Novelis Italia of Pieve, Italy, placed an order with Austria’s Hertwich Engineering for the supply and erection of an Ecomelt scrap melting furnace with preheat shaft. The new furnace will increase the recycling rate at Novelis from 34-80%. At temperatures below 650°C (1202°F), a hot-air flow in the preheat shaft heats the aluminum scrap, thus minimizing the oxidation of the material. The Ecomelt furnace at Novelis is scheduled to go into operation next month. Slovenia’s Impol also placed an order with Hertwich Engineering for an Ecomelt scrap melting furnace with preheat shaft. The production capacity of that furnace, which is scheduled for commissioning in July 2013, is 120 tons per day.