HarbisonWalker International (HWI) is investing to increase capacity by 25% at key steel refractory facilities. Most of the investment will be at its facility in White Cloud, Mich., which manufactures refractory products primarily for steelmakers. According to the company, approximately half of its capital investment dollars will have a direct positive impact on its steel industry customers. The investment will include expansion to accommodate new warehouse and shipping space, which is being constructed with American-made steel. Additional manufacturing space will house new technologies that improve production efficiency and worker safety.

Because of equipment improvements and material innovations – such as no-cement, colloidal silica, which offers optimal alkali resistance and bonding properties – contractors are installing monolithic refractories in areas of cement kilns once reserved for brick refractory.

As our economy continues to strengthen and steel production increases in the U.S., several of the mills that have been idled for years are beginning to come back on line.

Registration is open for IHEA’s Fundamentals of Industrial Process Heating online learning course, which begins on April 15. The course is ideal for students who wish to further their studies at home or work in a flexible web-based, distance-learning format. It’s an affordable alternative to campus-based classes and allows students to go at their own pace.

Here are 12 tips that you will find extremely helpful when attending Thermprocess, GIFA, METEC and NEWCAST 2019 June 25-29 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.

How many hours per week do you work on average? How satisfied are you with certain elements of your job? What will be the biggest challenge for your company in the next 12 months?

A refractory paddle mixer delivers fast mix times while working with mixtures that include aggregates up to 0.5 inches thick.

Safety inspection cages and personal protection tunnels are designed for heightened worker safety.

Redi-Shapes precast shapes are designed to help steel and aluminum makers significantly reduce the time and labor costs required to repair furnace refractory linings.

Thermbond 7200 Series can substantially reduce the cost of most furnace repairs through its ability to provide consistent properties regardless of installation method.