INTERNATIONAL NEWS

More capacity for high-purity cleaning

Ecoclean GmbH’s new High-Purity Test Centre, officially inaugurated at its German production site in Dettingen unter Teck at the end of last month, complements the company’s 15 existing technology centres in the high-purity sector. The facilities and conditions can carry out cleaning trials on components demanding the highest cleanliness requirements. Such parts are needed, for example, by equipment manufacturers supplying the semiconductor industry, in precision optics, as well as in laser, measurement, analysis and high-vacuum applications.
For further information www.ecoclean-group.net

Turning convention on its head

GF Machining Solutions, Fraisa, and Blaser Swisslube have teamed up to develop the GR3 graphite machining system. Designed for wet-machining graphite operations, the system can also cut other materials on the same machine, even in the same set-up. According to GFMS, the result is an efficient process that is able to achieve 0.005 mm tolerances while providing a healthier work environment and lower tooling costs.

“It’s a perfect interplay between machine, metalworking fluid, filtration and tooling,” says Martin Spencer, managing director at GF Machining Solutions (UK). “With this most recent innovation from GFMS, we have not only solved the problem of dust build-up, but also now allow a single machine to be used for graphite, copper and steel machining.”
For further information www.gfms.com

ATA acquires cutting tool firm ITC

ATA, an Irish precision engineering multinational, has acquired UK-based cutting tool manufacturer and distributor Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC), as well as Dutch manufacturer Van Hoorn Carbide. Along with ATA’s existing operations in Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, the UK and the US, the transactions bring the group’s pro-forma 2022 revenue to circa €100m and its global headcount to circa 500.

The transactions significantly enhance ATA’s reach and expertise in the carbide round tool market, the largest segment of the more than $20bn global cutting tool arena. Ralph
Van Hoorn, managing director of Van Hoorn Carbide, and Peter Graves, managing director of ITC, will continue in their current roles and join the ATA senior management team.
For further information www.atagroup.com

Haier Europe opens dishwasher factory

Haier Europe, part of Haier Smart Home, is expanding its manufacturing footprint with a new dishwasher factory at the company’s industrial site in Eskişehir, Turkey. With an investment of more than €40m, the facility will have capacity of 1 million units per year. The new plant features improved production capacity thanks to high automation levels with operating robots and 100% automatic measuring systems.

“Haier Europe keeps over-performing the market in terms of products and brands leadership, and is the fastest growing company in Europe,” says Yannick Fierling, CEO at Haier Europe. “The expansion of our industrial park in Turkey marks another step in the company’s growth strategy, and the investments are fully in line with our philosophy of zero distance to consumers.”
For further information www.haier-europe.com

iGas opens two plants in Abu Dhabi

iGas USA, one the world’s largest refrigerant gas suppliers, has announced the opening of two state-of-the-art production facilities in Abu Dhabi: a 2 million sq ft newly constructed refrigerant production facility located on 40 acres of land; and an 80,000 sq ft cylinder production facility with fully automated production lines set to manufacture DOT disposable refrigerant cylinders. The refrigerant production facility aims to manufacture 40,000 MTs of R32 annually, while the cylinder production capacity in the new DOT disposable refrigerant cylinder facility will reach 4 million cylinders per year.
For further information www.igasusa.com