Blog Posts

FRC Global purchases Alltherm Services, Inc.

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 12:59:43 +0000

Acquisition of Alltherm extends FRC Global’s strong market presence, expands company product portfolio

LOWELL, IND. – FRC Global today announced its purchase of Alltherm Services, Inc., a company that produces fiber modules, repair materials for ceramic linings, and specialized fabrication services for the metals industry. This acquisition extends FRC Global’s strong market presence while commemorating the retirement of Alltherm Services founders Jerry and Yvonne Skorupa.

The Skorupas started Alltherm Services in 1986 with a goal to provide services and products to help their clients maximize efficiency and cost savings. Over its 38 years in business, the company has built a reputation as the go-to experts for custom refractory products and installation services. Now called Alltherm under FRC Global, the company will continue to operate with its existing product and customer base out of Lowell.

“We’ve worked with Alltherm for many years as one of our customers and see a natural fit for the company in our growing portfolio,” said Julie Lord, president of FRC Global. “As a fellow family-owned company, we’re thrilled Jerry and Yvonne are entrusting the future of Alltherm and its people to our family at FRC.”

FRC Global supplies refractories, electrodes, and high temperature combustion systems for the metals industry. With its complementary offerings and capabilities, FRC will leverage Alltherm’s existing facilities and expertise to bring manufacturing of some of its refractory products to the United States, keeping jobs and innovation in Lowell.

“Alltherm Services has been a long-time customer of FRC’s refractory fiber, and we’ve always been impressed by their product quality, professionalism, and service,” said Jerry Skorupa, the retiring owner and founder of Alltherm Services. “We’re confident FRC will continue taking care of our people and our customers while leading the company into the next generation of growth.”

“We know that having the Skorupas’ trust and belief in us at FRC is a sign of deep respect and understanding,” said Lord. “We’re excited to take FRC Global and Alltherm to the next level, together.”

About FRC Global

A second-generation family-owned company, FRC Global supplies refractories, electrodes, and high temperature combustion systems for the metals industry with offices, agents, and partners in 20 countries around the world.

About Alltherm

Located in Lowell, Indiana, Alltherm is a full-service refractory contractor providing innovative, yet practical solutions for high temperature production. For more than 30 years, Alltherm has assembled expert industrial sales staff that efficiently serves its customers in the metals, power generation, heat treating, mineral processing, and incineration industries.

Navigating the Current State of International Logistics: Insights from FRC Global

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 15:46:48 +0000

In the ever-evolving world of global trade and freight, staying ahead of the curve is paramount for businesses worldwide. At FRC Global, we take pride in offering more than just logistics solutions; we provide our clients with a clear window into the dynamics shaping the global freight industry. Leveraging our extensive experience in managing the shipment of hundreds of containers across the globe each month, we have garnered unique insights into the current state of international logistics and supply chain management.

Despite widespread media reports predicting significant disruptions and delays in ocean freight, our observations paint a different picture. The anticipated delays have been relatively minor, ranging from 10 to 20 days, with minimal to no congestion at ports. This is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the global supply chain infrastructure. January did present challenges, notably in the form of container shortages, but these issues have largely been resolved as we move forward.

Looking ahead, we anticipate the situation will continue to improve. Following the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, by the end of February, we expect delays to stabilize, with a return to near-normal conditions by early Q2. This optimistic outlook is grounded in current trends and indicators that suggest a gradual easing of the challenges faced in recent months.

The cost of freight has indeed seen a noticeable increase since December, with rates doubling on some of the routes we utilize. This surge in freight rates is reflected in the Freightos Baltic Index (FBX), which has shown significant volatility since the end of December. While we expect rates to gradually normalize, a slight elevation may remain for a while as the global logistics system finds its equilibrium.

The geopolitical tensions around the Red Sea have introduced complexities into the logistics equation. This vital trade conduit has seen major carriers adjusting their routes in response to ongoing regional conflicts. However, the logistics sector is demonstrating remarkable resilience, employing strategic measures such as speed modifications and the addition of extra vessels to manage the impact efficiently. These adjustments are a far cry from the challenges faced during the Covid-19 pandemic, with today's freight volumes being relatively low, allowing the industry to better manage any disruptions.

At FRC Global, our commitment to navigating these challenges is unwavering. With over three decades of experience in supplying critical materials globally, we are well-equipped to manage logistical complexities and ensure the continuity of your production processes. Our team is continuously monitoring developments and adjusting our operations accordingly to minimize any potential impact on shipping times and inventory levels.

We understand that the current landscape may prompt questions or concerns. Our team is here to provide the support and information you need to navigate these times. We value your business and are dedicated to overcoming today's challenges together.

Stay informed, stay ahead, and let's navigate the future of logistics together.

For further details or inquiries, please feel free to reach out to us.

Reflecting on AISTech 2023: Driving Innovation in the Iron and Steel Industry

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 04:36:46 +0000

We are still riding the high from our time in Detroit at AISTech, North America’s largest annual iron and steel technology conference and exposition. We couldn’t help but be captivated by the vibrant atmosphere of this year's expo, being in the presence of over 7,000 industry professionals, customers, suppliers and friends from over 40 countries. It is an event we look forward to each year because of what it provides for our team – the opportunity to be face to face with people innovating and moving things forward in our industry.

