Category: Allgemein EN

Heating tests and the control behavior of the EHKO test zone will be demonstrated. The production of induction systems and the production of our subsidiary TCT Induktionstechnik at the Menden site will also be open to visitors.

Additionally, we will be presenting further new developments and our nEXT digitalization solution. Customer visits to various extrusion plants in the neighborhood are also possible. If you are interested, our sales manager Ulrich Bucher will be happy to answer your questions and arrange appointments.

extrutec's newly developed heating concept (EHKO), consisting of an electrically resistance-heated base heating system in combination with an inductive taper, has already been sold to the first customers Purso and Mäkelä from Finland. To test the new concept, a test zone consisting of a 2.5 metre long segment for 12 inch bars was set up and put into operation at the Menden site. The first test series are very promising and confirm the previously simulated data. The heating output of 280 kW is realised via resistance-heated heating registers.

Purso becomes first customer to buy newly developed EHKO-heating furnace

The extrutec long term customer Purso oy from Siuro Finland is widely known for their aluminum profile production of sustainable solutions for a wide range of uses from industrial applications and building facades to lighting. The company pursues an ambitious goal to reduce their CO₂ emissions with every new investment.

extrutec will deliver the new EHKO heater with hot log saw as a replacement for an old gas fired furnace. The installation will start at the beginning of 2025. Purso is the first customer worldwide to buy such a heating system.

Mäkelä becomes the first Inline-EHKO customer

The production line modernization of Mäkelä Alu in Finland will reduce its co2 emission by 960 tons. This is made possible by the complete electrification of the heating process. The so called electrically heated high speed convection furnace (EHKO), developed by extrutec, combines the highest possible energy efficiency with a pure electrical heating source. Special about the EHKO für Mäkele is the patented Inline-Version. This combines the resistant heated base heating with a directly connected induction oven. This saves additional energy and is extremely space saving, in that way that old gas/LPG furnaces can be replaced without major modifications of the equipment setup.

Unlike other electrical stand-alone solutions, this new furnace type can be integrated into an existing  process without additional handling and can therefore replace an existing furnace one-to-one.

Existing extrutec standards are used to implement this new type furnace. The template for each EHKO furnace zone is the preheating section of the extrutec gas furnaces, which extrutec has been using for many years. Based on the extensive experience with this system some minor improvements were incorporated to optimize the flow dynamics. The electrical heating elements are derived from similar elements used in previously supplied ageing or die ovens.

Green - the new heat for extrusion: Focusing on green technologies.

ever since the company was founded, extrutec has focused on the continuous improvementand further development of itsequipment. Improving consumption in particular is an essential part of the technology development. Under themotto: "Green - the new heat for extrusion", technologies are bundled that enable heating solely with electricity and thus without fossil fuels. The goal of the development efforts is to make existing technologies more energy-efficient and to develop new equipment types and combinations.

The extrutec subsidiary, TCT Induction Technology, and its new location in Menden play  a pivotal role for new furnace concepts

By establishing the business unit Electrical Furnaces and Induction Technology in 2019 and founding  the extrutec subsidiary TCT Induktionstechnik in early 2021, the course was set for a stronger focus on electrically operated heating systems. Both business units work closely together. While extrutec is responsible for the development and implementation of the heating systems, TCT Induktionstechnik is responsible for manufacturing key components such as induction coils. Close integration of development, manufacturing and commissioning is particularly important in this context and guarantees  the highest quality.

EHKO test furnace in operation in the new plant in Menden in November 2023

Due to the positive business development and the resulting need to expand the site, TCT Induktionstechnik GmbH will move into its newly built manufacturing and administration building starting in September. The new location in Menden will  accomodate the entire TCT team as well as some extrutec employees.

The new plant will also serve for testing the new EHKO furnace.  A test furnace, consisting of a 2.5 meter zone for 12 inch logs, with a power of 280 kW will be put into operation. Various production scenarios will be tested. This testing will ensure the successful introduction of this new technology to our customers. The test furnace will also be available for presentation to interested customers.

