Capital is pleased to announce that we have recently opened our own production plant in the USA. This gives us even more flexibilty to meet your needs in the global marketplace.

My father, David Russell Newsome, BSc Hons, CEng, MIChemE, Managing Director and founder of the modern day Capital Refractories Limited, died suddenly on 19th September, aged 67 years.

With his long time partner and brother-in-law, Graham Stuart Harris, my father acquired Capital Refractories Limited in 1981. At the time, the company could be described as a small company trading locally in refractory materials. Very soon after taking charge of Capital, my father had identified opportunities to improve steel foundries’ refractory quality and performance with a range of high tech refractory materials. For 28 years my father’s entrepreneurialism, vision, strength, charisma and sense of humour has characterised the company itself.

Following the acquisition of manufacturing facilities during the mid 1980’s my father led a drive into opening up export markets. His strategy of development of the highest quality refractory products with hands-on sales and technical support has underpinned the success of the company. With his colleagues’ help, my father led Capital to its position today - a highly respected, successful, worldwide company.

As his son, I feel tremendously privileged to have worked so closely with him for the past 14 years during which time we have been able to share a joint vision – an opportunity that few sons have.

Although Capital was an enormous part of his life, my father was utterly devoted to his family – speaking on behalf of my mother Deirdre and my brother Paul, we will miss him so very much.

The arrangements for my father’s funeral are Friday 2nd October, 12 noon at St. Nicholas Church, Abbots Bromley WS15 3BP and afterwards at the Meynell Ingram Arms at Hoar Cross DE13 8RB.

Any colleague or associate, past or present, who would like to attend will be warmly welcomed.

No flowers please but donations to Katharine House Hospice (Stafford) may be sent to F. M. and J. Wait Funeral Directors, 25 Bird Street, Lichfield, WS13 5PW, 01543 263138.

On behalf of my family I would like to thank everyone who has sent messages of support.

CIC has been certified to the ISO9001 standard since its formation in 2006; at the beginning of 2008 the strategic decision was taken to attain AS9100 certification. The reason to adopt this more rigorous and demanding standard was to demonstrate to existing customers our commitment to exceptional quality standards and, of course, to attract new customers. It is believed that CIC is the only independent ceramic core manufacturer certified to the AS9100 standard.

The AS9100 quality standard is the widely adopted quality management system for the aerospace industry. It was released in 1999 in the United States by the Society of Automotive Engineers as ‘AS9100 Quality Management Systems – Aerospace Requirements’ and subsequently released by other Standards bodies worldwide. Major aerospace manufacturers and suppliers worldwide require compliance to AS9100 as a condition of their supply chain.
 

Over 90% of CIC’s production constitutes complex ceramic cores for blades and vanes for land based Industrial Gas Turbine applications (among others, CIC manufacture 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th stage blades and vanes for end-users Siemens, Alstom, GE and Ansaldo). The customers for these cores, although not normally requiring AS9100 certification of suppliers, do see this Standard as enhanced company control in producing to this exacting quality requirement. In addition to IGT, CIC produces ceramic cores for medical and hardware applications and, recently CIC has begun production of ceramic cores for aerospace applications.

CIC was originally founded in 2005; it became part of the Capital Refractories Group early in 2007. Many CIC customers already have an established supply relationship with Capital Refractories for products within its existing portfolio i.e. ceramic crucibles for vacuum and air melting, pouring cups, pre-cast ceramic shapes, induction furnace linings, mould repair materials, gas diffusion technology etc. Since 2005, CIC has successfully developed over 160 tools for the ceramic core process; in the case of many transferred IGT tools, CIC has been successful where one or even more core suppliers have been unsuccessful.
 
2008 saw CIC develop over 50 tools (new build and transfer), mostly IGT parts, demonstrating the ability to react to customers urgent requirements. This period resulted in production being doubled; floor-space tripled and increased development resources to ensure capacity for future growth. CIC has seen continuing growth in 2009 and is investing correspondingly; this year orders have been placed for new presses, CNC machines, a new kiln and drying facilities.     >

Last year CIC was presented with an award for New Supplier of the Year by Doncasters Group CEO Eric Lewis. CIC’s other customers include AETC, ESCO, EMA, Wood Group and Alcoa-Howmet.

On Friday 20th March an agreement was concluded between Capital Refractories Limited and the administrators of Penn Refractories Limited in which Capital has taken ownership of the physical assets, know-how, formulations, brand names etc. of Penn Refractories.

