By replacing a gas furnace with an electrically heated furnace, a UK speciality wires producer has reduced energy costs and the mill's 'carbon footprint'.
The UK's oldest manufacturer of specialty wires, Webster and Horsfall, has replaced a gas furnace with an electrically heated furnace from Meltech Engineering.
The electric furnace has cut energy costs and reduced the company's carbon footprint.
The Meltech MT1100 is used for strand annealing Webster and Horsfall's range of austinitic and super duplex stainless steel wires.
Founded in 1720 by James Horsfall, Birmingham-based Webster and 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 over 50%.
"We needed to cut our energy costs and contacted Meltech Engineering," said Charles Horsfall, managing director, Webster and Horsfall.
"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 furnace is being used to strand anneal stainless steel wires from 0.7mm - 4mm at 1,100 deg 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 increased element operational life.
In addition, the MT1100 uses advanced ceramic and insulation 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.
Horsfall sees the move away from gas to electric as both inevitable and welcome.
"The switch from a gas furnace to the MT1100 will have two positive benefits to our business, as well as reducing our energy costs.
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," he said.
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