EoW March 2008

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EuroWire – March 2008
Making the switch . . .
The UK’s oldest manufacturer of speciality
wires, Webster & Horsfall, has replaced a
gas furnace with an electrically heated
furnace from Meltech Engineering, to cut
energy costs and reduce the company’s
carbon footprint.
The Meltech MT1100 is used for strand
annealing Webster & Horsfall’s range of
Austenitic and Super Duplex stainless
steel wires.
Founded in 1720 by James Horsfall,
Birmingham-based Webster & Horsfall
manufactures carbon steel spring, music
and rope wire, stainless steel spring wire,
low alloyed steel spring wire and strip for
springs, clips and pressings.
Over the past 12 months its energy costs
have increased by more than 50%.
“We needed to cut our energy costs and
contacted Meltech Engineering,” said
Charles Horsfall, managing director,
Webster & Horsfall Ltd.
“The MT1100 is far more energy efficient
than our gas furnaces. It also gives us
greater versatility in our manufacturing
operations. Until now we’ve had to start
the gas furnace the night before using it
to give it time to heat up to temperature;
the cost against demand for annealing
means we can no longer justify keeping
the gas fired furnace on all the time.
“With the MT1100 we can turn it on
as we need it; and the furnace is up to
temperature within a fraction of the time,”
he explained.
The MT1100 is being used to strand
anneal stainless steel wires from 0.7mm-
4mm at 1,100°C. It is designed on the
Meltech ‘low thermal mass’ principle and
features multi-zone temperature control.
Customisation of element design allows
optimisation of the MT1100’s performance
to fine tune temperature zoning and
increase element operational life.
In addition, the MT1100 uses
advanced ceramic and insu-
lation materials to give 90% thermal
efficiency, leading to more consistent and
manageable heating across the length of
the furnace and reduced furnace heating
running cost.
Charles Horsfall sees the move away from
gas to electric as both inevitable and
welcome.
“The switch from a gas furnace to the
MT1100 will have two positive benefits
to our business, as well as reducing our
energy costs,” he said.
“It will improve the quality of our
heat treatment and significantly reduce
our carbon footprint ahead of any
government legislation.
“Electricity can be generated from various
fuel sources which hopefully will improve
long-term security of supply. Ultimately
we plan to replace all our gas furnaces
with electric.”
Meltech Engineering – UK
Fax: +44 1254 680175
Email:
Website:
Meltech’s electrically heated furnace ▲
english corporate news
A new show for the buzzing Ukrainian market, Wires and Fasteners 2008 will kick off
this year in Kiev at the Ukraine’s largest exhibition centre, KyivExpoPlaza. The show
will be held from 17th-20th June.
The exhibition – organised by TDS-Expo and sponsored by EuroWire and Wire
& Cable ASIA – has support from the Ministry of the Industrial Policy of Ukraine,
Ukrtruboprom Association, Ukrainian Manufacturers and Employers Association,
Ukrainian Association ‘Ukrelectrocable’, Society of Welders of Ukraine, Machine-
Building Engineers and Technologists Association of Ukraine.
The show comes at a time when the Ukrainian market is showing incredible
potential and a lucrative country for foreign investment. The Ukraine’s economic
growth in the last two years has risen by 5 per cent. The net increase in direct
foreign investment in Ukraine has reached US$6.8 billion, based on the results of
10 months during 2007. This investment is 1.6 times higher than 2006 and 6.4 times
higher than 2005.
Ukraine is the third largest producer of steel in the world.
Added to this bright economic and investment outlook, the Ukraine is widely
regarded as more accessible and with easier business practices than neigbouring
Russia. The organisers expect that exhibitors and visitors will have a smoother
experience with issues such as freight, tourism and cost of living.
Organisers: TDS Expo – Ukraine
Fax: +380 44 526 93 76
Email:
Website:
Show time in the Ukraine
International Exhibit Sales: INTRAS Ltd – UK
Fax: +44 1926 314755
Email:
Website: