Posts Tagged 'infrared heating systems'

Orlando here we come!

March 23, 2012 by Cathal Wilson

When NPE opens its doors on April 1, Orlando Florida, the Ceramicx Wild Geese, Patrick Wilson and Tadgh Whooley will have flown in and helped set up shop.

Patrick is one of the newest recruits to our team and Tadgh is one of longest standing employees and both have a different set of skills that will complement each other and service the NPE show perfectly.

Patrick’s schooling and education has seen him track the fortunes of the oil and gas industries across three continents and languages are high up in his skill set. It’s most likely that they’ll be needed since this year’s premier American show is expected to see a big upswing of visitors from Central and Southern America.

Brazil recently overtook the UK as the 6th largest world economy. The boom in South American manufacturing is embracing plastics – no doubt about it – and Ceramicx hopes and intends that many such business take advantage of all that our infrared heating solutions have to offer.

The Ceramicx Wild Geese also offer IR applications engineering know-how in depth: Tadgh Whooley, Technical Sales Engineer, and veteran of a number of international shows, most recently the K 2010 in Dusseldorf – will also be on hand for all matters of technology and applications engineering.

Tadgh will be able to advise on heat characteristics and performance parameters for various kinds of plastics – especially in sheet version for thermoforming needs.

Tadgh’s recent work in all aspects of custom built IR applications engineering, including technical certification; system design and installation will also be available for visitors to the US triennial show.

Expert in electrical engineering, AutoCad and other aspects of IR heating system design, Tadgh also oversees all halogen tungsten heater sales for Ceramicx – also available in the US via Weco International.

You can read all about Ceramicx at NPE in this month’s HeatWorks issue. Contact Ceramicx direct to get your free copy.

Posted in ceramicx, Heatworks, infrared heaters, Infrared Heating, Infrared Heating Experts, IR development, Thermoforming, Weco International | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

What a difference a year makes

March 5, 2012 by Frank Wilson

Anyone doubting the ability of US manufacturing to pick itself up and get stuck into business through 2012 could do worse than read our forthcoming edition of HeatWorks magazine where we devote some eight pages to the issue.

Today’s trade winds are a funny thing. Only in the past couple of weeks has it been comfortable to recognise the US situation, come out and name it. That’s how fast things change globally and that’s how sensitive the international trading barometers are set these days.

Putting our US material together has reminded me of the critical importance of that country’s infrared heating needs for Ceramicx. The US remains our number one market and Ceramicx is fortunate enough to have a partner there in Weco International whose watchwords include persistence, determination and integrity. In truth it is these qualities that are now seeing US manufacturing through. That, together with a new leap of imagination that sees US manufacturers finally taking the energy-saving message on board.

This latter news certainly gladdens my heart: If US manufacturing is finally being provoked into realising how much energy it puts through its processes then there surely is hope for the rest of the world. Not measuring, not caring how much your plant spends on energy, is questionable business sense to say the least.

The new agenda sees our infrared heating technology and our energy monitoring systems taking market share and growing in reputation. The triennial Amercian plastics exhibition in Orlando Florida, April 1-5, will give us added opportunities to prove it to that sector. Already we are servicing US plastics thermoformers and blow moulders who have bought new machines but who realise that the energy performance needs to be even better, both for energy monitoring and for energy effectiveness in heat work.
Brett Wehner will therefore lead his Weco/Ceramicx team onto the Orlando Florida showground on April 1 knowing that increased manufacturing optimism; increased demand for quality engineering and increased demand for energy efficiency all point in favour of great business at NPE 2012.

The US market is now ready to buy a quality and efficient heater -  not just on price, but also on performance and energy measurement. There has been a shift in attitude. Infrared heating ideas and solutions are coming up further in the mix. It’s time for capital investment once again, and it’s also time for US manufacturing to invest in its future.

One short year has made all the difference – and Weco/Ceramicx is ready for the business, with IR products and services to match.

Posted in ceramicx, Infrared Heater Manufacturer, infrared heaters, Infrared Heating, Infrared Heating Solutions, Infrared Heating Technology, IR development, Weco International | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

We make it here…

January 20, 2012 by Frank Wilson

One of the most pleasing things in our fifth edition of HeatWorks magazine now doing the rounds is the feature article on some of our recent investments at Ceramicx.

More than ever, today’s global supply chain requires expert and qualified suppliers who offer failsafe delivery and who have all manufacturing matters in hand. The fact that we make it all here is provides much reassurance. We set great store by it – and are winning new business as a result every month.

A newly installed Hurco TMM8 bar fed lathe with C-axis and 50mm chuck has now given the Ceramicx machinery and fabrication shop some greatly increased capabilities for our growing order book in applications engineering.

Our new machine investments will assist us further in making a large variety of component; platens and heat systems for plastics thermoforming machines; rigs for plastics-to-metal bonding; surrounds and reflectors for use in domestic heating and many other applications.

