“As part of its strategy to better serve its North American customers, the SECO/WARWICK Group, the parent company of SECO/VACUUM and SECO/WARWICK USA, has committed to expanding its manufacturing capacity in Meadville, Pennsylvania by relocating a portion of its manufacturing and a metallurgical lab for vacuum furnaces from its headquarters site in Poland to Crawford County.
In support of this expansion, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has awarded SECO/VACUUM and SECO/WARWICK USA a $2 million package of matching fund grants from the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) through its Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP). The primary use and intent of RACP funds is for reimbursement of eligible construction costs which SECO/WARWICK Group companies will match on a 1:1 basis.
The Commonwealth will also provide an additional $69 thousand in matching funds for job training through the Workforce & Economic Development Network (WEDnet).
SECO/VACUUM manufactures heat-treating furnaces specialized for heat-treatment processes that must be conducted inside a vacuum chamber to prevent contamination from atmospheric gases. SECO/WARWICK USA manufactures atmosphere heat treatment furnaces, aluminum melting furnaces and controlled aluminum brazing (CAB) furnaces.
The 120,000-sq ft. facility expansion will benefit the community as well as the heat-treatment equipment manufacturer’s customers. The company will begin upfitting their now-empty factory floor in the Crawford Business Park, which itself was recently redeveloped from the long-abandoned American Viscose Corporation’s synthetic textile mill in Meadville, PA. At its peak in the 1950s the mill employed nearly half of Meadville. After many decades of operation, the mill closed in 1986. Beginning in 1989 the Crawford County Redevelopment Authority, the predecessor to today’s Economic Progress Alliance of Crawford County (EPACC), invested in cleaning, remodeling, and subdividing the million-square-foot plant into more than 50 smaller commercial and industrial spaces.”
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“Harry” George Henry Hall, husband of Etta (Jordan) Hall, passed away peacefully, on Saturday, August 3, 2024, with loved ones by his side, in his 75th year. Harry was born on August 1, 1949, in Belfast, Northern lreland. He was born to late “Prue” Prudence Alexandra (Wylie) and late George Henry “Geordie” Hall. Harry was the eldest boy – he had three sisters, Joan (Archie), Maureen (late John), Anne (Billy); and two brothers, David and Ray (Marie). Harry and Etta were married on September 16, 1967, in Belfast, Northern lreland, and were married 54 years.
Father to Mandy (Tim) and Colin (Christine). Granda to Stuart, Kyle (Jade), Kayla, Cory and Jordan. Great-Granda to Logan, Keatyn, Aria and Rowen. Step-Granda to Brad (Madison). Great-Step-Granda to Jaxson. ln 1970, with $140.00 in his pocket with his wife, Etta, and daughter, Mandy, immigrated to Canada. Harry started his working career, first with SKF Bearing Manufacturing and then McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Manufacturing in Ontario. After a slowdown in the aerospace industry, Harry landed a job at Toronto lronworks, which started his path in Heat Treating. ln 1989, his strong entrepreneurial spirit led him to found Aberfoyle Metal Treaters Limited near Guelph, Ontario.
Harry established a special business conducting large-scale heat treating for heavy industry including steel mills, nuclear power, hydroelectric, petrochemical and large machining. Harry had participated in many trade and business associations over many years. He was a long-standing board member of Metal Treating lnstitute (MTI), serving as president in 2002, and was recognized as Master Craftsman Heat Treator of the Year for North America. ln 2011, he received the Heritage Award, the most prestigious award from MTI. ln 2009, he was nominated as Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young. He also served on the board of directors for Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME Ontario) from 2009 to 2015.
Harry sold Aberfoyle Metal Treaters Limited 2012 to Canerectors which was Toronto lronworks, where his heat-treating career began. Recreationally, Harry was a musician. One of the proudest moments was in 1980 as C.W.O. of the Queen’s York Rangers (1st American) regimental band. Harry led a marching performance for the late Queen Elizabeth and the late Prince Philip with a live audience of 60,000 cheering spectators (CNE grounds) Toronto, Ontario. Harry, with his wife, Etta, loved to travel, and were able to see 80 countries, where they met a lot of friends and still have many of them to this day. Socializing, being with friends and family was Harry’s biggest joy.
