Posts Tagged 'Ceramicx Infrared heaters'

Ceramicx IR heating on show at Chinaplas 2012

March 28, 2012 by Frank Wilson


As Chinaplas 2012 prepares to open its doors once more a new exhibitor – Ceramicx – is waiting in the wings – ready to launch a raft of high quality and in-demand IR heating products for the Chinese plastics processing industries.

Cáthál Wilson

Expectations are running high for Frank and Cathal Wilson who will both make the trip personally and who will both man the Ceramicx exhibition booth in Shanghai from April 18-21, 2012. Hall W1 – Stand T27

According to Frank Wilson, ‘the Chinaplas timing is near perfect for us and for our products. The Ceramicx investment in world-class quality systems, product traceability and performance has all yielded first class fruit  – which is offered to the Chinese market at just the right time.

Frank Wilson

Success in China now means supplying just these qualities into the Chinese marketplace. We believe that Chinese thermoformers, machine builders and Chinese plastics generally will be quick to see the advantages in quality infrared heating (IR) heating performance and in buying these products from Ceramicx.

Wilson adds that ‘our agents in Beijing and our new distributor GSAE has got us off to a great start. Their combined energy and know-how has been invaluable in spreading the Ceramicx word throughout the many markets and provinces of China. And how we have the opportunity of Chinaplas in Shanghai to work with.’

This year’s Chinaplas features a growing eco-emphasis; showing
energy saving servo motors, all-electric injection molding machines, bioplastics materials, and many new recycling technologies.

Frank Wilson says that ‘this kind of emphasis suits Ceramicx down to the ground. Not only do we insist on energy management and measurement as part of our customer service we are also aiming to use alternative energy sources in order to make our ceramic elements the lowest carbon footprinted in the world. Chinaplas will give us some excellent clues and orientation to help us satisfy these new environmental markets.’

Ceramicx will be exhibiting its infrared heating solutions in the so called Rest of the World hall at China. As befits geography the Ceramicx stand will be positioned between the British and USA pavillions

Posted in Infrared Heating, Infrared Heating Consultants, Infrared Heating Solutions, IR development, Thermoforming | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

New year – new partnerships – new business

February 17, 2012 by Frank Wilson

Ceramicx is currently in the middle of preparing our marketing materials and strategies for the upcoming big plastics exhibitions in the US and China this April.

left to right, Ted Rosingana ( Weco International ) Bob Davis ( P.C.S. ) Frank Wilson ( Ceramicx ) Brett Wehner ( Weco International )

Every week the count down brings yet more positive and new elements into the mix: This week I want to thank Brett Wehner, Director of our US partner Weco International, who has reached a technology and distribution deal with a very dynamic and enterprising company, Process Control Technologies.

 

 

Thanks to the gentle arts of partnership and negotiation, the US infrared heating market just got a little bigger and better for all of us:

Process Control Solutions (PCS), founded in Portland Maine 34 years ago, is a distributor, manufacturer’s representative and integrator of heaters, controls and sensors.  The PCS team supports sales for New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and its focus is on selling technical products through superior product knowledge, application experience, project management and customer and technical support.

PCS facilities include a new and modern 2,000 square foot office with conference room, 4,500 square feet of warehouse and workshop, a box truck for system deliveries and installations and service vans for on site technical support. PCS also has in house 3D CAD software, fabrication and assembly and even equipment testing and acceptance within our facility.

Like ourselves, and like Brett’s business, Process Control is a family-owned company. I guess that’s partly how the deal goes down quicker. Across the world it sure enough helps the commerce when like minds and like values can speak with like.

One direct consequence of our new set-up is that the expert Process Control know-how will now be a welcome part of the the Weco/Ceramicx range of wares and expertise on show from April 1-5 at the NPE 2012 show.

We’ll tell you all about it in our next issue of HeatWorks magazine, out next month. Our own Patrick Wilson and Tadgh Whooley will be part of the teamwork in Orlando, Florida. We expect good business from all corners.

I said at the beginning of the year that the theme of partnership was already looking like a theme for 2012. Sure enough, the proof of the pudding is coming through already.

Slainte!

Our NPE 2012 preview and USA infrared heating update will be featured HeatWorks magazine – sixth edition – out next month. If you want to get onto the circulation or have a story for our next issue – just order up from Ceramicx direct and get yourself on the mailing list.

Posted in ceramicx, Infrared Heating, Infrared Heating Solutions, Uncategorized, Weco International | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Europe remains vital

November 4, 2011 by Cathal Wilson

Our Autumn season of exhibitions continues: No sooner have our Friedr Freek friends in Germany finished telling the world about Ceramicx and infrared heating in plastics manufacture than yet another market opens up.

Last week our partners in Turkey, Ser Rezistans, had a very successful participation in the 21st International Istanbul Plastic Industries Fair. Plasteurasia is fast becoming the gateway event to the important Turkish market and beyond. International participation continues to grow, as do a number of Turkey’s leading OEM markets; in automotive, construction, white goods and high-volume packaging.

Ceramicx products on show at last week's Plasteurasia exhibition in Istanbul, Turkey

Hasan Duman of the company tells us that the high level of business at Plasteurasia includes much interest about Ceramicx Infrared capabilities and products. Ser Rezistans inquiries also included orders from makers of two thermoforming machinery companies who need machines building for new clients.

