The world’s largest commercial heat treater, UK based “Bodycote PLC” released their 2026 interim results earlier this week-the complete results can be found at “Interim Results 2026”.
A very good summary of the results was provided by“Alliance News”-you can also find the article below;
The Macclesfield, England-based provider of heat treatment and specialist metallurgical technology services reported pretax profit of GBP41.2 million in the six months that ended June 30, up from GBP36.6 million year earlier.
Revenue advanced 3.3% to GBP381.2 million from GBP369.0 million, with core revenue, which excludes non-core sites that are part of the company’s ‘optimise’ programme, rising by 9.6% on-year to GBP372.0 million.
This programme was introduced in 2024 and framed as a way to improve the business by “closing sites, that were utilising older less efficient, and more carbon intensive technologies”. Bodycote extended the programme in July last year and at the end of last month, said it had announced all planned closures, most of which had already completed.
The board has approved an interim dividend of 7.2 pence per share, which represents an increase of 4.3% from 6.9p the previous year.
Bodycote noted “strong growth” in Aerospace & Defence, Industrial Gas Turbines, Medical and Semiconductors, which was “partly offset by continued weakness in Automotive, particularly in Europe”.
Looking ahead to all of 2026, the company left its guidance unchanged, targeting organic revenue growth and margin improvement, thanks in part to the ‘optimise’ programme, and in spite of an anticipated uptick in variable pay and growth investment costs.
In the second half, Bodycote is looking to make further strategic progress, though Chief Executive Jim Fairbairn cautioned that the pace of revenue growth is likely to moderate, “reflecting prior-year comparators”. Bodycote remains confident in its medium-term goals.
“We progressed well in the first half and have achieved results in line with our expectations. Organic growth was supported by strong demand across our target end markets, partly offset by the ongoing structural weakness in Western European Automotive,” noted CEO Fairbairn.
“We continue to execute on our ‘optimise, perform and grow’ strategy. In light of the success of the ‘optimise’ programme to-date, as well as continued challenges in some of our Automotive and Industrial regional markets, we are exploring the potential to expand the programme’s scope. In ‘perform’, we have rolled-out more advanced operational excellence tools, starting at four key ‘lighthouse sites’. In ‘grow’, the Spectrum acquisition has integrated well. We are continuing to progress with both organic investments and further M&A opportunities.
Our full year expectations are unchanged, albeit we are mindful of the current geopolitical and macroeconomic environment.”
Bodycote shares rose 1.0% to 695.84p each on Tuesday morning in London.”
Earlier this year “NTN USA” a supplier of bearings, constant velocity joints, and other precision industrial and automotive equipment announced that they would be “realigning” their USA operations “NTN Macomb Plant Remains Open as Company Streamlines North American Operations” (a summary can also be found below). The resulting plant closures mentioned below will in many cases mean the loss of heat-treating capacity as most of these facilities heat treat in house. As an example, the Hamilton, Alabama plant slated for closure has a large in-house heat treatment department which includes roller hearth and pusher furnaces. ‘
While it is unknown what the fate of the heat treatment equipment will be we would assume it is headed for auction-we can only hope for the sake of “NTN” that it is more successful than the recent closure of a “JTEKT North America Corporation” facility in Telford, TN “Bearing Facility Closure Kills Heat Treat Department“. In that case we have been led to believe that the two pusher lines sold at auction for a total of $3,000.00-not even scrap value.
“NTN USA announced last week a strategic realignment of its North American automotive and industrial manufacturing operations designed to improve efficiency while maintaining quality and customer delivery. NTN Bower Macomb, will remain open during and after the transformation.
According to an NTN press release, the realignment initiative means that NTN USA will consolidate and optimize production across several locations over the next 18–24 months. The Macomb plant will shift its focus to supporting the Industrial OEM and Industrial Aftermarket business segments, transferring automotive CVJ component production to other NTN locations.
Key Actions:
• NTN Bower Corporation, Macomb, Illinois: Plant will remain open. Macomb’s NTN will transition from automotive CVJ production to focus on Industrial OEM and Industrial Aftermarket business segments.