Harry’s passion for car racing, mostly Formula 1, which he was able to see many races in Montreal, Canada, Circuit Zandvoort (Dutch) and Autodromo Nazionale Monza (ltaly). He was proud to own and drive his yellow Corvette. Harry is loved and will be dearly missed from his family and friends here in Canada, Northern lreland, London, Scotland, United States, Netherlands and other countries that he had travelled. Visitors will be received at McKersie & Early Funeral Home, 114 Main St. E., Milton, (905) 878-4452, on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., with a funeral service to follow at 5:00 p.m. A limo service from Hwy. 25/401 car park and Aberfoyle car park to and from the family home will be provided immediately following the service. Messages of condolence may be left online at www.mckersieearly.com.
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“The Monty Heat Treat News” is tracking down a story about a large commercial heat treater in the Chicago, IL., USA area recently entering “receivership”. We have to confess that we were not entirely sure what this entails-hence this brief description. Our understanding is that this long established company had sales of up to $10 million USD/year up until fairly recently. We will update you as more information becomes available.
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Our Top 3 Heat Treatment News stories for the week of August 5th to August 9th as ranked by our readers include these;
1. Bodycote enters production for increased HIP capacity in Southeastern US; “Bodycote, the world’s largest thermal processing services provider, has begun production for its previously reported expansion of Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) services in Greenville, South Carolina, USA. In recognition of the growing market for additive manufacturing and the associated need for high-quality HIP processing, Bodycote commissioned additional HIP capacity to service the development and processing of advanced materials. Bodycote’s Greenville, SC plant is a Nadcap-accredited site and holds several core OEM approvals.
The site consists of numerous vacuum furnaces, aluminum heat treatment, EDM, and other capabilities well suited to support additive manufacturing customers. The Greenville site serves the aerospace, defense, power generation, medical and general industrial customers throughout the Southeastern region. With Greenville’s additional HIP capacity now in full production, Bodycote addresses the rising customer demand for highly reliable additive manufacturing post-processing.
The capacity is well situated near key customers and other Bodycote locations to simplify the supply chain and reduce transportation. This continued investment is part of Bodycote’s commitment to align resources to serve the North American market. Bodycote operates the world’s largest network of HIP equipment. Having established industry expertise over decades, Bodycote has more than 50 HIP vessels of varying sizes in multiple locations. Processing capability can accommodate components nominally up to 6.5ft in diameter by 12ft high, and weighing over 30,000kg.” https://themonty.com/bodycote-enters-production-for-increased-hip-capacity-in-southeastern-us/
2. Piston Ring Manufacturer Adds Third Nitriding System; “Nitrex continues to set the standard in stainless steel nitriding with the successful installation of a third advanced system at Asimco Shuanghuan Piston Ring (Yizheng) Co., Ltd. This latest addition highlights Asimco’s commitment to enhancing production capabilities and reinforcing their leadership in producing piston rings that maximize engine performance and durability across a range of applications, including automotive, commercial vehicles, construction machinery, and marine sectors. The company is renowned for supplying piston rings to leading OEMs worldwide, including Cummins and its joint venture companies.
With an annual production capacity of 180 million pieces and over 4,800 different varieties and specifications, Asimco leverages Nitrex’s NITREG®-S technology to achieve an unparalleled engine matching surface rate. This advanced stainless steel nitriding technology ensures optimal fit and performance of piston rings within engine components, which is crucial for maximizing engine efficiency and longevity. A high engine matching surface rate indicates precise alignment with engine cylinder surfaces, leading to improved performance, efficiency, and durability.
Last fall, Asimco strategically planned to expand its production capacity by integrating a third Nitrex compact furnace, the NXK-812 model, with a 1,200 kg (2,600 lbs.) load capacity and NITREG®-S technology. This new system, identical to those installed in 2018 and 2021, will further enhance their nitriding capabilities. NITREG®-S technology augments wear resistance, corrosion resistance, fatigue strength, surface hardness, and dimensional stability of piston rings, while reducing friction. These improvements result in better sealing, lower oil consumption, and overall enhanced engine efficiency and durability.
