A groundbreaking furnace control technology developed by Hasco-Thermic Ltd is poised to transform the galvanizing industry, promising to enhance sustainability efforts while delivering impressive efficiency and cost benefits.
This innovative technology not only aids in improving efficiency, longevity, and future-proofing galvanizing plants but also offers substantial time and cost savings, particularly crucial in the face of rising energy costs.
Wedge Group Galvanizing Ltd is the pioneering company to adopt this cutting-edge technology, gradually implementing it across its 14 nationwide plants. The results have been remarkable, with an average 15% reduction in gas consumption reported to date. Depending on the technology level of existing equipment, this translates to a payback period of between four to 10 months. Additionally, the technology significantly reduces carbon emissions, further enhancing Wedge Group’s sustainability credentials.
Angela Curtis, Managing Director at Hasco-Thermic, expressed her excitement about the technology’s impact: “When we came up with the original idea of Smart Firing, we hadn’t fully appreciated the potential savings that could be made – and they’ve been much higher than we anticipated. By the end of the year, we’ll have successfully converted almost all of Wedge Group Galvanizing’s 14 plants and are incredibly keen for the business to benefit from this technology as soon as possible to maximize the magnitude of savings available.”
Driven by a genuine passion for industry sustainability, Angela recently presented this revolutionary technology and decarbonization in the galvanizing sector at the annual European conference in Salzburg in June.
She emphasized their aim to extend the benefits of this technology to the wider galvanizing industry and other businesses within the metals sector in the near future, stating: “We’re keen to support companies to save time, money, and resources, but also to provide a more eco-friendly solution.”
David Nobes, Technical Services Director at Wedge Group Galvanizing, acknowledged the technology’s significant impact on their operations: “This innovative furnace technology has made a significant impact on the Wedge Group, helping to reduce both energy usage and costs. Over the next few months, we endeavor to have this fully functioning company-wide, to totally take advantage of the benefits. The new technology contains many remote monitoring and analysis benefits, combined with alarms and automated notifications for our on-site leadership teams. Not only have our operations been more efficient, but it’s also a significant step in our progress towards government CO2 reduction targets and our ultimate objective to be a Net Zero business.”
Wedge Group Galvanizing Ltd, with a history dating back over 150 years, is the largest hot-dip galvanizing organization in the UK, boasting 14 strategically placed plants across the country, offering a comprehensive national galvanizing service.