One of the challenges we are faced with as a refractory company is the ability to illustrate new technologies in a way that customers can deeply understand, without the customer having experienced the process or material firsthand. That is why we were excited to try something different this year with the addition of a hologram animation for our integrated booth design. The hologram animation allowed us to showcase our Thermokinetic Energizer (TKE-HTT™) in a way that allowed viewers to see the interworking of the technology. The TKE offers the steel industry another opportunity to join the green movement by reducing the natural gas consumption by 50% or more, and also reduces hazardous emissions.

There is always a spark of inspiration after attending AISTech as we engage with others who are innovating in the industry and we want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth to just say hello, or express intrigue about TKE and our other products. Take a look at a short recap video of the event which highlights some happy people hanging around at our booth, and our President, Julie Lord’s interview feature in the Refractories Window publication, which can also be found online by following this link: Click Here.

Youtube video here

FRC Global at Conac 2023

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 22:53:07 +0000

At FRC Global we dress up as a Gala to participate in Conac 2023, the largest congress and Exhibition of Steel Industry in all of Latin America.

This event brings together personnel from the Steel Industry, manufacturers, suppliers, processors and users, as well as academic institutions.
If you are interested in the world of high temperatures, Conac offers the opportunity to attend the Business Exhibition and network with the leaders in the steel sector, as well as access to conferences on lamination, steelworks, security, maintenance, industry 4.0 and processes and uses of steel.
This year was a very special edition of Conac as 30 new companies participated. Attending a great diversity of relevant representatives for this industry from different countries such as: Mexico, Germany, Austria, Spain, Canada, Ireland, USA Colombia, and India.
Thus, with a total of 2,543 attendees at the expo, of which 1,868 were visitors and 675 exhibitors.

FRC Global participation in Conac 2023

For us, participation in this event is something very special, since we can share with our clients and strengthen ties, make ourselves known and be able to offer our help and services to other companies in the high temperature industry.

This space is also very useful for us to make new allies, get to know other services and open up to new relationships.

The icing on the cake is that our assistant team has many opportunities to enrich their knowledge with the courses offered by this event focused on steel, maintenance, security and industry 4.0. Plus the lived experience of participating in such an important event for our industry.

This year for FRC Global was also a different edition.

This year we have our team from the new generation of FRC Global, the president of FRC Global, vice president and product managers participated. We were also accompanied by our team of engineers and salespeople from different regions, and part of our logistics and marketing team. Thus contributing experience each one in their area, to our visitors.

What does the FRC Global Team think about participation in Conac 2023

Thanks to our assistance the FRC Global team was able to see familiar faces and finally put a face to some of our existing relationships. In addition, we were able to reconnect with some relationships that were established in the past and be able to resume those connections.
In addition, at Conac we met new allies who can help us continue offering a service to our clients in high temperatures, it was a very successful participation.

From FRC Global we want to be able to see you and enjoy with you in future editions.

Why Material Engineering Matters so Much to FRC Global

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 18:27:44 +0000

New refractory materials have been the greatest inventions in every age and have been key to the security and prosperity of human life since time immemorial. Refractory materials are pivotal in bringing forth new technological advancements in metallurgy, chemical, mechanical, electrical, civil, nuclear, construction, agricultural, and aeronautical engineering.
Material engineering shapes our lives every time we use a new machine, technology, or device.

What Are Refractory Materials?

Refractory materials are a category of metallic and nonmetallic elements that are highly resistant to the effects of corrosion, pressure, heat, or chemical attacks and remain stable at high temperatures. Refractory metals are more resilient and durable than standard metals and typically have a higher melting point.

Moreover, refractory metals offer a range of other benefits as well, including excellent heat and electrical conductivity, low thermal capacity, high hardness at room temperature, and resistance to deformation.
Due to their highly durable and stable nature, refractory metals are alloyed with other metals for high-performance and demanding applications since the beneficial characteristics of refractory metals are transferred to other metals as well.

Why is In-house Material Engineering in Steel Important?

Material engineering is the design and construction of new materials, including refractory metals. The quality of refractory materials and their engineering determines whether you will remain competitive in the industry or not.

In this guide, we will look at the characteristics of high-quality refractory metals and why it is important for the steel industry to engineer these products in-house:

High Melting Point: Good quality material engineering refractories will have a very high melting point.
Thermal Expansion: A high-quality refractory metal will remain stable when exposed to very high temperatures. If the metal experiences high expansion, it will result in surface scaling.
Dimensional Stability: A high-quality refractory will not change in volume or stretch when exposed to high temperatures for a long time.
Thermal Conductivity: A quality refractory will be able to conduct or transfer heat from a hot surface to a cold surface when exposed to high temperatures. The faster a refractory metal does this, the better its thermal conductivity.
Thermal Shock: If the refractory is not high quality, fluctuating temperatures will reduce its strength and cause flaking of its service. A good refractory will show resistance to thermal shock when exposed to alternating hot and cold cycles.
Corrosion Resistance: A good quality refractory should be highly resistant to corrosion since they will directly come in contact with slag and hot gaseous fumes.