Purso becomes first customer to buy newly developed EHKO-heating furnace

The extrutec long term customer Purso oy from Siuro Finland is widely known for their aluminum profile production of sustainable solutions for a wide range of uses from industrial applications and building facades to lighting. The company pursues an ambitious goal to reduce their CO₂ emissions with every new investment.

extrutec will deliver the new EHKO heater with hot log saw as a replacement for an old gas fired furnace. The installation will start at the beginning of 2025. Purso is the first customer worldwide to buy such a heating system.

Mäkelä becomes the first Inline-EHKO customer

The production line modernization of Mäkelä Alu in Finland will reduce its co2 emission by 960 tons. This is made possible by the complete electrification of the heating process. The so called electrically heated high speed convection furnace (EHKO), developed by extrutec, combines the highest possible energy efficiency with a pure electrical heating source. Special about the EHKO für Mäkele is the patented Inline-Version. This combines the resistant heated base heating with a directly connected induction oven. This saves additional energy and is extremely space saving, in that way that old gas/LPG furnaces can be replaced without major modifications of the equipment setup.The officiel report can be found here.

The approx. 2,000m² production area will be equipped with partly self-developed machines and testing equipment, as well as a specially designed custom-made drying oven. Furthermore, it will be possible to set up complete extrutec systems for pre-commissioning. The new production site will be aligned to the high internal as well as external customer requirements and will be significantly expanded. The good freeway access and central location in Menden make the new site additionally attractive for employees and customers. The move-in is planned for September 2023.

In the adjoining three-story office and administration wing, there will be recreation rooms as well as office workplaces for TCT and extrutec employees distributed over two floors. The employees will have a wide range of options for working and taking breaks. In addition to ergonomic workplaces, special emphasis is placed on the sustainability of the building, so the self-generated electricity from the PV system is used directly for heating the building and for charging vehicles. "We want to offer our employees the best. Those who deliver top performance for the company every day also deserve to do so in a workplace with the latest standards," says Tobias Manka, Managing Director of TCT Induktionstechnik GmbH.

extrutec site in Menden also geared for growth

In addition to TCT's ambitious plans, the office space for extrutec employees is also geared for growth. The positive development of the business unit for electric furnace engineering and induction technology not only makes it necessary to increase the number of qualified personnel, but also to align the team and the entire work content with new market requirements. "In this regard, the new building offers us all the freedom and development opportunities that we need today and in the future," says Stefan Beer, business unit manager for electric furnace engineering/induction technology. The latest heating product from extrutec, the electrically resistance-heated high convection furnace, or EHKO for short, was developed by Beer's business unit and brings together existing expertise in hybrid heating systems. "With the addition of the EHKO to the product portfolio, we are able to supply a wide variety of heating concepts from a single source and fully exploit the potential of the business unit and the entire extrutec Group," says Beer.

TCT Induktionstechnik is a fully owned subsidiary of extrutec GmbH

TCT Induktionstechnik has been part of the extrutec Group since 2021. TCT specializes in the manufacture and maintenance of induction furnaces and equipment. In addition, the subsidiary complements the core areas of extrutec GmbH. Thus, the entire know-how in the field of induction technology can be bundled in one company and at one location. In the future, everything from development and production to pre-commissioning and service can be offered from a single source.

Günter: “We are very pleased that we were able to add an experienced expert like Michael to the team. Michael and I started our journey in the extrusion industry straight out of college at the same company in Germany. He eventually moved to the USA but remained true to the industry. Having him back in the team is great and at the same time an endorsement for the work we do at extrutec”.

Highly efficient modern equipment increasing plant throughput is in high demand worldwide. The American markets, in particular the US-market, is also increasingly demanding such equipment. Establishing a subsidiary in the USA is therefore a strategically important step. In order to support the customers and the equipment uptime, the location will be expanded in steps to include a service and a spare parts department.

Werner: “I am looking forward to the new task at extrutec. The longstanding friendship with Uwe, and more so the energy efficient and modern equipment technology, made the decision to join extrutec very easy for me. No supplier to the American market offers a similarly refined level of technology as extrutec does. Combined with the high energy efficiency/low energy consumption, we have a product that the extruders need to compete in these competitive market conditions.".