• NTN Bower Corporation, Hamilton, Alabama: Plant will ramp down operations and close over the next 18 months.
• American NTN Bearing Manufacturing (ANBM), Elgin, Illinois: Will consolidate axle bearing production within its campus and reorganize operations in its newest facility.
• NTN Driveshaft-Anderson, Inc. (NDA), Anderson, Indiana: CVJ shaft manufacturing plant will close over 18 months. CVJ plant remains fully operational.
• NTN Driveshaft Inc. (NDI), Columbus, Indiana: CVJ East Plant will close. CVJ West Plant and Forging Plant remain fully operational.”
The furnace remains on schedule to be fully commissioned and operational by September 2026.
This investment further expands Solar Atmospheres’ capabilities for processing large titanium components while reinforcing our commitment to providing advanced thermal processing solutions for the industry’s most critical applications.
For additional information about Solar Atmospheres, contact Mike Johnson at 855-934-3284 x2223, email at [email protected], and visit us at solaratm.com.
On a regular basis “The Monty Heat Treat News” looks at well-known individuals in the global heat treatment industry who have recently changed their career direction. For the week starting July 27, 2026 these are some individuals who fit that criteria;
Mario Ciampini. June 30th of this year “The Monty” had this news item about “Mr. Mario Ciampini”; “Heat Treat Industry Losing One of the “Great” Ones-Mario Ciampini”
Anybody that knows Mario knows he would not stay away from the industry for long-“The Monty” has learned that Mario is now a self-employed business consultant and we would assume that in this position he will remain involved in the heat treatment industry. This photo shows “Mario” and “Dale Montgomery” of “The Monty”.
Justin Henderson, Alcon Industries. According to this press release cast alloy supplier “Alcon Industries” of Cleveland, Ohio has a new President by the name of “Justin Henderson”. “Kevin Vadini has made the decision to step down from his position as President to pursue new professional opportunities. We thank Kevin for his service and wish him continued success in his future endeavors. Justin Henderson has accepted the role of President of Alcon Industries, where he is dedicated to driving strategic growth, operational excellence, and improved customer satisfaction. Justin joined Alcon in April 2025, serving with distinction as Director of Supply Chain and, most recently, Vice President of Sales and Supply Chain. With more than 20 years of experience leading operational improvements, Justin brings a deep passion for optimizing supply chains and maximizing operational excellence. He holds an MBA from Ferris State University and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Baker College of Muskegon.”
Steven will continue to lead SSi’s West Coast operations while expanding his responsibilities to support their business development efforts across North America.
Throughout his time at SSi, Steven has developed a unique perspective through his extensive field experience, working closely with customers, engineering, and SSi operations teams. That experience gives him valuable insight into how their products are used in real-world applications and where opportunities exist to better serve Super System’s customers.
As Vice President of Business Development, Steven will play an important role in connecting customer needs with their research and development and engineering teams. He will help ensure SSi continues to deliver practical, competitive solutions while identifying new market opportunities and helping guide the evolution of their products and services.
SECO/WARWICK will deliver a single chamber vacuum furnace with 15 bar abs high pressure gas quenching to the Czech heat treat company Kalírna Desire. Kalírna Desire is opening a new commercial heat treat facility in a region that has so far lacked local infrastructure for vacuum hardening. The Vector furnace will be the first vacuum system in operation, and the foundation for a new line of business built around vacuum heat treatment services – both for in-house production and for nearby manufacturers.
The Owners of Kalírna Desire have extensive experience in mechanical engineering production on their own machines. Experience from operating this production has pointed to insufficient capacity and flexibility in the material processing industry in their region. For years, the company relied on a distant commercial heat treat provider resulting in long lead times, the risk of delays and additional logistics costs. At the same time, the owners observed that within a radius of roughly some kilometers there are many companies engaged in metal mechanical processing, but no local provider of vacuum hardening services. This analysis led to the decision to launch their own—initially small—commercial heat treat operation, which in the first stage will be the start of production for regional companies in the area.