Penn was founded in 1981 and had built up a £5 million turnover business supplying monolithic and pre-cast refractories to the steel, petrochemical, aluminium and other thermal process industries with a range of well known branded products including Pencrete, Penset, Penvibe, Pencover and Penflow.

Penn’s management called in the administrators about two weeks ago when the company ceased production and trading. Capital’s intention is to move Penn’s production to existing facilities.

Dennis Austin has joined Capital to lead the continuation and further sales development of the Penn range of products. Dennis was previously with Penn for many years, responsible for technical sales and product development. Dennis has many years' experience of refractory sales into the sectors mentioned above and is extremely highly respected in the industry.

Capital Refractories is pleased to announce that it has reached agreement with Casting Supplies Limited to take over production and supply of Casting Supplies' entire range of products. Plans are in place to ensure a seemless transition during the transfer of the manufacturing operation.

Please click here to view the press release.

Capital Refractories Limited is pleased to announce that their subsidiary company, Capital Injection Ceramics Limited, has received a prestigious award from an important customer in recognition of CIC’s ability to react responsively and satisfying their technical and production requirements on some of their most complex core requirements.

In May, CIC attended Doncasters Deritend’s supplier conference where Doncasters Group CEO Eric Lewis discussed the group’s results and highlights of the last 12 months and shared his expectations for Doncasters’ business growth and of the role of suppliers for the company moving forwards. The event concluded with an award ceremony where a handful of suppliers were picked out for special recognition. CIC was presented with an award for New Supplier of the Year. Fraser Strath, Technical Process Manager, received the award on behalf of CIC from Louise Hall of Doncasters.

CIC is delighted and proud to receive this recognition from one of the industry’s leading casting houses. This award not only serves to confirm CIC’s technical capabilities but it shows that CIC is achieving its objectives of setting new standards of customer responsiveness.

CIC has been supplying ceramic cores to Doncasters since 2006 but it is during 2007 that CIC has become involved in a number of key programmes, successfully delivering cores on time, in full in each case. CIC began working with Doncasters and was able to prove its capabilities on a number of transfer tools during 2006 and into 2007. Since the middle of 2007, Doncasters has begun to commission a number of new tools for CIC for new industrial gas turbine (IGT) programmes.

The company that is now CIC was originally founded in 2005; it became part of the Capital Refractories group at the beginning of 2007 and has benefited from technical, commercial and administrative support as well as financial investment from Capital altogether giving customers the confidence of dealing with a larger, longer established company.

CIC has successfully developed over 120 tools for its ceramic core process. Many of these tools are from customers who already have an established supply relationship with Capital Refractories for products within its existing portfolio i.e. ceramic crucibles, pre-cast ceramic shapes, induction furnace linings, mould repair materials, gas diffusion technology etc.

During the last 12 months alone CIC has received over 50 new and transfer tools. In the case of many transferred IGT tools, CIC has been successful where one or even more core suppliers have been unsuccessful. The large majority of CIC’s current output is complex blades and vanes for IGT although CIC also produces ceramic cores for hardware and medical applications. In addition to Doncasters other customers include AETC, ESCO Turbine Technology, EMA, and Alcoa-Howmet.

In the last year, CIC has more than doubled production and in the same period has tripled floor-space and production capability to ensure sufficient capacity for future growth – current production is using only half of current capacity. Recent capital investments include a new 250 cuft kiln (making 3 kilns in total), 50t injection press (making 5 presses in total), probe CNC machine (making 5 CNC’s in total) and large CMM machine (making 2 CMM’s in total) and wax preparation facilities.

CIC has been accredited to the ISO 9001 standard since 2006, but is pleased to announce that it has launched a program to achieve the rigorous aerospace standard ASI 9100 by March 2009.

It is with great regret that Capital announces that Raffaele Mainiero has passed away; he was 45. Raff, as he was usually known, had been with Capital for 16 years, latterly as an Area Sales Manager. He was very popular with both colleagues and customers alike for his great experience, knowledge, cheerfulness and humour; and will be sorely missed. He was truly a larger than life character.

Capital's deepest sympathy is with his family and friends at this difficult time: particularly his wife, son and mother.

Capital will be closed from 12 o'clock on Monday 2nd of June as a mark of respect and to allow his colleagues to attend his funeral.

Click this link for the orbiturary entry in The Derbyshire Times.