FRC Global's contribution to materials engineering

To ensure high-quality refractory, FRC Global performs material engineering in-house via its expert engineers and technicians. High-quality material engineering ensures each product produced is also high quality.

At FRC Global, we are committed to ensuring that only premium quality products make their way into the hands of our customers. That is because how the material has been engineered affects the performance of the product at all levels.

We have a team of in-house material engineers and designers who can help create perfectly personalized products for clients. We do not sell cookie-cutter products but ensure each of our products fits our clients’ requirements to the T.

We have over 25 warehouse facilities located in various countries around the globe, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, and South America.

If you are interested in our top-quality customized products, give us a call or reach out to us online.

Why More Women in Steel Make for a Brighter Future

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 06:50:09 +0000

During World War II, with so many men away for war, women had to take up jobs that were previously considered men’s work.

These responsibilities included cutting metal parts, operating cranes, hauling bulky machinery, and working in foundries and ordnance factories. It was an era in which women proved that they could do any work just as well as men – and, often, even better.

However, most of the women who had jobs in the steel industry were forced to leave work when the war was over and men came back home. And those who remained in the industry faced significant gender discrimination, were relegated to less desirable tasks and giving tasks, and were not given priority in hiring and promotion.

Once again, women faced social barriers to work, including prejudiced preconceived and deeply ingrained notions of what women could and should do.

Unfortunately, this discrimination exists to this today and women occupy just around 20% of positions in the steel industry.

However, things are now changing.

Why Is There a Need for Women in the Steel Industry?

With its smoldering blast furnaces, scorching strip mills, and boiling furnaces, the steel industry might not seem like the first option for a woman to build a career. However, in the past few years, there has been a change in this way of thinking.

Women account for half the human population in this world, after all, and there is as much potential for them to succeed in the steel industry as men. Although there is no doubt that steel manufacturing involves hard and risky work and is traditionally considered more suitable for men, today the industry is now hiring more women across all business areas.

In fact, there are many companies that have initiated innovative new projects to increase the awareness of how much women can contribute to the industry and ways to attract and retain the female workforce in the steel industry.

Now, an increasing number of companies are tapping into a more diverse pool of candidates to improve their performance, level up their human resources, and increase profitability. Ultimately, steel manufacturers are now coming to realize that women are not just an important, but an indispensable part of any company’s workforce and they just cannot afford to ignore this resource if they want to stay competitive in the current environment.

How Does the Inclusion of Women Drive Profitability in the Steel Industry?

When it comes to diversity, it is not just about including women and people of different races and cultures. It has more to do with the opportunity to exploit a talent pool that comprises people from various backgrounds, thoughts, opinions, and experiences, including women.

This leads to improved brainstorming and idea generation and effective collaboration. When you have a team that offers a variety of perspectives, the resulting ideas are stronger and have the potential to create vetted solutions. Based on the observation of companies that employ a diverse team that have a good percentage of women, it seems that those organizations have more success with project planning, implementation, and execution than companies that do not have a strong women representation.

Moreover, in the steel industry, women in leadership positions are important since they will set the precedent for determining what type of talent to hire, how to mentor rising stars, how to develop successors, and how to ensure the entire workplace thinks with a broader perspective.

Any company that thinks that it will remain successful without changing its thinking is sorely mistaken. They need to foster a curiosity to ask deep questions about the evolution of their company and everything around them and welcome the change with agility and resilience. Inclusion of women and diversity can create this adaptability.

How does FRC Global attract women in steel?

In the steel industry, not to mention other male-dominated industries, there is a need to increase the confidence of female entrants and adjust obsolete male-centric perspectives.

The industry needs to work hard to encourage women to recognize that steel is an integral part of every society and contributes significantly to the economy, making it a highly lucrative career path for women.

After years of telling women that they are not suited to work in steel, companies now need to help women recognize and be proud of the role they play in the industry.

By doing this, the industry will not just increase the potential for growth but will bring about a creative transformation in steel.

These times are an opportunity to equip women with strategic skills to become disruptors in the industry through out-of-the-box thinking in a dynamic and ever-evolving environment. Today, there are many women in various capacities who are doing inspiring things in steel and it is time the world acknowledges and celebrates their talent.

To attract women to this high temperature industry FRC Global creates solid action plans such as:

• Carrying wage gap analysis to ensure men and women are compensated fairly

• Develop concrete practices for gender equality when it comes to working, hiring, and promotion

• Ensuring there is a balanced representation of men and women in management and executive teams

The high temperature industry has a special responsibility to lead on gender equality and other diversity issues and should hope to set an example for other industries, prompting them to change their old age patterns.

The role of women at FRC Global

FRC Global is owned by a woman, Julie Lord President of FRC Global

A visionary woman committed to the growth of the steel industry.

In addition, FRC Global has women on its leadership team. There are also women who hold important jobs such as product managers, administrators, in our logistics team, engineers and salespeople, who are key pieces for the development of our business, performing their roles with excellence and being very proud to have with them to provide the best service and product to our high temperature customer.

Which is why FRC Global is proud to be part of the Association of Women in the Metal Industry (AWMI), an international professional organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the advancement of women in the metal industries. Membership is open to all persons involved with the metal industries.

