Cast Metal & Diecasting Times July/ August 2016 April/May 2016 | Page 10

8 | NEWS

w w w. n e w b u s i n e s s m e d i a . c o

Commercial steelmaking on Teesside

MPI has started commercial steelmaking at its Normanton Steel plant on Teesside.

The
Materials
Processing
Institute
has
launched
a
commercial
steelmaking
operation from its facility
on Teesside to support the
production of high quality
steels for UK industry that

are manufactured in the
country.
The
Normanton
Steel plant at MPI, which
features
industry-standard
steel production equipment,
had previously been used for
new
product
development

and process refinement and
now also delivers commercial
manufacturing across a range
of steel types. It has been
introduced to meet customers’
bespoke requirements, which
are generally for smaller orders
that cannot be produced
economically in larger plants.
Manned by an experienced
production team, the steel
plant features metal melting,
refining and casting facilities.
It also includes the UK’s only
small electric arc furnace for the
commercial production of steel
ingots and concast billet.
The plant’s operations are
supported by a suite of testing
and development laboratories,
which are used primarily
for research and product
development processes but
will provide valuable support to
its commercial manufacturing
activities to ensure it delivers
the highest grade of steel.
www.mpiuk.com

Sustainable solutions for Chinese foundries
Under the motto ‘The future
of casting’, ASK Chemicals
showcased
its
sustainable
solutions for long-term foundry
success at Metal + Metallurgy
China 2016 this May. The
company displayed its full
portfolio, with a clear focus
on its INOTEC technology, as
well as its water-based coating
solutions.
Patented INOTEC inorganic
binder technology not only
allows
emissions
to
be
eliminated but also has a positive
effect on the material properties
of the casting. In addition,
it
offers
process-related
advantages over conventional
processes. Particularly notable
among these are the significant
increases to productivity in the
casting process and a drastic
reduction in the consumption of
resources for maintenance and
servicing work.
MIRATEC water-based coatings
are high performance coatings,
especially recommended for
automotive applications. They
provide
minimum
handling
times, which are key to realising
minimum cycle times and
increasing productivity. They
provide an even coating layer,
especially with complex core
packages or challenging core
geometries. Thanks to their

EXACTCAST OPTIMA is fitted with a loose moulded part and a related pin to provide the optimum breaking edge
and reduce fettling costs.

engineered formulation and
tailored characteristics (eg gas
permeability), these waterbased coatings reduce casting
defects and provide a good
surface finish.
Separately, the company’s cold
box
bonded
EXACTCAST
KMV mini-risers offer a fiberfree solution for steel casting.
The volume at the riser can be
reduced without sacrifice to
the feeding performance. The
exothermic compound replaces
the non-feeding material and
maintains the metal in its molten

state. The KMV mini-risers
therefore present an efficient
and reliable alternative to
conventional slurry sleeves.
EXACTCAST OPTIMA risers,
available as water-glass or cold
box version, noticeably increase
efficiency in foundries. These
mini-risers are fitted with a
loose metal part in the bottom
section (nozzle) and a rigid
pin, designed to achieve an
exactly defined breaking point
and additionally, reduce fettling
costs.
www.ask-chemicals.com

C a s t M e t a l & D i e c a s t i n g Ti m e s A p r i l / M a y 2 0 1 6

JVM appoints
Group Sales
Manager
JVM Castings has appointed Bob
Freeman as Group Sales Manager
to help meet and exceed growth
targets in the coming years. Mr
Freeman brings 32 years’ experience
in the castings and automotive
industries, most recently with
sales purchase management roles
at King Automotive Systems Ltd
and Sarginsons Industries plc. His
background in aluminium castings
for the automotive, construction and
civil engineering sectors made him a
natural choice for JVM Castings.
As Group Sales Manager, Bob
Freeman is responsible for enhancing
the development of the company
throughout its existing customer
base, ensuring current clients receive
the maximum value and support, as
well as seeking opportunities across
other markets.
www.jvmcastings.com

Corrosion
inhibitor gains
EPA recognition
Clariant reports that its recently
introduced Hostacor AL waterdispersible corrosion inhibitor for use
in the metalworking industry has been
recognised by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) for its
potential to reduce environmental
pollution. The recognition is provided
as part of the EP