Capital Refractories Limited is pleased to announce that Nickunj Group Eximp Entp P Ltd has been appointed as distributor for our products throughout India. The agreement was signed at GIFA 2007 following a successful visit to India by Capital Refractories Limited sales management to conduct sales & marketing visits with Nickunj Group personnel to high quality steel melting foundries.

Nickunj Group head office is based in Mumbai with additional regional & branch offices in most of the major industrialised cities throughout the country allowing them to stock and service the needs of the modern foundry with the extensive range of products Capital Refractories Limited have to offer.

We look forward to working together with Nickunj Group in the developing and expanding foundry industry in India and introducing many of our proven technologies, such as the highly successful (patent pending) gas diffuser system used in conjunction with our proven Coral family of alumina-magnesia spinel forming dry vibratable linings for use in the Coreless Induction Furnace.

Steel melting foundries in India who have an interest in trialling the proven products Capital Refractories Limited can provide should in the first instance contact Mr. Yogesh Sharma (Sales Manager – Refractory Division) on Tel: +91 22 2219 0300, Fax: +91 22 2206 0415 or mobile +91 93221 23826. E-mail: yogeshrajwant@yahoo.com or look on the website www.nickunjgroup.com/ceramics.htm. Alternatively contact Mr. Karl Szulakowski (Area Sales Manager - Capital Refractories Limited) Tel: + 44 1246 811163, Fax: +44 1246 819573 or E-mail: karl@capital-refractories.com

Capital Refractories is pleased to announce the acquisition of Wax Injection Ceramics and Assembly Limited (WICA), a company providing ceramic cores for the investment casting industry. This new company is known as Capital Injection Ceramics Limited (CIC).

Capital's acquisition has provided a financial injection to the company. This investment has enabled the recruitment of trained engineers, development of its facilities and addition of high-tech equipment including a new CMM. Capital staff have joined forces with the existing team to provide a range of support including quality assurance, quality testing and research and development in conjunction with Capital’s highly experienced ceramicists.

CIC is based in Northamptonshire, and was originally established in September 2005 when it was known as WICA (although not production ready until late 2006). The company was formed when a group of like minded professionals with many years of core production saw an opportunity in the market for a modern, customer focused supplier of injection fired ceramic parts.

Capital Refractories has been supplying aerospace, medical, automotive and other industries with refractory products for many years. Numerous existing Capital customers in these industries are now discussing their ceramic core requirements with CIC, reassured by the service and expertise that Capital have already shown in the refractory arena. CIC is not just an additional service that Capital can offer its customers - there is a synergy between existing Capital products and the work of CIC which make this acquisition a logical addition for the company. Within a few months of becoming production-ready, CIC has proven its capability on trials with over 10 well known investment casters, producing cores including some of the largest and most complex blades and vanes for aerospace and IGT. CIC is now regularly supplying a wide range of cores to many industries.

CIC has invested in the most up to date production, process control, measurement and testing equipment to ensure product quality and consistency. Ceramics are manufactured by medium pressure injection moulding giving very low tool wear rates and a dimensionally accurate product for use in aerospace, medical implants, industrial gas turbines, marine and automotive industries. Typical parts include hardware, medical, structural and nozzle segments. CIC materials can be fine tuned to suit existing customer tool shrinkage, removing the need to buy new tooling if transferring any existing portfolios.

CIC is ready to work with customers to develop materials to suit customer specific casting problems. Cores can be CNC finished on-site, giving benefits of accuracy, consistency and efficiency. Cores can be strengthened if required with either urea or phenolic resin. Coatings can be applied to products where suitable to eliminate surface reaction with certain alloys.

CIC offer their ceramic cores backed up with ongoing customer support. They pride themselves on building up relationships with customers, working alongside them to achieve their specific and often complex requirements. The team has years of experience in the industry, and teaming up with the ceramics expertise of Capital has extended CIC's the wealth of knowledge and experience.

CIC like the rest of the Capital Group is accredited to the same ISO standards - ISO 9001:2000.

Capital Refractories is one of the largest independent refractory and industrial ceramics companies in the UK. It has been manufacturing, supplying and installing high quality refractory and ceramic products to metal melters for over 50 years. Capital provides a wide range of bespoke ceramic products such as iso-pressed and cast crucibles for investment casters, along with nozzles, tubes and ladles as well as dry rammed induction furnace linings.

Click here to go to the CIC website.

