that “hundreds if not thousands” of people were affected by the fire and its aftermath. A dedicated webpage on Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky’s website provides information for those who may qualify to join the case. The firm has previously represented victims in high-profile cases, including the 2013 Salvation Army Building collapse and the 2023 Port Richmond explosion. If the court allows the case to proceed as a class action, affected individuals will receive formal notices about their legal rights.
SPS Technologies is owned by Precision Castparts, a unit of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett’s multinational conglomerate. So far, the company has not responded to requests for comment on the fire, the lawsuits, or its plans for the Jenkintown facility.”
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March 11th of this year “Gord Montgomery” of “The Monty Heat Treat News” had the opportunity to visit commercial heat treater “Vacuum S.P.A.” in Verdello, Italy-the visit resulted in an article entitled; “Vacuum Heat Treater Finds Business to Be Strong”.
Just after this visit the company issued this press release about a new investment for the company, an additional plasma nitriding system which entered service just 2 months ago;
“We have recently installed a new plasma nitriding system, featuring similar characteristics to our previous systems but improved with enhanced technical features, such as new pump flow control valves that ensure even more precise and reliable process management.
This system was purchased to meet specific production requirements, particularly in the automotive sector, ensuring optimal performance for technically complex components.
Additionally, the system has been certified to operate in the aerospace sector, meeting the stringent Nadcap standards — further proof of our commitment to delivering top-level quality and safety. With this investment, Vacuum strengthens its ability to provide reliable, tailored solutions for the most specialized applications.”
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Commercial heat treater “American Steel Treating” of Perrysburg, Ohio, USA has been included on our list of the “50 Largest North American Commercial Heat Treaters” a number of times over the years. Very unfortunately the privately owned firm will join a long list of North American commercial heat treaters closing in 2025, in the case of “American Steel Treating” the date is April 1, 2025.
“Founded in 1989 by three Surface Combustion employees including the current owner and CEO, Mr. Roy Waits, American Steel Treating is located in Perrysburg, Ohio. While the company offers most types of heat treating covering a variety of industries, we tend to think of them for high volume automotive work processed through a number of pusher furnaces. The company operates out of a 300,000 square foot facility close to Toledo, Ohio.“
The company has a “gold plated” customer list which includes General Motors, Ford, Volkswagen, Chrysler and American Axle which is perhaps why it is closing down-turmoil and uncertainty in the auto industry.
“The Monty” has been working closely with the organization to sell their furnaces, if you would like a list of what is available, please let us know; Gord Montgomery [email protected]. We have been asked to say that “all offers will be considered”.
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Founded in 2015 by 3 individuals with a lifetime of experience in the heat treat industry, furnace builder “MEAPFORNI” of Fontanafredda, Italy has thrived over the years. The firm delivered it’s first furnace in 2017 and can now boast that it has installed over 100 furnaces in the past 8 years with sales in 2024 of just over 10 million euros ($10.8 million USD). The 23 employees can also brag about the fact that they have provided furnaces to commercial heat treaters such as “Bodycote” and “HÄRTHA Group” as well as captive heat treaters such as chain saw manufacturer “Stihl” of Sweden in countries as diverse as China, Italy, France and Mexico to name just a few.
Their product line is varied and covers most processes from batch carburizing lines and austemper furnaces to roller hearth furnaces, nitriding systems and even vacuum including vacuum carburizing (we should mention that the company has a partnership agreement with Japanese furnace builder Dowa).
The attached photos show one of the furnaces under construction during our visit, a low pressure nitriding furnace which is a fairly standard offering for the company.
We need to also mention that during our visit “Meapforni” showed us a very recent example of one of their installations, a sealed quench (batch IQ) line at a local gear manufacturer-the entire story with pictures can be found at “Heavy Equipment Component Supplier Invests in New Heat Treat Department”.
We thank the entire team at “Meapforni” for their hospitality during our March 13 visit, their kind consideration was much appreciated.
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Gord Montgomery, “The Monty Heat Treat News”, Sonia Pellizzon, CFO, “Meapforni”, Francesco Pieropan “Meapforni”
The “Meapforni” Team (we want to point out Mr. Vlad Kulbitski, Sales Manager, third from right)
Recently the commercial heat treating division of “Nitrex” had a press release about installing what is quite possibly the ” Largest Nitriding Furnace in North America”, a picture of which can be found here;
With working dimensions of 4.5 meters (13.5′) in diameter X 3.5 meters (10.5′) in depth and capable of handling loads of up to 80,000 pounds it is certainly the largest nitriding furnace that we are aware of in North America but it pales in comparison with two units located in Northern Italy.