 

By any standard, Turkish manufacturing is clearly buoyant. Annual Turkish plastics industry growth is generally reckoned to be about thirteen percent and the flavour of this year’s Plasteurasia was very much about the country further selling its features and benefits into the international market places. (We feature more in depth material on the Turkish market in our current issue of HeatWorks magazine – just contact us direct for your copy.)

In truth, and very much despite the current EU shenanigans – there is currently much vitality in many parts of Europe – especially on the outer fringes and within the Central European manufacturing renaissance.

A new technology business like Ceramicx is always looking to couple our infrared heating expertise to that new manufacturing growth and vitality wherever we find it. And fortunately, we are continuing to succeed in searching out new territories.

On that note we now look due south to Barcelona, Spain. Later in the month that country’s trade exhibition, Equiplast, Nov 14-18, is set to be partnered by a brand new event and conference – Eurotec – led by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE).

Last year’s SPE President, Ken Braney – previously featured in our HeatWorks Magazine – spearheaded this move and we wish Ken and all his team all the best for this bold new venture.

Europe – a patchwork of cultures and opportunities – continues to be of central importance to business and the world economy. Ceramicx for one remains committed to finding and partnering all the positives within that changing picture.

Posted in ceramic heaters, infrared heaters, Infrared Heating, Infrared Heating Experts, PlastEurasia, Plastics Thermoforming | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Map making – from craft into science

October 27, 2011 by Cathal Wilson

As Autumn gets into its stride so too does our new Innovation Partnership project – funded by Enterprise Ireland – and partnering Ceramicx with the University of Limerick.

Our interviewing process for the project team is going well.  Map making – fundamental research – is a funny thing and researchers into scientific fundamentals are also a rare and interesting breed.   In truth – since there is no path to follow – the investigative skills needed for our project will be 90% measurement and science based.

However, the research discipline also requires more than a touch of intuition and common sense – not least to help us not waste time and resource in blind alleys. Good detectives always back their gut instinct in knowing where and where not to look.

Like the map-makers and investigators of old our intent at Ceramicx is to create a new world of infrared heating knowledge so that we and others may follow through with it. Incredibly, although infrared technology was discovered over one hundred years ago, much of the work in heating applications still remains approximate and inexact.

Our fundamental project aim therefore is to collect and verify enough data and process measurement in the infrared production process so as to be able to scientifically engineer and produce what once belonged to a craft process. Added to that, our project will also enable us to make this engineering process robust, repeatable and scaleable – to produce as little or as much as needed.

Frank Wilson, Ceramicx MD and Dr Mark Southern, University of Limerick discuss the next steps in their Innovation Partnership

There will be many twists and turns along the way from here, but from the outset – and together with Dr Mark Southern’s team from the University of Limerick – we are confident of creating the map from the terrain.

As we create our scientific IR knowledge base we shall use this and other communications channels to keep you informed of our discoveries. It promises to be an exciting two years ahead!

A full report on the project – its aims and scope – will be carried in the next issue of HeatWorks magazine. If you missed out on our last issue – just order one up from Ceramicx direct and get yourself on the mailing list.

 

 

 

Posted in ceramicx, infrared heaters, Infrared Heating, Infrared Heating Experts, Infrared Heating Technology, Innovation Partnership Project, IR development | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Science – Engineering – Applications

September 2, 2011 by Frank Wilson

Good things come in threes – as I never tire of saying. Radiation itself manifests three primary properties that all need some fundamental understanding in order to apply the technology properly.

Another mantra getting a lot of air time at Ceramicx these days is Science – Engineering – Applications.

Customers, customer needs and ideas and uses for technology (applications) provide the drivers for the engineering that is needed to make the products actually work. And science and scientific laws provide the necessary foundations for engineering work.

As experienced Infrared Heating Consultants this trinity of values can be found in all the infrared heating work that we do. The past 18 months has seen shuttling back and forth between the constituent parts. And as customers come to us with more variants for IR useage, so we need to be pushing the boundary of all three frontiers in order to get results.

So much so that the time has now come for a further quantum shift in our IR development – underscored with the formality of a new project and expansion of activity here at the factory.

Ceramicx is now embarked upon the second phase of our Innovation Partnership together with the University of Limerick (UL) and Enterprise Ireland. A brief pause for thanks is due to our friends and associates Mark Southern, Paul McCluskey and Tom Bannon for all their help in framing the project scope and in lining up the terms of reference and the resources.

We are now getting down to realising the new project aims and making things happen. New recruitment of the UL team is underway and over the next two years a detailed series of scientific-based road maps will be created in order to describe the inputs and outputs in the complex manufacturing mix of materials; humidity; temperature and electrics that combine in the manufacture of ceramic-based IR heaters.

Our ambition is nothing less than to create an unequalled matrix and underpinning of scientific know-how for IR heating manufacturing matters; all based on empirical measurement and on proveable and repeatable scientific theory and engineering.

Our first phase of the Innovation Partnership with UL brought us world-class results in terms of our product definition, its measurement and automated quality control. Our appetite to continue on is more than whetted. We are more than relishing the opportunity to go forward at Ceramicx with the help of Mark Southern and his UL team.

As ever, you will be able to read more about this topic in more depth in the next issue of HeatWorks magazine – out next month.

Simply contact us direct for your copy.

Posted in ceramicx, Frankly Speaking, infrared heaters, Infrared Heating, Infrared Heating Consultants, Infrared Heating Experts, IR development | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment