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EBNER GROUP

NEWS AND REPORTS

2024
2023
2022
2021
2020

2024

24-06-2024

Chantal Coupal & Caleb Wright

GNA alutech inc. is now fully owned by EBNER GROUP

EBNER GROUP, a global leader for melting, casting and heat treatment solutions for the aluminum industry with the companies EBNER, ETS, EED, Gautschi, TPS, Hazelett, HPI and GNA, has increased their stake in GNA alutech inc. to 100%.

GNA is a leading provider of aluminum melting and holding furnaces, homogenizing and annealing furnaces, and cathode sealing equipment. The acquisition marks the culmination of a five-year partnership between EBNER and Ted Phenix, which began with EBNER Group acquiring a majority stake in GNA in 2019.

“We are excited to announce the full acquisition of GNA alutech inc. and would like to thank GNA’s founder, Ted Phenix, for his vision and leadership in building GNA into a successful company over 41 years. Over the last 5 years, I was always impressed by the deep understanding and knowledge Ted was able to share with customers. Our strong professional developed to a strong personal friendship.“ says Robert Ebner, CEO of EBNER Group.

The leadership of GNA has been placed in the hands of Kaleb Wright, President of Business Development, and Chantal Coupal, President of Operations. Kaleb Wright brings extensive experience in business development and sales to the role, while Chantal Coupal has a deep understanding of GNA’s operations and technology.

„I was first introduced to GNA alutech in 2002 while working for Hydro Aluminum during the construction of their Greenfield Casthouse in Commerce, Texas. The wealth of knowledge Ted and the GNA team held, along with their flexibility to work with clients quickly lead to a close relationship between Ted and I for years to come on many projects. Fully embracing GNA’s desire to continue its path for leading technologies in the aluminum industry, I joined the team in 2019 as CTO. It is an honor to continue the legacy Ted Phenix set forth for GNA alutech 41 years ago“, describes Kaleb Wright.

„I began working with GNA in 1995, and since then, my journey with Ted and the team has been incredibly fulfilling. Ted has been a mentor and a remarkable teacher, imparting not only knowledge but also a profound enthusiasm for the aluminum industry and a passion for his work“, explains Chantal Coupal.

Based on GNA´s 41 years success story, the company is committed to continuing its focus on green technology and cost efficiency. As part of a strong EBNER GROUP, GNA provides a full range of technologies and services to their customers including newest and upcoming technologies such as rotary furnace, EMS pump, own regenerative burners, CO2 free burner, etc.

Leveraging its Core Competence in in-house manufacturing and R&D, the EBNER GROUP will empower GNA to offer its technology worldwide at the highest quality and best prices. This collaboration aligned with EBNER GROUP’s mission of Driving Green Technologies, will also drive the joint advancement of furnace and casting technology.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Viktoria Steinmaier MA
EBNER GROUP Marketing & Communication
[email protected]

15-05-2024

Spürnasenecke Kindergarten Hainzenbachstraße, Leonding

Kindergarten Hainzenbachstraße in Leonding is delighted with the new EBNER "A Nose for Science" nook.

At the Hainzenbachstraße kindergarten in Leonding, all children can now playfully discover and learn about the fascinating world of technology and science in the “A Nose for Science” nook sponsored by the EBNER GROUP.

The EBNER GROUP‘s “A Nose for Science” nook is an innovative educational concept designed to encourage children to explore and experiment at an early age. The EBNER GROUP is already sponsoring the second “A Nose for Science” nook in the Linz Land district for the researchers of tomorrow – this time in the Leonding kindergarten on Hainzenbachstraße. “I’m delighted that we now have an EBNER “A Nose for Science” in two kindergartens, in Hart and in Hainzenbachstraße. The children love exploring scientific relationships in a playful way”, says Leonding’s mayor Sabine Naderer-Jelinek. 

“We at EBNER are convinced that it is important to get children interested in science and technology at an early age. The “A Nose for Science” nook is a valuable initiative that does just that. That’s why we’re delighted to now be able to equip the Leonding kindergarten in Hainzenbachstraße with an exciting corner and offer the children a fascinating and fun learning environment,” says Robert Ebner, CEO of the EBNER GROUP.

With the second “A Nose for Science” nook, the EBNER GROUP is continuing its commitment to promoting education and science. This initiative underlines the commitment to making a positive contribution to the development of the next generation and shaping the future through education.

The new ‘A Nose for Science’ nook offers children around 80 exciting experiments that they can discover together with their teachers.

“We are delighted that the “A Nose for Science” campaign has been so well received by the children. By making discovery fun and enjoyable, we are taking the first step towards actively counteracting the shortage of skilled workers in important STEM fields,” says Head of Human Resources Officer Florian Sachsenhofer.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Viktoria Steinmaier MA
EBNER GROUP Marketing & Communication
[email protected]

2023

28-04-2023

A Nose for Science

EBNER sponsors the first “A Nose for Science” nook in the District of Linz Land

Leonding, Austria – April 28, 2023: Thanks to the Spürnasenecke (“A Nose for Science” nook) sponsored by EBNER, children from the Hart day care center in Leonding, Austria are being introduced to scientific and technological subjects in a playful way. The “Nose for Science” nook, the first in the District of Linz Land (Greater Linz), was officially opened on Friday, April 28 in the presence of the town mayor.

Supporting the urge to explore and promoting talent from an early age

“As a high-tech industrial company, we see every day how crucial technical professionals are. Unfortunately, we also see how rare they have become. It is for this reason that I am convinced of the value of the ‘Nose for Science’ nook, which will introduce children and young people to scientific and technical subjects at an early age. We are very pleased that the ‘Nose for Science’ project, the first ‘A Nose for Science’ nook in Greater Linz, could be implemented and hope every one of the children enjoys the fun of doing research,” stated Robert Ebner, CEO of the EBNER GROUP.

Thanks to continuous research and development, EBNER is a leader in eco-friendly and energy-efficient technologies. A large number of inventions and innovations have originated in Leonding, in EBNER‘s in-house technology center. Today, EBNER can proudly say that each and every one of us daily encounters products that are made of materials heat treated in an EBNER facility. Examples range from the aluminum foil used to package Mozartkugel candies to aluminum beverage cans, steel and aluminum automotive parts, YKK zippers, brass musical instruments and more.

“We are very pleased that, with this “Nose for Science” nook, EBNER has taken the first step toward actively combating the shortage of trained workers in technical fields. A central role was played by our intensive cooperation with educational institutions, in a shared effort to get children excited about STEM fields at an early age,” said Christiane Helm, Head of Human Resources at EBNER.

Children from the day care center in Hart have been visiting the “Nose for Science” nook since February, 2023, and have been thrilled by the 80 exciting experiments. Thanks to their natural urge to explore, and with the support of their teachers, they have been able to take their first steps into the world of scientific research.

Another EBNER project at its Leonding offices, also intended to promote and develop talent, is the construction of a “research site” known as the “WELab” (World of EBNER Lab). At the WElab, students between 7 and 14 years of age have the opportunity to investigate topics concerning technology, the natural sciences, digitalization and sustainability in a practically-oriented environment.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Viktoria Steinmaier MA
EBNER GROUP Marketing & Communication
[email protected]

2022

08-01-2022

Hazelett joins EBNER GROUP.

Hazelett Strip-Casting Corporation of Colchester, Vermont USA has become a member of the EBNER GROUP, headquartered in Leonding, Austria, through the acquisition by EBNER of a majority interest in Hazelett. Mino S.p.A, based in Alessandria, Italy will remain a shareholder along with David Hazelett, who will also remain as both a shareholder and President.

The EBNER GROUP consists of EBNER Industrieofenbau in Leonding, Austria, EBNER Furnaces in Wadsworth, USA, EBNER Industrial Furnaces in Taicang, China, Gautschi Engineering in Ranshofen, Austria, HPI in Ranshofen, Austria, GNA alutech in Montreal, Canada, and EED in Taicang, China. Together the companies offer a wide range of furnace facilities, upstream and downstream auxiliary equipment, project management and services to the aluminum, steel and copper base metals sectors.