Installation of the latest system commenced on June 24, 2024, with production starting in July 2024. Tao Liu, Sales Manager at Nitrex China, commented, “The addition of the NXK-812 furnace aligns with Asimco Shuanghuan’s objectives to boost production volume and ensure precision and reliability in high-volume manufacturing. This move reflects Asimco’s ongoing trust in Nitrex’s advanced technology and consistent performance. During the startup phase, the Nitrex team effectively managed all on-site adjustments, ensuring a seamless and successful operation for piston ring nitriding. Asimco’s feedback has been highly positive, highlighting their satisfaction with the furnace’s performance and Nitrex’s technical support.” https://themonty.com/piston-ring-manufacturer-adds-third-nitriding-system/
3. Aalberts Surface Technologies UK Adds Another Plasma Nitrider; “Aalberts Surface Technologies UK is continuing it’s investment with another plasma nitrider, we are thrilled to announce the addition of a further Plasma Nitriding furnace at our Telford site. The furnace significantly enhances our overall capacity and capability, representing further growth within our UK operations. One standout feature of this particular furnace is its size, making it perfect for treating large/ very large press tool dies. In fact, at Aalberts Telford, we are now capable to process parts up to 2m long in Plasma Nitriding and 4m long in Gas Nitriding – Thomas Varley
Plasma Nitriding significantly enhances wear resistance, fatigue strength, and corrosion resistance of the treated parts. This translates to longer tool life, reduced maintenance costs, and improved performance in demanding applications. Our customers can expect a noticeable improvement in the durability and efficiency of their press tools. Plasma Nitriding can also be applied as an environmentally friendlier alternative to Chrome Plating, offering a superior end result performance.” https://themonty.com/aalberts-surface-technologies-uk-adds-another-plasma-nitrider/
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“CAN-ENG Furnaces International Ltd. has been awarded two contracts from different producers for the processing of high volume, specialty automotive components.
The two systems being supplied represent CAN-ENG’s high-capacity line of Mesh Belt Heat Treatment Systems and include oil quench hardening and salt quench austempering capabilities.
CAN-ENG equipment and designs were chosen by both clients to replace existing systems that could not meet the growing demands of their customers. System features include low energy consumption, reduced part mixing, reduced part damage and part distortion potential and high uptime productivity when compared to conventional conveyor furnace designs.
CANT These systems are currently being commissioned and include Mesh Belt Furnace System, Oil Quench and Salt Quench systems, Post Quench Wash Systems, CAN-ENG PET™ SCADA system and Integrated Controls.
These contracts, represent the continued interest in CAN-ENG’s Mesh Belt Heat Systems and will further and increase CAN-ENG’s supply base both in North America and abroad.
For further information please contact Tim Donofrio – Vice President, Sales at tdonofrio@can- Encre eng.com. CAN-ENG Furnaces International Ltd. is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company with its head office and manufacturing facility located in Niagara Falls, ON, Canada”
“International Tier 1 Automotive Supplier Headquartered in the USA Orders Vector for One of Their Mexico Facilities; The Vector® will increase the plant’s production capacity for brazing stainless heat exchangers alongside an existing fleet of furnaces.
This Vector 15VP is capable of a variety of thermal processes. Its hot zone measures 36x36x48” (900x900x1200mm) and has a 3,300 lb. (1500 kg) capacity. It also has convection heating and a mechanical vacuum pump system, all of which meet or exceed the specifications necessary for this production line’s brazing process.
While SECO/VACUUM furnaces are usually custom-engineered, this particular furnace was fabricated ahead of time as a stock item specifically for the contingency of a customer requesting immediate delivery, which allowed this heat treat partner to ramp up production capacity quickly and seamlessly. Should their production demand shift again, their new Vector vacuum furnace has the versatility to be repurposed for many of their other heat treat processes with relative ease.
“We built this furnace to be ready to be shipped and put into operation very quickly, which is just the solution they were looking for,” said SECO/VACUUM Managing Director Piotr Zawistowski. SECO/VACUUM’s Vector® vacuum heat-treating furnace is the workhorse of the heat-treating industry, trusted by both manufacturers with in-house heat treating as well as commercial heat-treating firms. It performs a wide range of processes including hardening, tempering, annealing, solution heat treating, brazing, sintering, as well as low-pressure carburizing. Vector® produces clean, uniform, high-quality parts with repeatable accuracy and no oxidation. Its versatility is matched only by its dependability.”
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“Inductotherm Group, a global provider of thermal processing technologies based in Rancocas, N.J., has announced that Gary Doyon has stepped down from his role as CEO, a position he held for 15 years. Mick Nallen and Satyen Prabhu have succeeded him as co-leaders of the company.