Increasingly, Ceramicx is taking on responsibilities in total infrared systems supply. Not only are we making and supplying world-class standard ceramic elements; quartz heaters and other components we are also investing in technology to supply all bespoke infrared heating applications.

These new investments are all part of our continuing focus on the price/performance ratio of our products and are also part of lowering the carbon footprint of our products: Last year’s investments in automated quality systems – and in ‘thumbprinting’ the features and actual performance data for every ceramic component made – has given us yet another strand of customer service and assurance.

It is often said in business – and no less true for that – that if you’re not going forward in business, the opposite applies. Ceramicx Infrared Heat Consultants are very pleased to report plenty of forward motion in plant investment and in many other aspects of our business as it grows and goes forward in the coming months.

Full details on the evolving Ceramicx machine shop are featured on pages 20-21 of the new HeatWorks magazine – just ask us direct for a copy.

Posted in Infrared Heating, Infrared Heating Consultants, Infrared Heating Solutions, Infrared Heating Technology, Plastics Thermoforming, Thermoforming | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Community means communication

January 16, 2012 by Cathal Wilson

It’s always a pleasure to spend a little time with freshly completed pieces of work; a new oven system for a thermoforming client; a new process or way of organising an aspect of production; a new conference paper or company presentation.

In today’s world, however, time on such pleasures is increasingly short lived.
Having just riffled through the pages of the fifth issue of our HeatWorks magazine I am aware that new issues and contributions are already needing attention for the next issue – due out in March 2012.

Success breeds success – ditto for good communication. For example, the next issue of HeatWorks magazine will have plenty more to say on the science and impact of infrared heat upon the human body; what heating comfort means and how to most effectively apply.

With Ceramicx exhibiting at the triennial US plastics exhibition in Orlando Florida, April 1-5, we shall once again be reporting on the evolving markets for IR heating in the reviving US manufacturing economy.

Two weeks later Ceramicx is exhibiting at Chinaplas 2012 in Shanghai: We shall therefore be using HeatWorks magazine to communicate about our work there and in the upcoming market of China. We shall have more IR case studies to come from our friends and associates in Germany; on best manufacturing practice in Ireland, as well as updates from our own manufacturing plant, new products and new processes.

With all that in mind – and knowing how time flies – I wanted to sound just a quick note here in sincere appreciation of our the partners, customers and stakeholders who – in this completed package of HeatWorks magazine  – have helped us build the infrared heating message – as well as the business itself.

If you – our readers – have an interest in any aspect of Infrared Heating we extend an open invitation to you to join in this community of interest and to join in this work of communication. Our door is always open to you.

Copies of the latest HeatWorks magazine – fifth edition – are available directly from the company  – just order the latest from Ceramicx direct and get yourself on the mailing list.

Posted in Heatworks, infrared heaters, Infrared Heating, IR development, Thermoforming | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Enterprise succeeding…

December 19, 2011 by Frank Wilson

Our fifth edition of HeatWorks magazine is now on its way to the printers – and in the New Year, readers will be treated to another groundbreaking roster of technical and commercial topics in infrared heating.

On the home front, we are delighted to be giving pages to the ongoing story of the  Ceramicx Innovation Partnership with the University of Limerick (UL). A large vote of thanks for the success of this project is certainly due to the enabling presence of Enterprise Ireland.

Ceramicx has been fortunate in the guiding presence of Enterprise Ireland, especially in the persons of both Dr Tom Bannon and Paul McCloskey. I know that it may break with some protocols to mention the role of individuals. But business is a thing conducted by people, between people. And besides, protocol-breaking is a large part of my job.

Furthermore, the model of the EI Innovation Partnership is the correct way forward for industry; not only for Ireland but in general: As I have said time and again, there is little to no use in science or engineering that has no use – that has no customers or applications. Enterprise Ireland has helped developed a method that keeps both the creative IP of the Universities and the dynamism of the manufacturing sector in service, and in train with each other.

We consequently have very high hopes and ambitions for our new Innovation Partnership with the University of Limerick. We now see it as helping deliver nothing less than world-class performance and leadership for Ceramicx in the manufacture of infrared heating systems.

The deft match-making skills of Enterprise Ireland have been key to this process and have helped and encouraged us to hold this bold forward vision.

True, not all matches are made in heaven – and most partnerships need work in order to work: A skilled match-maker, however, is able to anticipate and smooth over difficulties in custom and practice – as well as provide ‘translation’ services wherever needed.  All this we have benefited from.

Let me say here that Ceramicx very much hopes to extend and deepen our relationship with Enterprise Ireland as we pursue our goals. The quality of its people and the service given has been outstanding and yet – even so – we feel the best is yet to come.

Posted in ceramicx, Frankly Speaking, infrared heaters, Infrared Heating, Infrared Heating Technology, Innovation Partnership, Innovation Partnership Project | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment