MEETINGS - BUSINESS - PEOPLE
MEETINGS
Heavy Section Ductile Iron Conference
The Ductile Iron Society Fall Meeting will be held October
27-29, 2010 at the Marriott Cleveland Downtown at Key Center Hotel in Cleveland,
Ohio.
BUSINESS
Washington
Mills Breaks Ground on a 10,000 Ton Silicon Carbide Expansion
Washington Mills has started construction to expand its silicon carbide furnace
plant in
Hennepin
,
Illinois
. The new construction will add an additional 10,000 tons per annum of silicon
carbide crude manufacturing capacity. This expansion will bring Washington
Mills’ total silicon carbide crude capacity to 70,000 tons and is expected to
be completed sometime in late 2010.
Washington Mills is expanding
its silicon carbide crude production in order to take advantage of the growing
demand for its CARBOREX® silicon carbide micro grits and powders.
The best way to produce CARBOREX® silicon carbide powders to requested
specifications is to control the manufacturing process from start to finish.
Expanding its silicon carbide furnace plant gives Washington Mills
control over the quality of the silicon carbide crude used as feedstock to
produce high quality CARBOREX® microgrits.
Increased production capacity will allow the company to continue
supplying sales opportunities for CARBOREX® powders in the semiconductor,
photovoltaic, and advanced ceramic industries as well as in standard abrasive
applications.
This silicon carbide
expansion is also aimed at continuing to supply a growing demand for a secure
domestic source of metallurgical grade silicon carbide in
North America
. In addition to producing
crystalline silicon carbide for the applications noted above, Washington Mills
produces CARBOLON MA, a high quality metallurgical grade silicon carbide that is
used as a source of carbon and silicon in the production of iron castings.
CARBOLON MA is also a popular choice for the steel industry because its
powerful, uniform deoxidizing properties can improve cost savings through
effectively reducing slag and recovering valuable elements such as manganese and
chromium.
The silicon carbide furnace
expansion will feed into our patented SULFEROX environmental control system,
which converts the additional off-gases into a solid state through an
environmentally friendly process. Environmentally, Washington Mills’ Hennepin
silicon carbide plant has one of the most advanced emission control systems in
the world. Washington Mills’
sophisticated environmental control system contains the off-gases and
particulate matter and then further processes the particulates and treats the
gases in order to remove the sulphur.
Washington Mills’ reliable,
high quality silicon carbide furnace operation puts the company in an excellent
position to respond to customers’ needs. Washington Mills is the only silicon
carbide furnace facility in the U.S, whereas much of the other silicon carbide
production resides in developing countries.
Washington Mills’ strategic U.S location makes it a dependable and
stable source of silicon carbide. We’re expanding our furnace capacity at
Hennepin because we believe in our future business opportunities for silicon
carbide, and Hennepin is a competitive and environmentally sustainable facility
that will be a reliable source of high quality silicon carbide for years to
come.
Washington Mills, founded in 1868, is the largest electro-minerals producer in
the U.S and serves customers around the world. Washington Mills has facilities
in the U.S,
Canada
,
Norway
and the
U.K.
Inquiries: awilliams@washingtonmills.com
PEOPLE
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