Together with Mino, the EBNER GROUP will be able to offer complete process lines to the aluminum flat rolled products industry featuring Hazelett twin-belt continuous casting technology.

Hazelett technology is used in metal manufacturing processes worldwide to cast aluminum, copper, zinc, and lead into metal strip and bar used to create countless products. Hazelett has been a leader in the design and manufacture of continuous casting machines for the global metal industries for over 100 years.  Similarly, EBNER has been a leader in the design and manufacture of thermal processing furnaces for over 70 years. Both have been family-owned throughout their histories and this merger preserves that legacy.

Mr. Hazelett commented: “As family-owned businesses, Hazelett and EBNER have the freedom to take a longer view; one that encourages investment in research and development, building long-term relationships, and preserving our environment.”

EBNER Industrieofenbau is a global company and market leader in heat treatment facilities for the semi-finished metal products industry. EBNER specializes in the research, development, fabrication, installation and commissioning of heat treatment facilities for the ferrous and non-ferrous industries using the most environmentally friendly and energy efficient technologies.

EBNER GROUP CEO, Robert Ebner commented: “From the first time I met David Hazelett it was clear to me that we share many of the same values. To invest in research and development, to always be one step ahead of your competition, to build the equipment inhouse, to serve your customers first class world-wide and to have a dedicated team of experts around you who believe in the same values.”

Cesare Pettazzi, President of Mino S.p.A., Italian rolling mills specialist and minority shareholder in Hazelett Strip-Casting Corporation, added his comment on the acquisition: “Mino’s first cooperation with Hazelett Strip-Casting Corporation dates back to 1997 and ever since the two companies have completed several successful projects around the globe in the field of combined casting and rolling lines for both aluminum and copper strip. The acquisition by EBNER of a majority interest in Hazelett Strip-Casting Corporation will strengthen and complete our offerings by making possible, through the combination of the respective technologies, to cover complete projects from melting to casting and rolling. Mino is proud of being a shareholder in Hazelett Strip-Casting Corporation and looks forward to cooperating with EBNER and continuing this success story.”

2021

23-03-2021

A new order for a gas-fired press hardening furnace, to be used for the heat treatment of hot forming steel blanks, is placed by China's Zhejiang Bohui Auto Component Co., Ltd.

Bohui Group is a well-known private company, specializing in hot forming parts for lightweight BIW in the Chinese automotive industry. Its main customer is Volkswagen, which is increasing its production capacity. Bohui is as well: in November, 2020, Bohui entrusted EBNER with an order for a hot forming roller-hearth furnace. This furnace will be installed in Bohui’s plant in Jiashan, Zhejiang province.

The hot forming roller hearth furnace will be used to heat treat BIW parts for the automotive industry. The furnace, type ROs 250/10/3820 St-PH, can be used to heat treat AlSi-coated blanks.

The new furnace is planned to start production in August, 2021.

08-03-2021

China's Chengdu Yifeng Auto Parts Co., Ltd. orders a gas-fired press hardening furnace for the heat treatment of hot formed steel blanks.

In terms of investment and product portfolio, Yifeng is the largest company in light weight Body in White (BIW) components for automotive applications in mainland China. It has installed 28 hot forming lines in China, at its plants in Shanghai, Ningbo, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Foshan, Changsha and Jiaxing.

Currently, the company is experienced increasing demand for hot formed parts from both Volkswagen and Geely, and has decided to invest in additional hot forming lines.

EBNER was selected as supplier for the hot forming furnaces, and was trusted with an order for two hot forming roller-hearth furnaces in September, 2020. The newly-ordered furnaces will be installed in Yifeng’s plant in Chengdu, where eight hot forming lines are being planned.

The hot forming roller-hearth furnaces that were ordered will be used to heat treat uncoated blanks and AlSi coated blanks for BIW parts.