Foundry Times Journal, June 2007

Example 1

An investment foundry of carbon steel had been used to MgO crucibles (100kg) that achieved 60 heats in average. The 1st trial of Coral SMC and GD achieved 130 heats. At present, Coral SMC achieved more than 150 heats in average. Advantages of GD:

• Lining life increased from 60 heats (MgO crucible) to 150 heats (SMC).
• Defects of carbon steel SUH7 reduced from 23.46% to 16.19%.
• Due to reduced defects, economic benefits increased by 8.53% on SUH7 steel.

Example 2

An investment foundry of stainless steel has been using Capital spinel linings for years. Using our GD, they have gained more benefits:

• Lining life increases by 20%
• Reduce use of slag off, but increase efficiency of removing slag.
• Since fluidity is better, tapping temperature can be lowered.
• Casting quality is improved and repair cost is reduced.

Example 3

A centrifugal casting foundry has 1.5T, 1T & 500kg furnaces on 3 power units. Products are various. After trialing one GD for one week only, they asked to install GD in all other furnaces. Now, GD has become their standard device. Benefits of GD:

• Problem of oxidization of carbon steel doesn't exist now.
• Nitrogen level in stainless steel is reduced. Finishing process is easier and quality of casting surface is better.
• They have successfully produced a kind of mirrorlike chromate treatment casting. Its quality is even better than expectation. (They had problem to produce it before using GD because of pin holes.)

Example 4

An investment foundry has used GD in all 120kg furnaces. Benefits:

• Reduction of slag holes from Jan 2007 (without GD) to Feb 2007 (with GD):
• 304 S.S.:37.3% → 26.6%
• 316 S.S.:41.4% → 25.3%
• SNCM220 C.S.:10.2% → 7.5%
• WCB C.S.: 48% ? 37.9%
• Cleanliness of spinel ling has increased by 60%
• Campaign life of spinel lining is stable at 250 ~ 270 heats.

GD has become standard device for all furnaces.

Example 5

An investment foundry (golf club maker) compares using spinel lining + GD with MgO crucible (100kg). The GD has improved castings in some respects:

• Perfect casting rate increased from 9.9% to 16.8%
• Slag holes reduced from 28% to 20.3%
• Slag scars reduced from 31.4% to 16.8%
• Pin holes remarkably reduced too.

 

Capital Refractories has been involved in developing the Unibore system for use in automatic pouring systems. It has been specifically designed to accommodate a shallow nozzle which caters for the small gap between the automatic pouring tundish and the mould. The advantages of using Unibore with automatic pouring systems include:

• Downtime is reduced. The Unibore inner nozzle can be removed and changed allowing casting to be re-started quickly.
• The design of Unibore ensures the same bore size can be maintained throughout casting. • Labour is reduced due to the reduced changeover time.
• The amount of metal poured can be accurately controlled.
• A higher casting quality.
• Reduction in waste – greater control reduces spillage.
• Unibore provides greater flexibility – bore sizes can be changed with ease for every job required.
• Unibore helps to keep pace with high speed mould machines.
• The system allows for consistent pouring.

Typical cases of Capital’s Unibore in action:

(1) A steel foundry in Europe took on Capital’s Unibore system to aid in their production of ball bearings. The site produces thousands of bearings a day, and needed to change the nozzles used in their autopour system every few hours. The nozzles that were being used were unreliable and created high volumes of spillage. They created flare during casting, and lead to oxygen getting into the castings. Capital’s Unibore nozzles are now being used in this steel foundry with great success. They use Capital’s 16 mm, 18 mm, 22 mm and 25 mm inner nozzles to vary their casting sizes. Due to the unique Unibore two-nozzle system, changes can be made far quicker, thus increases daily production and reducing downtime. The site now casts far more moulds per hour. The flow rate through Capital’s nozzles remains constant and the issues with flare and spillage have been greatly reduced.

(2) An iron foundry in America had previously used graphite nozzles which were changed every day and a half due to the wear on the bore. The site had to shut down for around 2 hours every time a nozzle needed to be changed, greatly affecting production. The site had further problems with leaks occurring every time they did a shut-off. The foundry manufactures products such as light fittings and terminal junctions for electrics. Capital’s Unibore nozzles have been introduced, and they now have to use just one outer nozzle per week. They change the inner nozzle when they need to alter the bore size, resulting in just one quick inner nozzle change per day.