FRC Global President's Advice for Young Women Interested in a Career in a Male-Dominated Field

I would say “go for it” and be confident in who you are and what you bring to the table. Understand that this industry is in the middle of an evolution. We expect to see an entire generation of industry workers retire in the next 5–8 years, which will coincide with millennials stepping into leadership roles across the board. This is a great opportunity for women, but it will have its challeng-es. There may be a time when you need to have a difficult or uncomfortable conversation, but let the conversation create a space for growth. Ask for help from the people around you, and never be afraid to set boundaries. Most importantly, stay curious and ask questions.Whether you are working at a plant or an industry sup-ply company, there are so many opportunities out there right now. If you work for the right company, you will have the ability to advance and create impact.My last piece of advice is to think outside of the box when looking for a job in the industry. There are oppor-tunities for women with all different kinds of skill sets. My sisters and I all have different backgrounds, and we each bring something unique and valuable to our orga-nization. I come from a marketing and business manage-ment background. Leanne has a background and degrees in sociology, leadership and has an M.B.A. Dianne has a background in process engineering and has a ceramic engineering degree from Alfred University. Finding the right fit in an organization can make all the difference. Julianne Lord

Interested in becoming a part of FRC Global? Reach out to us today.

The Evolution of Thermal Kinetic Energizer Heat Transfer Technology (TKE-HTT)

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 18:32:43 +0000

Steel is a heat-intensive industry. It requires heating metals using enormous quantities of energy and manipulating them to create metal ingots and castings of various shapes and sizes for any number of applications. Be it producing steel from iron or melting steel for molds, there is a heavy reliance on heating systems that facilitate the reshaping of different metals.

While many technological processes involved in the manufacturing and manipulation of steel have improved over time, one of the most critical systems that hasn't changed much since the industrial revolution is the burner system.

A typical burning system features an oxidizer that aids in converting the chemical energy from the fuel into thermal energy. Depending upon the type of heating system, there can be a single burner or multiple burners, which are essential components of a furnace. The burner takes in the fuel, and the oxidizer facilitates the burning of the fuel to generate an optimal form of flame.
Many different types of burner designs are available to work with different types of fuels and oxidizers. Moreover, different burners are also designed to comply with various environmental regulations and heat transfer requirements.

Over the last few decades, there have been changes in the traditional designs of burners primarily because of the recent environmental concerns. While burner designers used to focus more on the efficient burning of fuel and heat transfer, today, there is a rising concern about controlling pollutant emissions that are generated from fuel burning.

Keeping in mind the needs of the industry for an efficient burning system while taking care of the rising environmental concerns, Gastrim International designed the Thermal Kinetic Energizer-Heat Transfer Technology™ (TKE-HTT™), which is a game-changer in the steel industry. FRC Global is the exclusive distributor of this exciting technology in the Americas.

Thermal Kinetic Energizer-Heat Transfer Technology™ (TKE-HTT™)
TKE-HTT™ is a revolutionary cost-saving technological step ahead in how a combustion system operates. The system is designed to improve the heating system’s efficiency while reducing environmentally-damaging components. The combustion system relies on the highly efficient use of kinetic heating that requires the use of lesser fuel and results in better and more efficient heating.

But how does the Thermal Kinetic Energizer-Heat Transfer Technology™ actually work? Let’s take a closer look to understand the features of TKE-HTT™ so you can better understand how the technology is actually helping the steel industry today.

Relies on Lesser Amount of Raw Material

One of the most important features of TKE-HTT™ that distinguishes it from traditional heating systems is its reliance on a lesser amount of raw materials compared to conventional gas heating systems. TKE-HTT™ uses an insignificant amount of natural gas to produce power with a stream of molecules traveling at 220 meters per second, which results in the transfer of kinetic energy to heat energy. Moreover, the transfer of energy produces uniform heat within the heat exchange system or vessel while reducing the potentially dangerous emissions that are associated with a conventional burning system.

Allows You to Replace Traditional Burners With Little Loss of Production

The TKE-HTT™ system allows you to replace traditional burners. However, the process of switching from traditional burners to a TKE-HTT™ system doesn’t mean you need to halt the production process for many days. Instead, you can replace your existing heating system with the TKE-HTT™ system with minimal disruption in the production process.
As a result, when you invest in the TKE-HTT™ system, you end up with a better heating system without compromising your production process’ efficiency.
Moreover, the TKE-HTT™ system may be mounted in any direction or angle in the preheater or furnace, which ensures great conformity to your existing systems that also contribute to minimizing disruption during the installation process.

TKE-HTT™ System is An Easy to Learn Technology That Helps Reduce Cost

The TKE-HTT™ system is an easy-to-learn technology that helps minimize training costs. You may need to invest in the system and have to train your employees about its usage. However, the training doesn't need to be extensive.

Moreover, the system operates at low gas pressure, which makes it a cost-effective solution for your organization.

Furthermore, the control system of the TKE-HTT™ system is easy to maintain, and you don't have to heavily invest in the maintenance of the system.
The TKE-HTT™ system developed by Gastrim International has come a long way, but there is still a lot more to go. If you are planning to switch your combustion system to a more environmentally friendly alternative, get in touch with FRC Global today.

