EoW March 2008

english corporate news

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. 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. In addition, the MT1100 uses advanced ceramic and

Meltech’s electrically heated furnace

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“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 : sales@meltech.co.uk Website : www.meltech.co.uk

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 17 th -20 th 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. 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 : olga@welding.kiev.ua Website : www.weldexpo.com.ua Show time in the Ukraine International Exhibit Sales : INTRAS Ltd – UK Fax : +44 1926 314755 Email : intras@intras.co.uk Website : www.wire-ukraine.com Ukraine is the third largest producer of steel in the world.

EuroWire – March 2008