WCA March 2008

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Wire & Cable ASIA – March/April 2008
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
Austinitic 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:
Making the switch
Meltech’s electrically heated furnace m
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