Embark on the ecological path with our eco-friendly refractory materials with the environment

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 19:28:51 +0000

The steel industry faces numerous challenges. With the growing demand for energy and the constant increase in the prices of natural gas and other materials, unleashing in the industry an increase in production costs, decrease in steel production due to low market demands due to the increase in the final price of the product

In addition, as global demand for steel continues to rise, there is another challenge lurking in the industry, environmental pollution, and climate change. Every day it is increasingly difficult for the industry to comply with strict environmental regulations, due to the high dependence of the production process with fossil fuels for steel manufacturing processes, and at the same time achieve economically sustainable competitiveness.

Faced with such a situation, it is essential to find alternatives that are viable and respectful of the environment. The Taphole clay offered by FRC global Inc. It is a sustainable and eco-friendly material with the environment that does not affect its operation and / or production.
We focus our attention on the design and manufacture of the piquera to ensure stable operation of the blast furnace and protect the walls of the home and reduce the content of harmful elements. Offering our customers economic and environmental benefits
Let's take a closer look at some of the advantages of Taphole Clay.

What are the benefits of Taphole Clay?
The clay offered by FRC Global is a high-performance material bonded with resin, to completely eliminate the use of harmful tar, this union is ecological because it is designed to minimize traces of dangerous volatile components in the final product.
This material is fully compatible with the processes involved in the manufacture of iron. Taphole clay is sturdy enough to effectively get in contact with liquid metal and slag which eventually enhances furnace performance.
We work together with other refractory companies to improve the functionality of Taphole clay. In addition, we will direct our efforts to adapt the behavior of taphole clay in the various operational situations of the blast furnaces around the world.
In a highly competitive world, there is a need for continuous research and development. However, most efforts are aimed at the development of certain additives, such as antioxidants, nitrides, and carbides.

Another important advantage is its fast curing. Manufactured to adapt to various operating conditions. In addition, it is designed to counteract and / or optimize the work of drilling and capping machines of various designs, manufacturers, and powers.

For the perfect holding of the closed taphole, a faster curing time is an absolute essential. The faster the curing time, the quicker the curing time, the lesser will be the exposure of the mud gun to extreme conditions that the taphole experiences. Moreover, fast curing allows you to push casthouse operations with shorter intercasting times, which results in the complete holding of the closed taphole.

Taphole Clay is traceable
Each of the taphole clay is numbered, which allows the raw material’s traceability during the production process. We carry out sustained monitoring of the production process in various stages of production, which allows the company to intervene in case of the slightest deviation from the pre-established objectives. As a result, you can expect consistent product quality when you get Taphole Clay.

Why the taphole clay offered by FRC Global is the most environmentally friendly and cleanest taphole clay on the market?
While knowing the advantages of Taphole Clay is critical, it is also essential to know why the Taphole Clay offered by FRC Global is the most environmentally friendly on the market.
The formulation of this product is based on the use of organic substances that do not pose any threat or danger to the end user. While some competitors have been able to reduce the level of potentially carcinogenic compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), so far, no competitor can match it.

Quality controls are carried out regularly in several independent laboratories to certify the lowest concentration of hazardous substances compared to products currently on the market.
All raw materials are selected and tested in our laboratories with the utmost precision. A barcode system allows easy and complete traceability of every element in our production line.

And the best!!!....

FRC global Inc. brenders its customers a constant monitoring of the material production process, adopt specific systems of continuous monitoring during long transport routes until final delivery to the customer and has a trained and certified technical team that will carry out all the traceability of the use of the product within its operation, aimed at improving the absolute performance of tap clay, but also at adapting its behaviour in the different operating situations of blast furnaces around the world hand in hand with established occupational health and safety standards.

Reliable Furnace Refractories, From Installation to Reinstallation

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 19:00:26 +0000

The refractory installation and reinstallation process is a critical part of maintaining and operating any high-temperature process facility. Refractory installation is the process of applying a layer of heat, thermal shock, and abrasion-resistant material to the furnace. In this blog, we look at the steps required for successful refractory installation and learn why FRC Global makes the right choice for refractory installation.

Steps For Successful Refractory Installation
The advancements in engineering technology have made refractory installation steps more convenient and effective. However, since it is a technical process, you need to rely on the services of a skilled refractory installation contractor like FRC Global to ensure proper refractory installation. The steps involved in the refractory installation process include the following.

Selection
Installation
Curing
Drying Out

Let’s take a closer look at each of the following processes.

Selection of the Refractory Lining
The mos important decisions you need to make is what refractory to use for your particular application, as that will make your installation process successful. Not all furnaces are the same, not all work loads are the same, and there are myriad refractories beyond your furnace lining as well. Our expert material engineers and consultants can assure that we help you select the best refractory for your situation, balancing longevity, cost, and reliability to maximize the overall performance of your furnace.