The furnaces are planned to go into operation in July, 2021.

02-02-2021

Italy’s Marcegaglia Ravenna S.P.A orders a HICON/H2 bell annealer facility to heat treat steel strip.

At the end of 2020, Marcegaglia Ravenna / Italy placed an order with EBNER Industrieofenbau to expand their existing HICON/H2 bell annealer facility, with which they heat treat coils of steel strip.

With the order for new bell annealer equipment, which includes 4 workbases and 4 heating bells, Marcegaglia Ravenna will be operating a HICON/H2 bell annealer facility with a total of 56 workbases, 32 heating bells and 28 cooling bells. The capacity to anneal about 750 000 tons of material per year will be available.

The bell annealer has a max. clear inside diameter of 2200, a clear inside height of 5200 mm and can accept charges up to a max. weight of 130 t. It will be used for recrystallization anneals of strip coils intended for automotive industry applications. 

The new facility is scheduled to start production in the first quarter of 2022.

24-01-2021

EBNER TREATperfect calculation module successfully integrated into non-EBNER batch-type furnace for the first time.

The TREATperfect calculation module was developed by EBNER, and is currently in use at many batch-type furnace facilities. Over the course of this project, the module was installed at a batch-type furnace manufactured by Gautschi for the first time.

A customer in USA, had selected the proposed Gautschi batch-type furnace (designated as a “chamber” furnace). The bid included delivery of a temperature calculation model. To fulfill this requirement, EBNER specialists were enlisted by Gautschi to adapt the TREATperfect module for the Gautschi furnace.

Models that simulate thermal processes are shaped by two primary factors:

  1. Furnace design
    This influences both heat transfer and the dynamics of atmosphere flow, and so influences the underlying formulae used in calculation.
  2. Control and regulation technology
    This primarily influences the logical operations and conditional framework of the calculation.

The similarity of the conditions for atmosphere flow in a Gautschi chamber furnace for coils to those in an EBNER batch-type furnace for coils was a significant factor in making adaptation of the model feasible. Adaptation of our module for the Gautschi furnace involved close cooperation between Gautschi employees and digitization experts from our Research & Development Department.

Of particular note is the fact that, for this type of furnace, our calculation module is actually comprised of three different modules:

1) TREATperfect calculates the temperature of the strip coils in the furnace.

2) OFFLINE setpoint calculation calculates the furnace setpoints in advance, as well as the expected duration of the annealing cycle.

3) ONLINE setpoint optimization optimizes the processing parameters in the furnace during the anneal itself.

During commissioning and when the acceptance anneals were carried out, the model was fine-tuned by repeatedly comparing measured data from the facility with calculated temperature profiles. During this process, the efficient feedback loops that ran between the customer, Gautschi and EBNER were of critical importance: these allowed optimization to be carried out with complete data sets, until any deviation between simulation and reality had been reduced to an acceptably small amount.

Since commissioning, the facility and its calculation model have been producing aluminum strip coils of the highest possible quality.

2020

09-10-2020

Attendance at the Wire 2020 trade fair (Düsseldorf, Germany) canceled

This international trade fair for the wire and cable industry is an important platform through which we meet customers and others interested in our projects, as well as present our latest innovations.

Due to the corona pandemic, the dates of the trade fair had been moved to December. However, for everyone involved, it is still very difficult to evaluate the situation. After a long period of deliberation by our management team, we have decided not to attend the Wire 2020 fair in Düsseldorf, Germany.

During this pandemic, we have been making every effort to protect our employees, customers and business partners by following strict hygienic and safety measures. We feel certain that, at this time, cancellation is the correct decision to ensure the health and safety of all involved.

Despite everything, we would not like to miss the opportunity to meet with you in person. We are thus offering regular webinars on topics from the world of EBNER.

For more information, please visit our website at EBNER ACADEMY

17-08-2020

EBNER HICON/H2 Haubenofenanlage

voestalpine STAHL of Linz, Austria places an order for a HICON/H2 bell annealer facility.