Capital Refractories has again demonstrated the huge benefits that can be achieved by employing a gas diffusers within an induction furnace. Capital recently worked in conjunction with Weaver Materiel, their distributor in the State of Pennsylvania. The foundry manufacture steel castings for the oil and refining industry, and were looking for a way in which they could de-gas the whole melt rather than having to adopt the SPAL method (i.e. spraying liquid argon onto the top of the melt), therefore reducing their costs and achieving a better surface finish on their castings.

Weaver Materiel installed Capital's Coral SMC lining along with a standard 3 inch gas diffuser (model 7126). They were on site for the full 2 day trial, instructing all melters and supervisors on the procedures involved with the simple installation and running of the plug. In line with Capital's policy, all distributors offer ongoing support to their customers if needed.

Benefits reported:

• Huge financial and environmental savings in the gas used.
• Improved surface finish on the castings due to the ability to de-gas through the whole melt.
• Hardly any wear on the Capital lining.
• Easier to pour metal into the moulds - cleaner metal means that pouring can be done faster through the pouring cups and filters.
• Scrap rate reduced.

This Pennsylvanian foundry has since reported a substantial financial saving along with an improvement in the quality of their castings, and have already placed further orders for Capital's combined lining and gas diffuser product.

---

Capital Refractories' Gas Diffusers – New trials show benefits

Case Study A

 A particularly large foundry was one of the first to take advantage of our highly developed gas diffusers for their induction furnace.

Whilst it is well known that gas diffusers can greatly improve metal quality and reduce gases within the melt, it took a lining problem for this company to further investigate this gas treatment solution.

The problem was zonal overheating of the linings, in particular the lower side wall. The brick lining was being heated beyond its capability thereby causing severe wear on the bricks and potentially disastrous fusion of the backing powder.

We introduced our gas diffuser and began passing argon through the melt which caused a stirring effect. This displaced the superheated metal into the remainder of the melt on a continuous basis and therefore homogenised the temperature throughout the bulk of the melt. By eliminating this superheated zone the condition of the bricks at this location improved dramatically with a consequent substantial improvement in lining life. The company now use 8 plugs a month from us.

We are continuing to work with this induction furnace team to improve their production and are looking to install a gas diffuser in the base of the casting ladle shortly.

Benefits:
    A reduced bath temperature
    Reduction of “elephant’s foot”
    Even wear of refractory lining
    Increased life of consumables

Case Study B

A steel foundry was experiencing quality problems with a high scrap and reclamation rate. Defects in the metal were particularly apparent on the top face. It was thought to be due to dissolved nitrogen coming out of the solution which could be reduced by flushing with argon.

A Capital plug was introduced in the base of the foundry’s 300 kg furnace and there was a large improvement in the casting quality of the metals. With over 70 casts undertaken, there was found to be only a slight deterioration of the plug with no wearing of the lining.

Our gas diffuser is being used successfully with argon at the foundry. Reports suggest that the castings being taken are the foundry’s best quality in history, and the use of our plugs is now standard practice in the Induction Furnace.

Benefits:
    Reduced scrap rate
    Reduced nitrogen levels
    Improvement in cast quality

Case Study C

 A large foundry has recently installed a gas diffuser with a specific aim.

The foundry wished to become more economical due to the high scrap rate produced from the 600 kg furnace. Ring castings were also pin-holed and these issues were thought to be due to high levels of nitrogen.

Our plug was installed to be utilised with argon. Use of the plug led to a large reduction in nitrogen levels and the scrapping of castings being halved. Deterioration of linings is also reduced with the use of a gas diffuser. The company are now looking to put plugs in all furnaces which will reduce lining wear, reduce scrap and increase the metal quality.

Metal quality has been hugely improved and the foundry expect glowing reports from their customers about this.

Benefits:
    Reduced Nitrogen levels from 0.42% to 0.22%
    Reduced scrap levels

Case Study D

A company that produce engineering castings for the offshore industry have become yet another satisfied Capital Refractories customer.

This Dutch foundry has recently installed a gas diffuser in their 500 kg furnace. This furnace is used for producing steel castings.

The metal quality is markedly improved and appears far cleaner. There has also been a 30% improvement on the mechanical properties of the metal during low temperature impact testing. Obviously this is significant for the industry for which they cater .

Reports suggest that the company are delighted with our impact on their production, and are looking to install another plug on a furnace used to produce other steel grades shortly.

Benefits:
    Although gas levels remained constant, the impact strength increased as the gas diffuser removed other contaminants (such as sand and refractory inclusions).
    Scrap levels have been drastically reduced.
    Quality of the metal has been vastly improved due to a stainless steel alloy being purged with the gas diffuser.