“Our collaboration with Kalírna Desire is an excellent example of how vacuum technology can become a growth engine for ambitious small and mid-sized companies. SECO/WARWICK has worked with commercial heat treat shops across Europe for many years, and experience from the Czech market played an important role in the customer’s decision making. A standard Vector furnace, adapted to the Partner’s requirements, combines a sensible investment level with broad process capabilities—making it an ideal solution for companies beginning their journey with vacuum heat treatment,” says Maciej Korecki, Vice President, Vacuum Segment, SECO/WARWICK Group.
The selected furnace is a mid-size solution configured specifically for the needs of a commercial heat-treatment facility. The work zone supports processing relatively large parts and building efficient loads typical of job shops working with a wide range of tool and structural steel grades. A round heating chamber provides very good temperature uniformity, translating into high repeatability of hardening and tempering results.
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“AI; In aluminum extrusion, raw aluminum is forcefully pressed through steel dies to form long profiles (like window frames or industrial parts). The massive mechanical friction and thermal stress wear down the steel dies quickly, hence the need for a thermal processing system to enhance the life of the dies.”
“Trive Capital (“Trive”) is pleased to announce that it has closed on the sale of Kittyhawk, Inc. (“Kittyhawk” or the “Company”) to Machine Sciences (“MSC”), a portfolio company of Viking Global. Founded in 1981, Kittyhawk is a leading provider of Hot Isostatic Pressing (“HIP”) services for mission-critical applications across the space, commercial aerospace, defense, and power generation end-markets. The Company specializes in densifying casted and additively manufactured parts that go into high-temperature, high-pressure, and high cost of failure applications such as rocket and jet engine componentry.
Since Trive’s investment in Kittyhawk in late 2022, the Company has experienced significant growth driven by (i) the acquisition of Stack HIP in 2024, which added the largest high-pressure HIP vessels in North America at the Company’s Albany, Oregon facility, (ii) sustained organic investment in equipment, capacity, and operational excellence, and (iii) strong demand trends in its core space, next-generation commercial aerospace, and defense programs.
Tanner Cope, Partner at Trive, stated, “Kittyhawk is a highly differentiated business that has established itself as a West Coast leader in a mission critical capability to the most prolific aerospace, defense, and space programs. The Company’s talented team, technical HIP expertise, and history of exceptional quality execution positioned the Company for outsized growth. Organic and inorganic investments made over the last three years allowed the team to broaden their impact to capture the market opportunity. We have greatly appreciated and enjoyed the partnership with Kittyhawk and we are excited to see the Company’s continued success with Machine Sciences.”
More on “Kittyhawk” from “The Monty”;
“Kittyhawk Hot Isostatic Pressing”
“USA Investment in New Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) Vessel”
(Editors Note; “Bluewater Thermal” is ranked by “The Monty Heat Treat News” as one of the “52 Largest North American Commercial Heat Treaters”)
Bluewater Thermal Solutions (BTS), a leading provider of commercial heat treating and thermal processing services in North America, proudly announces that its South Bend, Indiana facility has achieved Nadcap Merit Accreditation for the third consecutive audit cycle, a distinction that recognizes sustained excellence in quality, process control, and aerospace compliance. The facility first achieved accreditation in June 2010.
The Merit designation is awarded by the Performance Review Institute (PRI) to facilities that consistently demonstrate exceptional audit performance and adherence to Nadcap requirements. Through this achievement, South Bend has maintained the highest level of audit recognition across three consecutive accreditation cycles, resulting in continued 24-month accreditation status.
Nadcap accreditation is globally recognized throughout the aerospace industry as one of the most rigorous and respected quality programs. The South Bend facility maintains accreditation for multiple heat-treating processes and materials testing capabilities that support critical aerospace applications.
“This achievement reflects the dedication, discipline, and technical expertise of our South Bend team,” said Carolyn Moscardelli, Chief Operating Officer of Bluewater Thermal Solutions. “Earning Nadcap Merit status once is an accomplishment. Maintaining that recognition through three consecutive cycles demonstrates a culture of excellence and continuous improvement that our aerospace customers depend on.”
