Cory Watkins, CEO of Control Concepts Inc. (CCI), announced that Patrick Goralczyk will join CCI’s senior management team as director of operations. Goralczyk previously worked as director of site operations for Nilfisk Inc. Prior to that he served as vice president of operations for Air Quality Engineering Inc. Goralczyk holds a bachelor’s in electrical engineering technology from Purdue University and an MBA from the University of St Thomas. Chanhassen, Minn.-based CCI designs and manufactures stock and custom SCR power controllers.

Highbar LLC placed an order with SMS group for a new rebar mini-mill, which will be built on a site just outside of Osceola, Ark. The mini-mill will enable Highbar to produce rebar at a sustainable scale with industry-leading operating costs and environmental sustainability results. The mini-mill will include SMS group’s CMT (continuous mini-mill technology), a low-emission and energy-efficient steelmaking system that supplies liquid steel to a high-speed caster that directly feeds the rolling mill in a single process. Efficiency is increased by SMS group’s AURA (advanced unit rectifier assembly) DC-powered electric-arc furnace (EAF) with all-charge continuous feeding system and robotic solutions that improve labor efficiency. SMS Concast will be supplying a high-speed single-strand caster, and the link to the rolling mill will be through an induction equalization furnace provided by SMS Elotherm. 

Tenova completed the successful start-up of a new 70-ton electric-arc furnace (EAF) at specialty steel producer Valbruna ASW Inc. in Welland, Ontario. Tenova’s latest-generation EAF unit replaced an older EAF vessel. The spout shape of the furnace will provide an increase in melt-shop productivity and an improvement to the production reliability of manufacturing specific high-quality steel and stainless steel grades. Tenova’s scope of supply included a complete EAF automation system that will increase the efficiency of the plant. The system will guarantee the correct execution of the working cycle in relation to the production of different steel grades while optimizing the parameters and storage of production data. It is also designed to comply with all safety standards.

Nordic Traction Finland, a manufacturer of traction chains and tracks for forestry and agricultural machinery, upgraded its heat-treatment operations by installing a new endothermic gas generator. Nordic Traction relies on endogas to carburize its traction chains. The EndoFlex S system, designed and supplied by UPC-Marathon, a Nitrex company, replaced an outdated generator that could not effectively control volume or atmosphere quality and was incapable of scaling up when the demand increased. The new system also mixes to more precise ratios, which helps to maintain a constant furnace atmosphere and consistent gas quality at all times – improving process reliability and the quality of the finished product.

Aalberts Surface Technologies – Specialized Heat Treatment US and Aalberts Surface Technologies – Accurate Brazing have merged into a single business unit. The combined companies now operate as Aalberts Surface Technologies – HIP | Braze | Heat Treatment. Rebranding activities have started and will continue throughout 2023. Day-to-day plant operations will be largely unaffected. Specialized Heat Treatment US was formed when Premier Thermal, Applied Process and Ionic Technologies were rebranded as Aalberts Surface Technologies – Specialized Heat Treatment US in 2022. Accurate Brazing was founded in 1989 in Goffstown, N.H., and has been part of Aalberts since 2006, rebranding as Aalberts Surface Technologies – Accurate Brazing in 2022.

The Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA) is starting 2023 strong by offering three events in the first half of the year.

The Timken Company, a manufacturer of engineered bearings and industrial motion products, acquired the assets of American Roller Bearing Company (ARB), a North Carolina-based manufacturer of industrial bearings. ARB’s offerings join Timken’s industry-leading portfolio of engineered bearing solutions. ARB employs approximately 190 people and operates manufacturing facilities in Hiddenite and Morganton, N.C. 

YK Steel of Korea commissioned SMS group to supply a new mini-mill with integrated melting, casting and rolling and including all electrical and automation systems. Instead of relocating and upgrading an existing plant, YK Steel instead opted for a completely new mini-mill that will start production in 2025 at the company’s Dangjin site. YK Steel will use the mini-mill to produce reinforcing steel with diameters ranging from 10 to 35 mm (0.39-1.4 inches). The products manufactured in the mini-mill will be sold as 6- to 12-meter-long (20- to 39-foot-long) packages with a maximum weight of 450-550 kg (992-1,212 pounds) and large packages weighing up to 2 tons.

Nutec Group announced effective Feb. 1, 2023, Genaro F. Cueva will step down from the position of CEO, remaining in his position as Chairman of the Board. He will be replaced as CEO by Daniel Llaguno, currently president, Nutec Fibers Division. This transition had been announced internally back in September 2022.

Hotwork USA joined Munich, Germany-based Robur Industry Service Group as of December 2022. Hotwork USA specializes in refractory dryout and other furnace services utilizing proprietary equipment. The Lexington, Ky.-based company is partnering with Robur companies Excelsius and Fios to service clients with industrial furnaces. The move gives Robur Industry Service a truly global approach in furnace service offerings for clients in the metals, glass, cement and hydrocarbon industries.