April 2024 | ALRO S.A., one of the largest vertically integrated aluminum producers in Europe measured by production capacity, has purchased an aluminum aging furnace with electric heating from SECO/Warwick. The project objective is to increase the output of high and very high added products.
This state-of-the-art electric furnace by SECO/Warwick will replace three furnaces powered by natural gas with the aim of streamlining the heat treatment operations within the Alro Processed Aluminum Division and represents an important step towards achieving ALRO’s goal of becoming a greener producer.
An atmospheric furnace designed to reduce CO2 emissions
The solution has been designed for aging type 2xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx aluminum plates with a length of up to 13,000 mm and a width of up to 2,200 mm. They can be arranged in one or two rows. The load will be placed horizontally on loading trays with the maximum capacity of 60 tons net. The furnace will be heated electrically, which will significantly reduce CO₂ gas emissions.
“The challenge of reducing emissions is becoming an increasingly important purchasing impulse for customers. This applies in particular to European producers, because in this region of the world ecological regulations are currently the most restrictive. The aluminum aging furnace, powered by electric heaters, eliminates the emissions problem, hence the growing interest of aluminum producers in such solutions,” explains Piotr Skarbiński, Vice President of the Aluminum Process and CAB Business Segments at SECO/Warwick.
Aging furnaces are designed to operate in the temperature range from 80ºC to 250ºC in accordance with the AMS 2750G standard. The temperature uniformity guarantee throughout the entire load at the level of +/- 3ºC was achieved thanks to the use of optimal heat flow inside the furnace using high-performance atmosphere mixers and a system of guides directing the air stream.
A decades long partnership
ALRO is one of the largest aluminum producers in Europe (in terms of production capacity). The company is organized into two departments, consisting of an aluminum smelter, foundries, and a recycling plant.
“It is an important partner for us, not only because of its huge production scale. We have already completed several orders for new equipment for this customer, including a gas aging furnace and ingot preheating furnace. We have also modernized furnaces for annealing aluminum sheet coils. However, it is interesting that we signed the current contract after a ten-year break, which shows that our solutions perform well in continuous, advanced production, and customers keep coming back even after many years. Good cooperation and partnership have always been a priority for us,” added Tomasz Kaczmarczyk, Sales Manager of the Aluminum Process and CAB Furnaces Teams at SECO/Warwick.
Gheorghe Dobra, ALRO CEO, adds:
“While we are still making significant efforts to overcome the challenges of the international economic environment, we remain focused on our long-term goals and continue to invest in state-of-the-art technology. The new equipment, provided by SECO/Warwick, will support our program to maximize the value of the products we are manufacturing and will allow us to better serve our customer’s requirements. At the same time, the new technology will support our commitment to reduce our environmental footprint.”