The accreditation further reinforces Bluewater’s commitment to delivering reliable, compliant, and repeatable thermal processing solutions for aerospace manufacturers and their supply chains. As Bluewater continues investing in advanced capabilities and quality systems, the South Bend facility remains a cornerstone of the company’s strategy to support increasingly demanding aerospace and high-specification applications.
About Bluewater Thermal Solutions. Bluewater Thermal Solutions is a leading provider of heat treating and thermal processing services serving the aerospace, automotive, energy, defense, and industrial markets. Through a commitment to quality, innovation, and operational excellence, Bluewater delivers critical thermal processing solutions across a network of facilities throughout North America.
Earlier this year “The Monty Heat Treat News” had an article entitled “AI Data Centers Spiking New Vacuum Furnace Orders” (this article can also be found further down this page).
To summarize, the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence Centers has driven a vast increase in electrical demand which has led to a dramatic increase in gas turbine demand to power these centers. Each and every turbine produced requires vacuum brazing of some components, hence the dramatic increase in vacuum furnace demand and consequently sales.
As an update to this story, it now appears that demand for gas turbines has reached a “fever” pitch and is increasing faster than even industry insiders expected which will mean the boom in vacuum furnace sales will continue at the same torrid pace for quite some time.
Industry expert “Matthew Pearce” recently posted these excellent thoughts about supply and demand of new power projects and gas turbines and points out that delivery times for new turbines is now over 5 years in some cases;
Matthew Pearce; “It’s becoming a race to secure gas turbines. It wasn’t long ago that one of the biggest hurdles for new power projects was securing funding.
Today, for many developers, it’s securing the equipment. The surge in electricity demand, driven by AI, hyperscale data centers and broader electrification, has created unprecedented demand for gas-fired generation across the US.
As a result, gas turbine lead times have stretched beyond five years in some cases, with developers reserving equipment years in advance to avoid delaying projects.
At the same time, major OEMs including GE Vernova, Siemens Energy and Mitsubishi Power are investing heavily to expand manufacturing capacity, but demand continues to outpace supply.
It’s a reminder that delivering a power project isn’t just about engineering, procurement and construction anymore. It’s also about timing. The ability to secure critical equipment early could become just as important as securing the project itself. With record investment flowing into US power infrastructure, it will be interesting to see how the supply chain adapts over the next few years.
What do you think will be the industry’s biggest bottleneck over the next five years?
Equipment availability?
Skilled labor?
Permitting?
Grid infrastructure?
Or something else?”
“APRIL 2026 POSTING; Who would have thought that Artificial Intelligence centers would cause new vacuum furnace orders to go through the roof? That is exactly what has been happening recently-“The Monty” has run across several vacuum manufacturers who report having received orders due to this increased demand.
AI centers required massive, continuous (24/7), and highly variable power which in many cases leaves only one solution, gas turbines. The advantages of gas turbines are obvious; they can be deployed in 12-24 months and can ramp up to full power in a matter of minutes, claims which most other power sources can’t boast of.
Gas turbine manufacturers such as “Siemens”, “GE” and “Mitsubishi” all maintain large in-house heat-treating departments, primarily focused on vacuum brazing furnaces. As demand grows for gas turbines, so too does the need for vacuum furnaces.
As an example of increased demand “Siemens Energy” nearly doubled its gas turbine sales from 100 units in 2024 to 194 in 2025.
Not to be outdone “Mitsubishi” is planning on doubling it’s production capacity by 2027 to meet this increasing demand.
While new gas turbines can be on line within 12-24 months, the increased demand is causing a “bottleneck” in the production of new turbines with deliveries inching up to 6-8 years for some models.
A good example of a gas turbine supplier and their heat-treating requirements is “GE Gas Turbine” in Greenville, South Carolina, USA. In 2024 “The Monty Heat Treat News” rated this location as the 14th largest captive heat treater in North America; “15 Largest Captive Heat Treats-North America” with a total of 16 vacuum furnaces at that time.