On a side note, what Nitrex has accomplished with this furnace is very impressive and in the opinion of “The Monty Heat Treat News” it fills a real void in the North American commercial heat-treating industry. When US commercial heat treater “Metlab” closed in 2024 it took a great deal of large component heat treating capacity with it-a situation summarized by “The Monty”, “Metlab HT Closing Giving Gear Suppliers “Headaches”
These photos show the installation at “Gruppo T.T.N.”
“Assembled Furnace Loads”
Founded in 1973 the company over the years has grown to a total of 8 plants in Italy, with 330 employees and annual revenues of approximately 40 million euros (43 million USD$). Originally a family-owned business the firm was acquired by a private equity group just a few years ago, although one of the family members., Mr. Valerio Accorsi, remains as the President of the company.
The vast bulk of the product consists of forgings for “heavy industry” and in addition to the heat treating shotblasting is also a core part of the firm’s business. The furnaces operate 24 hours/day, 7 days a week.
Our hosts for this tour were Mr. Valerio Accorsi and Mr. Claudio Spinelli of Proterm and Mr. Angelo Scipione, Head of Sales & PM for “CIEFFE” (more about “CIEFFE) at a later date.
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“Claudio Spinelli, Proterm, Angelo Scipione, CIEFFE, Valerio Accorsi, Proterm, Gord Montgomery “The Monty Heat Treat News”
“Mr. Valerio Accorsi, Proterm”
Next week “The Monty Heat Treat News” will have a number of very interesting news items from around the world including a mention about another USA commercial heat treat closing, a story about one of the largest commercial heat treaters in Italy and an in depth report about a visit “Gord Montgomery” of “The Monty Heat Treat News” made to one of the two largest furnace builders in the world “Aichelin Industrial Furnace Solutions”. This photo shows part of the “Aichelin” team in front of a brand new cast link belt line almost ready to ship to a very large fastener manufacturer.
More to come on these stories.
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“15 Largest Captive Heat Treats-North America. Each year we are proud to present an industry exclusive, a list of the “15 Largest Captive Heat Treats-North America” as compiled by “The Monty Heat Treat News“.
We look back a year to our list in 2024;
In 2022 “The Monty Heat Treat News” published a heat treatment industry exclusive, a list of the “10 Largest Single Location Captive Heat Treats” in North America. Since that time changes have occurred and in 2023 we published our list of the “11 Largest Single Location Captive Heat Treats in North America” We are now pleased to offer our 2024 list which has expanded to the “15 Largest Single Location Captive Heat Treats in North America”.
- Our criteria is simple in that this list only includes single locations and not total heat treating capacity in North America. As an example the ZF Transmission facility in South Carolina makes this list but overall this plant is only a small percentage of the heat treating capacity ZF has in North America.
- Our estimates are based upon a combination of number of furnaces and throughput. For instance vacuum carburizing cells have a much small throughput than a large pusher furnace-we have tried to take this into account.
- It is interesting that out of this list of 15, eleven are in the USA, three in Mexico and one in Canada
- While we do not for a second claim this list is 100% accurate we do claim that it is the most complete list which we have ever come across.
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As always we appreciate the input we received from each company on this list and we look forward to your thoughts and comments.”
This 450 employee plant has always considered heat treating to be a core part of its’ business and it shows in their heat treat investments.
“Ipsen Atlas XL Line”, Michele Filippi Chiella, SIAD and Corrado Tomaselli, Ipsen
The original investment included two large, highly automated Ipsen pusher lines which even after a number of years in service are still operating 24/7 with tremendous results.
The next phase of the company’s heat treating experience included 5 sealed quench (Batch IQ) furnaces again from “Ipsen International”, each with working dimensions of 760mm X 1,200mm X 760mm (30″ X 48″ X 30″).
Next step? Two completely automated Ipsen “Atlas XL” sealed quench furnace lines with associated tempers, charge car and washer, with the most recent sealed quench being installed in 2024. Each of the new furnaces has working dimensions of 910mm X 1220mm X 910mm-it is worth mentioning that all of the pushers and sealed quench furnaces are serviced by 6 endothermic generators.
Typical Furnace Load
“Press Quenching”
In addition to these atmosphere furnaces the company also has a low pressure nitriding furnace and “Gleason” press quenching lines.
This visit happened Friday, March 14th and we can’t say enough good things about our hosts. Mr. Michele Filippi Chiella of SIAP is a long time veteran of the heat treat industry and is polite, open, knowledgeable and very open.
Mr. Corrado Tomaselli, is a second generation sales person for Ipsen in Italy and is enthusiastic, energetic and experienced-he does a very good job of presenting the Ipsen face to the industry.
Michele Filippi Chiella, Maintenance & General Service Manager “SIAP”, Corrado Tomaselli, Sales “Ipsen International”