Katy Heat Treat has made quite an impression in a relatively short amount of time. Not even 10 years old, this MTI member has established itself as a premier commercial heat treater in Texas.
Katy Heat Treat was started in 2005 as a division of Katy Spring and Manufacturing by Bill Luce and James West. Both men had previously worked together at another heat-treating facility. The company started humbly, with only a single batch draw furnace purchased on eBay. It was used for precipitation hardening and stress relieving, primarily for the oil and gas industry in the Houston area.
Over the next seven years, Katy Heat Treat added additional batch furnaces and a vacuum furnace. The company exceeded $1 million in sales for the first time in 2011. Then, in November 2012, Katy Heat Treat was spun off from Katy Spring and sold to Mark Homestead, who has continued and enhanced the company’s focus on customer service, quality and quick turnaround. This commitment resulted in a record sales year in 2013.
Katy Heat Treat does a lot with only five full-time employees. The company provides precipitation hardening, stress relieving, tempering, vacuum heat treating (quench and temper, solution anneal, homogenize, age) and cryogenic processes. Its diverse client base includes oil and gas-related businesses, machine shops, metal-supply companies, tool and die shops and specialized manufacturers.
The ISO 9001-certified company is able to tailor processes to service specific customer specifications. Perhaps more importantly, Katy Heat Treat is able to do it quickly. While precipitation hardening is its largest process by sales volume (and the process for which it is most associated), there’s no question about Katy Heat Treat’s “other” specialty – the heat treatment of superalloys and tool steels. The ability to meet and even exceed customer expectations by providing customized service and consultation is what sets the company apart from its competition in this area.
Katy Heat Treat’s range of equipment capabilities is particularly helpful. This includes:
• Batch furnace from 250-1500°F; single part length up to 13 feet, 6 inches; and rectangular size to 63 inches x 24 inches x 20 inches and 54 inches x 40 inches x 54 inches
• Vacuum furnace capabilities up to 2300°F and 30 inches x 30 inches x 52 inches
• Cryogenic freeze capability to -350°F and 30 inches x 54 inches x 30 inches
• On-site hardness and UT testing
• Custom racking, sawing and international shipping-crate fabrication
In the past year, Katy Heat Treat has concentrated on upgrading its office and shop facilities. The company installed a new hot box in its vacuum furnace and added proportionators to its large clam-shell furnace to increase both low- and high-temperature uniformity.
As for the future, Katy Heat Treat plans on installing an additional vacuum furnace as well as another batch furnace capable of heat treating parts as long as 25 feet with temperatures up to 1950°F. The company also intends on adding water-quench capabilities. Long-term plans include hiring a full-time metallurgist and incorporating new processes supported by the region.
Katy Heat Treat has built a solid foundation by concentrating on the things it does best. The company’s focus on specialization, quick turnaround and high quality will drive its success for years to come.
Visit www.katyheattreat.com for more information.