In August of 2020, voestalpine STAHL of Linz, Austria placed an order with EBNER Industrieofenbau to install and commission a HICON/H2 bell annealer facility. This facility is designed to heat treat steel strip coils in 100 % hydrogen atmosphere, and is intended for cold rolling mill 2 (Kaltwalzwerk 2).

The order includes 5 high-temperature workbases with the latest integrated cooler technology for process atmosphere, 3 high-efficiency gas-fired heating bells, 3 air cooling bells and the utility supply and disposal equipment required for the operation and safety of the facility.

The new facility will be integrated into the fully-automatic crane operating system for the entire bell annealer battery.

The new facility will start production in the summer of 2021.

17-06-2020

EBNER Haubenofenanlage

A new EBNER HICON/H2 bell annealer for steel wire in China.

At the end of May, an order was placed with EBNER Industrieofenbau by Kaiming (Changzhou) New Material Technology Co., Ltd.  for the delivery of a HICON/H2 bell annealer facility for steel wire.

The facility, which will be installed turn-key, will be comprised of 3 HICON/H2 workbases, 2 heating bells and one cooling bell. All required supplementary equipment is also included in the order, such as hydraulic and pressure control systems, an electrical control center and a VF6 process control system.

The design of the facility enables the customer to heat treat hot-rolled scaled steel wire in nitrogen atmosphere, as well as drawn or hot-rolled pickled steel wire in hydrogen atmosphere.

The volumes of hydrogen or nitrogen used during purging can be precisely set to the cubic meters needed, allowing them to be optimally adjusted to the material being annealed.

Hot-rolled, scaled and drawn types of steel wire will be heat treated in this EBNER HICON/H2 facility starting in August, 2021.

15-06-2020

The first HICON/H2Q hardening and tempering line for East Asia.

Based in Pohang, Dongkuk Industries Co., Ltd. Is the largest manufacturer of cold-rolled medium and high carbon steel strip in South Korea.

To increase added value, the company decided to invest in state-of-the-art technology; an EBNER HICON/H2Q hardening and tempering line which will be the first facility of its kind in East Asia.

The unrivaled quenching technology using hydrogen, improved product quality and high facility efficiency were key factors in the decision for HICON/H2Q.

In February, an order was placed with EBNER for the heat treatment section of the new hardening and tempering line. The customer will order the strip handling gear from a local supplier.

The scope of supply includes an austenitizing furnace, the HICON/H2Q hydrogen quenching system, a FlexFlat martensite cooler with SmartFlat automatic flatness supervision system, a leveling furnace and an atmosphere jet cooler. A combined bainite / pearlite transformation zone will also be supplied, allowing the facility to be configured to produce these materials.

Medium and high carbon steel strip will be hardened and tempered in the EBNER HICON/H2Q facility starting in the summer of 2021.

02-06-2020

Aleris Kammerofen

Aleris Rolled Products Germany increases its homogenizing capacity.

In the first quarter of 2020, Aleris Rolled Products Germany (Koblenz, Germany) placed an order with Austrian furnace supplier EBNER Industrieofenbau for the delivery, turnkey installation and commissioning of an additional HICON batch-type furnace to homogenize cast aluminum slab. The furnace accepts charges of up to 180 t.

Also included in the scope of supply and services is a charger for loading and unloading the furnace facility. This charger will also be employed to charge all of the already-existing furnaces.

Primary advantages provided by the additional equipment include:

  • An additional increase in facility availability
  • Increased speeds when exchanging charges / reduction of facility downtime, leading to increased throughput

The facility will start production around the end of 2021.

Aleris Rolled Products Germany, based in Koblenz, has been a customer of EBNER Industrieofenbau for 40 years. Aleris primarily manufactures products for the aerospace industry, but their products also find applications in the automotive and other industrial sectors.

29-03-2020

HICONSABER News

HICONSABER - A NEXT GENERATION EBNER FACILITY.

The first fully-automatic EBNER HICON/H2® bell annealer facility has successfully started production.