Installation of the Refractory Lining
The process starts with the installation of the refractory lining. Prior to the actual installation, you will need to consult with our expert refractory engineers. Following consultation, the industrial refractory installation process is conducted, which involves developing a precisely measured refractory castable customized to your use case. This is a critical step as any missteps in the process can damage the refractory lining by affecting its strength, setting time, and other steps involved in the installation process.
Therefore, it is absolutely critical to use the right amount and type of every needed raw material for the effective installation of the refractory lining.

The Curing Process
The curing process starts when water is added to the castable and reacts with the cement. The curing process is completed when the refractory material has hardened to its final form. While it may seem like a simple step, it is a delicate process as it involves the surrounding temperature and the castable can impact the success of this step.
The curing process takes place in a precise temperature range as changing or inappropriate temperatures can weaken the curing or may lead to lower penetrability and a much longer curing time. Moreover, it can also set the refractory product too quickly, resulting in a refractory lining that is unfit for application.

Drying Out
The last step involved in refractory installation is known as the drying out process. The process requires the expertise of an experienced refractory engineer because if it is done improperly, it can lead to cracking or weakening of the refractory lining. Since there can be a build-up of steam when refractories are heated, inappropriate drying out can also result in a steam explosion that might risk workers’ safety, the entire refractory project, or even damage the equipment being lined.

For a successful refractory installation process, we recommend using FRC Global’s team of expert technicians and engineers.

Why Choose FRC Global for Refractory Installation
FRC Global aims to provide reliable and consistent refractory supply, performance, and features. We carry advanced furnace refractories that you will not find from many other suppliers since we have a unique role in the research and development of refractories. Moreover, our team of experts ensures that each step is completed with utmost care and professionalism so you end up with the furnace refractory that you need. We also offer exceptional before, during, and after installation services, which makes FRC Global a reliable refractory installation contractor.

Furnace refractories are an integral investment for any high-temperature industry, metallurgical or otherwise. However, they are not a one-time affair. You will eventually need to replace your refractory linings, no matter how good they are, and for that, you can trust in and rely on the services of FRC Global. From technicians to operators, managers, and engineers, we offer the perfect balance between quality and affordability so you can maximize your efficiency and profits with minimal wastage of time.

FRC Global’s Role In The Steel Supply Chain

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 08:50:47 +0000

This unpredictable demand and supply chain was also exacerbated by shortfalls in international freight supply, delayed shipping, and huge increases in shipping costs, both domestically and internationally.

Although some steel plants were able to keep up their normal production with only a slight decrease in productivity, others had to significantly reduce their production or close down.

Due to the pandemic, the time it takes to ship products overseas has increased dramatically. In addition, overall costs have reached sky high due to the pressure of demand placed on the supply and shipping industry.

Since even one part of the chain is affected, it has a domino effect on the rest of the systems. That is why the industry is still experiencing wide-ranging consequences.

Shortage of Shipping Containers
The supply chain crisis has been further exacerbated by the shortage of shipping containers in Asian ports, which resulted in a smaller amount of space for overseas transport as well as soaring shipping costs.

Since thousands of containers were stuck in ports in western countries, it has resulted in port saturation and backlogs since they could not all be accepted at the same time in foreign ports.

Jammed International Ports
International ports are experiencing extreme congestion of ships, resulting in long queues to offload their cargo and creating bottlenecks at ports. In addition, there is a very small amount of space for unloading cargo, in addition to pandemic-related restrictions and a shortage of staffing.

Port Shutdowns
Whenever an outbreak of the novel coronavirus is detected somewhere, it results in the closure of major ports and product slowdowns. Every time a large port closes, it results in delivery delays of merchandise and heightened demand, which cannot be fulfilled on time.

Role of FRC Global in the Steel Supply Chain
Transparent Communication: Global believes that the only way to restore the global steel supply chain back to order is to have open and fast communication between steel suppliers and clients. The refractory engineering company aims to keep its clients aware of the changing costs of transportation and creates contingency plans to deal with order delays.
Customers in the steel industry are advised to make their orders in advance so that unexpected delays may not affect this. It is a good idea for clients to contact us before they run out of inventory so that we can make sure the order arrives in time.

FRC Global is also committed to selecting vendors that are honest about the shortage of cargo containers, expected time of arrival of products, and other shipping-related issues.

FRC Global will continue to stay updated with the latest news in the global steel supply chain industry and will be transparent about all shipping information so clients can make an informed decision.

Responsible Sourcing: Today, we are experiencing a growing movement towards sustainable and responsible sourcing and supply chains relating to products across the globe. The steel industry is not immune to the risks that range from climate change, loss of biodiversity, health and safety, human rights, the rights of indigenous people, and more. As such, customers, investors, and other stakeholders are expecting companies to show corporate social responsibility.

FRC Global is committed to assessing the steel industry supply chain and investigating the impact of steel production on the environment and society. With the result, we aim to prioritize and eventually minimize the negative impacts on steel supply chains, in accordance with government regulations.

Invest in ERP: FRC Global has also invested in an Enterprise Resource Planning system that helped it manage its production as well as supply chain issues and resulted in increased innovation, efficiency, and transparency.

The system is effective at helping the company manage its international operations as we continue to grow and thrive as a global refractory supplier of recycled and new steel and a developer of steel technologies.

By staying strong with our policies, we will be better positioned to help our clients even amidst the supply chain crisis.

