PECM Issue 28 2017 | Page 116

process technologies AJAX TOCCO STRENGTHENS ITS POSITION IN EUROPE Ajax TOCCO, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of induction heating equipment, has strengthened its position in the field by joining forces with fellow manufacturer GH Induction. Earlier this year, GH Induction, based in Valencia, Spain became part of the US based Park Ohio Group. They are now part of the Engineered Products segment that is headed up by Ajax TOCCO Magnethermic and include other induction manufacturers such as Pillar, Lectrotherm, Saet Emmedi and others. GH Induction brings over 55 years of experience to the Group, and having made well over 4000 machines that have been installed all over the world, they bring a lot of experience and innovative skill to the organization. They are a global company in their own right, and have sites in Germany, China, India, France, Argentina, USA, Brazil and Mexico. Ajax TOCCO’s operations in the UK are based in Birmingham and it is a service centre 116 PECM Issue 28 that supports the group’s activities and has customers from all over the world. At this site, they manufacture and repair coils, inductors, busbars and power leads. Plus they supply spare parts and have a bank of Engineers to carry out services and repairs. The other side of their business in Birmingham is a subcontract induction heat treatment facility (the largest in the UK) that can heat treat (normally harden) all sorts of their customer’s components – from 1off prototypes to continuous batches from tier 1 automotive suppliers. Induction heating is a non-contact process based on the use of transformers. An induction power supply generates an alternating current (AC) through a coil/ inductor and when a work piece is placed in or near the coil, it heats up via its electrical resistivity to the induced current flowing through it. This technology is used for processes such as; Heat Treatment, Casting, Forging, Brazing, Welding, Shrink Fitting, Curing. The Ajax TOCCO Group manufactures equipment for all these processes and has sites all around the world. With the company’s natural growth paired to strategic acquisitions, Ajax TOCCO is now arguably the largest induction heating specialist in the world. All enquiries can be put to Sales Manager, Simon Cockfield [email protected] T 0121 322 8000 W www.ajaxtocco.co.uk www.ghinduction.com