Wieland Austria, based in Amstetten, Lower Austria, has been a leading manufacturer of copper and copper alloy specialty tube and long products for many years. The company has now placed its trust in new bell annealer technology from EBNER.

The new charging concept was first announced by EBNER at the WIRE & TUBE 2018 trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany. Only three months later, Wieland Austria was convinced by the new concept and an order was placed for the turn-key delivery of a HICON/H2® bell annealer facility to heat treat copper and copper alloy LWC coils.

Read more >>> https://bit.ly/2QV6d1A

28-02-2020

Grafik EBNER HICON Turmofen

NEW HICON vertical strand annealer to harden and temper bar and tube.

Since the early 90s of the last century, ALUnna has had an EBNER vertical strand annealer installed at its works and has been operating it with great success.

Alongside the desire to increase production, this fact is one of the primary reasons why Aluminiumwerk Unna has placed an order with EBNER for a new HICON vertical strand annealer facility to harden and temper bar and tube. The order was placed in February, 2020.

The facility consists of a vertical strand annealing furnace, a water quenching well, two drying wells, a charging well, a charging station and associated equipment.

As the majority of the heat treated material will be supplied to the aerospace industry, the facility is designed to fulfill all requirements of the AMS standards. The facility will be commissioned in May, 2021.

2019

25-09-2019

Furnace - EBNER Group

Indian stainless steel producer places order with EBNER for a HICON/H2 bright annealing line for CrNi strip.

Jindal Stainless Group is one of the largest producers of stainless steel in the world and has plants in Hisar and in Jajpur. They have invested in a HICON/H2® strand annealer to produce precision strip at their Jindal Stainless (Hisar) Limited plant.
HICON/H2® bright annealing line

The Hisar plant has a production capacity of 0.8 million tonnes per year and will anneal material grades such as AISI 200 series (CrMn), AISI-300 series (CrNi) and AISI-400 series in the new EBNER facility.

The HICON/H2® strand annealer, which features a muffle with a heated length of 18.5 meters, is also equipped with a hydrogen jet cooler. The strip handling gear and degreasing system will be provided by the customer.

The facility will be delivered in the first quarter of 2020 and the start of production is scheduled for the beginning of 2021.

26-08-2019

Furnace - EBNER Group

China's Jiang Yin Xing Cheng Alloy Material Co., Ltd. places an order for the world's largest volume HICON/H2 bell annealer facility for wire.

During the pre-project phase, a number of different potential facility sizes were discussed. In the end, however, after taking into account coil data and the desired charge weight, a choice was made to install what will be the world’s largest HICON /H2 ® bell annealer facility, when measured in terms of volume.

With an effective workload space diameter of 4550 mm and a charging height of 5900 mm, 24 wire coils weighing 2 tons each can be charged at each workbase. The reference charge thus weighs 48 tons.

The scope of supply includes 2 gas-fired heating bells, 2 workbases, 1 air cooling bell, 2 inner covers, 2 valve stands, an electrical control center that includes a visualization system and supplementary equipment. A coil carrier tipper will be supplied along with the facility.

The facility will be capable of heat treating over 20,000 tons of steel wire per year, and is scheduled to be handed over to the customer following turn-key installation and commissioning in July, 2020.

16-08-2019

Furnace - EBNER Group

Masteel once again turns to EBNER to expand a bell annealer facility.

Masteel Special Steel Company, based in Maanshan City, China, has placed an order with EBNER to expand an existing HICON /H2 ® bell annealer facility.

Accepting charges with maximum diameters of 4050 mm and maximum heights of 4600 mm, up to 35 tons of steel wire can be charged.

The customer has the capability of annealing scaled wire rod in straight nitrogen atmosphere, or drawn wire in 100 % hydrogen atmosphere.

The scope of supply includes two gas-fired heating bells, three workbases, one air cooling bell and the associated electrical systems. The new facility components will be tied into the existing shared facilities.

Turn-key installation is included in the package, and the facility is scheduled to start production at the end of April, 2020.