How Copper Mold Tubes Increase Production in Steel Mills

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 15:28:52 +0000

Molds play an integral role in the process of continuous casting liquid steel. Molds are the most critical component of the continuous casting process. Use of a high quality copper mold tube can increase productivity and steel quality by minimizing defects in the required bloom, billet, or slab.

Copper mold tubes play a critical role in increasing the efficiency of the steel manufacturing process and improving steel quality. But before we get into the details of how copper mold tubes help increase steel mills’ production, let’s take a closer look at understanding the continuous casting process.

Understanding the Continuous Casting Process

The continuous casting process, also known as strand casting, revolutionized the steel industry. Prior to the adoption of continous casting, molten steel was poured into indivdual ignot molds. This process was slow and innefficent. During the continious casting process, molten steel flows from a ladle into the copper mold tube through a tundish. In the copper mold tube, the strand is cooled until an solid outer shell is formed which contains the remaining molten core until the entire strand is solidified. The mold is considered the most integral part of the continuous casting process since it is the last thing to touch the molten steel prior to solification. It plays a critical role in improving the efficiency of the process and the quality of the strand.

Since the mold casts the final shape, it significantly impacts the surface quality of the strand produced. The copper mold tube is water-cooled as the liquid steel flows into the mold. The water-cooling system extracts heat from the steel and maintains the integrity of the mold.

The process is known as continuous casting because the liquid steel contained in the ladle is continually fed into the caster via the tundish. Molten steel can be continually made into solidified steel strands without interruptions.

How Copper Mold Tubes Increase Production in Steel Mills

Copper molds play an important role in enhancing the efficiency of the production process. Moreover, copper molds also improve steel quality. The function of the copper molds is to receive molten steel and to allow quick heat transfer from the molten steel to the cooling water, which allows quicker solidification of the molten steel.

Since copper is an excellent conductor of heat, it is a great metal to use for the exchange of heat. Moreover, copper molds are resistant to thermal erosion and are resistant to deformation, resulting from thermal stress, making copper mold tubes one of the best choices for steel production.

Given the importance of this process, the use of a high quality copper mold tube is one of the best ways to enhance the efficiency of the steel mill production process.

Copper Mold Tubes at FRC Global

At FRC Global, our trained and experienced engineers understand the significance of copper mold tubes for your final product. Therefore, we craft copper mold tubes with the utmost care and precision. Our copper tube molds are produced in an ISO9000 certified manufacturing facility. Moreover, the copper mold tubes produced at FRC Global undergo an extensive quality control testing program that ensures that you get the best quality copper mold tubes to enjoy efficient steel production.

By relying on the use of global resources, FRC Global is dedicated to delivering exceptional quality and innovative solutions to our customers for an exceptional customer experience.

FRC Global Copper Tube Designs

Copper mold tubes can come in many shapes and sizes which allows steel mills to cast different shaped and sized semi-finished products. Beyond a standard design, FRC Global also offers specialized copper tube mold designs.

FRC Global Copper Tube Qualities

Apart from many distinct copper tube mold shapes and designs, FRC Global also offers various copper qualities and coating qualities. The main copper qualities that are used for the manufacturing of copper tube molds include:

Phosphorous Deoxidized Copper (Cu DHP)
Copper-Silver (Cu Ag)
Copper-Chromium-Zirconium (Cu Cr Zr)

Since mold coatings are integral to improving the mold tube’s wear resistance, FRC Global offers Chromium and Chromium-Nickel coatings. If you want any other qualities of copper or a distinct coating, FRC Global can accommodate your special request.

To find out more about copper mold tubes at FRC Global, or get a quote, contact us today.

Why Does FRC Global Employ So Many High Temp Engineers?

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 23:35:31 +0000

FRC Global is one of the leading suppliers of electrodes, refractories, and high-temperature combustion systems to clients based in several industries, including iron, steel, and more.The company has built its reputation over the years by supplying high-quality products that are developed through intensive research and using the best possible raw materials under the supervision of trained and experienced high-temperature engineers. FRC Global’s knowledgeable and experienced high-temperature engineers ensure the manufacturing and appropriate application of their products, so their customers in various industries get the end product that maximizes efficiency and safety.

FRC Global also embraces modern technology to enhance efficiency, transparency, and innovation, and the company’s expert high-temperature engineers facilitate the process. Let's look at some of the reasons why FRC Global employs several high-temperature engineers.

To Provide Best Quality Products and Service to Customers
FRC Global employs high-temperature engineers to ensure that their customers in iron, steel, and several other industries get the best possible products and services. When a specialized workforce is recruited and is exposed to consistent training, it enhances their on-job skills, which is reflected in better professionalism and work ethics. When the employees' skills and experience are up to date, it only enhances the performance and efficiency of the processes to improve the final product.
As the high-temperature engineers at FRC Global continue to strive and constantly upgrade their skills, the company’s customers get the best quality products that meet all the technical details.

Moreover, FRC Global continues to provide after-sales service, so in case an issue comes up with the products, the experienced high-temperature engineers will continue to provide you with assistance, enhancing your experience.