Doyon, who has been with the company for 38 years, continues to serve as the only nonfamily member on the parent company board. He remains actively involved with the Inductotherm Group, pursuing new business avenues and opportunities and assisting with specific operational needs of other businesses owned by the Rowan family.
Bringing together 40 companies with 38 manufacturing facilities located in 19 countries, Inductotherm Group manufactures thermal processing equipment used in the melting, heating, heat treating, forging, galvanizing, coating, cutting, and welding of metals.”
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While the story was not a complete surprise to the team at “The Monty” it did certainly lead us to take a closer look at the company which prompted a visit to their headquarters in Almont, Michigan, USA just yesterday.
What this visit revealed to us was a growing, innovative Induction heating supplier who might not be the largest in the industry but certainly one with some very good ideas, a very well established customer base and a global reach.
“Global Reach” refers to the fact that the firm has several locations in Michigan in the USA along with a facility in the UK to service the European market and a large facility in India which is growing by leaps and bounds.
While the company started as a supplier of induction power supplies, their product offerings now includes complete systems which include tube annealing systems, scanners, induction melting systems and complete material handling solutions.
At a later date we will have a more complete profile of the company but for the time being we will stick with this summary and these photos https://www.interpowerinduction.com/
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Parker Hornung, Service Engineer, Gary Gariglio, President
Jeremy Bishop, Plant Manager
“Nitrex continues to set the standard in stainless steel nitriding with the successful installation of a third advanced system at Asimco Shuanghuan Piston Ring (Yizheng) Co., Ltd. This latest addition highlights Asimco’s commitment to enhancing production capabilities and reinforcing their leadership in producing piston rings that maximize engine performance and durability across a range of applications, including automotive, commercial vehicles, construction machinery, and marine sectors. The company is renowned for supplying piston rings to leading OEMs worldwide, including Cummins and its joint venture companies.
With an annual production capacity of 180 million pieces and over 4,800 different varieties and specifications, Asimco leverages Nitrex’s NITREG®-S technology to achieve an unparalleled engine matching surface rate. This advanced stainless steel nitriding technology ensures optimal fit and performance of piston rings within engine components, which is crucial for maximizing engine efficiency and longevity. A high engine matching surface rate indicates precise alignment with engine cylinder surfaces, leading to improved performance, efficiency, and durability.
Last fall, Asimco strategically planned to expand its production capacity by integrating a third Nitrex compact furnace, the NXK-812 model, with a 1,200 kg (2,600 lbs.) load capacity and NITREG®-S technology. This new system, identical to those installed in 2018 and 2021, will further enhance their nitriding capabilities. NITREG®-S technology augments wear resistance, corrosion resistance, fatigue strength, surface hardness, and dimensional stability of piston rings, while reducing friction. These improvements result in better sealing, lower oil consumption, and overall enhanced engine efficiency and durability.
Installation of the latest system commenced on June 24, 2024, with production starting in July 2024. Tao Liu, Sales Manager at Nitrex China, commented, “The addition of the NXK-812 furnace aligns with Asimco Shuanghuan’s objectives to boost production volume and ensure precision and reliability in high-volume manufacturing. This move reflects Asimco’s ongoing trust in Nitrex’s advanced technology and consistent performance. During the startup phase, the Nitrex team effectively managed all on-site adjustments, ensuring a seamless and successful operation for piston ring nitriding. Asimco’s feedback has been highly positive, highlighting their satisfaction with the furnace’s performance and Nitrex’s technical support.”
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“Aalberts Surface Technologies UK is continuing it’s investment with another plasma nitrider, we are thrilled to announce the addition of a further Plasma Nitriding furnace at our Telford site. The furnace significantly enhances our overall capacity and capability, representing further growth within our UK operations.
One standout feature of this particular furnace is its size, making it perfect for treating large/ very large press tool dies. In fact, at Aalberts Telford, we are now capable to process parts up to 2m long in Plasma Nitriding and 4m long in Gas Nitriding – Thomas Varley
Plasma Nitriding significantly enhances wear resistance, fatigue strength, and corrosion resistance of the treated parts. This translates to longer tool life, reduced maintenance costs, and improved performance in demanding applications. Our customers can expect a noticeable improvement in the durability and efficiency of their press tools. Plasma Nitriding can also be applied as an environmentally friendlier alternative to Chrome Plating, offering a superior end result performance.”
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