To Ensure Uniformity of Processes
One of the most obvious benefits of working with high-temperature engineers at FRC Global is to ensure the uniformity of the processes. A specialized and experienced workforce will ensure that all the processes ranging from the purchase of raw material to production and finally sales are performed in a standardized manner. Moreover, when engineers have the same academic background and experience, they are more likely to follow similar procedures, which ensures uniformity of various processes.

To Reduce Wastage and Need for Supervision
FRC Global works with high-temperature engineers as they possess the expertise to make safe and efficient use of the company's resources. Whether it’s raw materials, tools, or equipment, the company’s trained and experienced high-temperature engineers know how to reduce wastage and maximize the use of resources.Moreover, when resources are efficiently used, there will be a reduced risk of accidents and equipment damage, contributing to lower waste.
Furthermore, when high-temperature engineers are at work in high-temperature settings, there is a reduced need for supervision. Given their experience in high-temperature work environments, they are already aware of all the possible problems that may arise while at work, which significantly reduces the need for excessive supervision at work.

To Stand Out From Its Competitors
Given that FRC Global employs many high-temperature engineers for many other reasons but when combined, all the factors contribute to making the organization stand out from its competitors. When an organization employs high-temperature engineers, it enhances the uniformity of the processes, which eventually improves efficiency. Moreover, when there is an efficient production process, and there is minimal wastage and risk of damage to resources, the resulting products and services are high-quality that is bound to stand out from the competitors.
Another one of the reasons why FRC Global employs many high-temperature engineers is that the company wants to stand out from its competition and emerge as an industry leader.

FRC Global has served as an engineering intermediary between its clients and manufacturers, helping them devise better materials and solutions by working closely with highly trained and professional engineers who can establish and meet high standards, so their client's technical needs are met.
To learn more about FRC Global or to get a quote, get in touch with us today.

Our Global Community

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 14:37:07 +0000

As a worldwide high-temperature industry supplier, FRC global works with employees, companies, and metallurgical operations on several continents.

Being Global During a PandemicWith a sales team that spans North and South America, we have a long history of relying on remote workers. Our in-person headquarters smoothly transitioned to being fully remote in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Our international team of employees has been able to work safely and happily from home or a co-working space to carry out our operations.

Not only have we transitioned our existing team to fully remote work, but we’ve also continued to grow our team. We have added administrative and support team members as well as sales personnel during the pandemic as we continue to grow. With advanced communication tools, like Zoom and Microsoft teams, we have been able to keep our full team working together through our changing world.

Our Team In Asia
The members of our team in Asia are largely dedicated to two roles: quality control and managing our logistics. Being on-the-ground, our Asian team members have direct access to our production partners’ plants and factories. This allows us to make sure that the products and supplies we bring to you are top quality before they’re ever shipped. We also continue to develop existing and new supplier relationships in order to continue bringing you the best possible products for your high-temperature operation!

Our team members also have eyes on all of our outgoing shipments. With freight transportation experiencing unprecedented delays and increased costs the importance of this team cannot be overstated. It’s challenging to keep shipping moving and consistent with all the current challenges, so having our logistics experts available to be on location at our warehouses helps us to make sure your supplies are arriving as soon as possible.

Our Team In the USA - Delaware, USA Office
Our main corporate office is located in Delaware, but we have team members all over the US! Our extensive team of engineers, product managers, and salespeople are spread out throughout the states, and most work remotely, away from the Delaware office. Even so, the Delaware office is the heart of our corporate workings, connecting and coordinating our various employees and regional managers.

Our Team In Canada - Montreal, Canada
The Canadian branch of FRC Global is our International Sales office, but in many ways they’re also a core support team for all our staff and operations. Our accounting team operates out of Montreal along with our administrative staff who maintain relationships with suppliers, oversee domestic logistics for North and South America, support our sales reps in the field, and provide customer support.

Our Team in Latin America - Cali, Colombia
The Latin American office in Colombia is focused on providing local support for the sales team, engineers, and customers in the region. The bulk of their work is behind the scenes, supplying the sales and engineering staff with marketing and informational material, helping to coordinate geographically distant staff, and keep projects in Central and South America running smoothly.

Our Remote Team Members - All Over
From the beginning, FRC Global has employed a scattered team of high-temperature experts to interface with our clients around the world. These sales reps are not only widespread, they are frequently on the road, working in the field, meeting with various plant managers within the region they’re responsible for. With dozens of personnel in these roles, odds are good that an FRC sales rep has driven through your city in their travels.

We also employ a number of support personnel all over to fill a range of important roles. From supporting our sales reps in the field to collaborating on the important research and development that sets FRC Global apart from the competition, these individuals are a large part of our success as a multinational organization.

Want To Be a Part Of the FRC Team?
As a growing company operating around the world and around the clock, we’re always looking for additional personnel to fill various roles throughout the company and around the world. Click here to find out more about our teams and use the contact form on our website to reach out about applying.

The Next Generation In Steel: Why Young Engineers Need To Consider the Steel Industry

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 20:33:21 +0000

It’s no secret that steel is an aging industry with a dearth of young engineers. In the next five to ten years, many of the people currently serving the industry as engineers, salespeople, and managers will be retiring as the last of the baby boomer generation enters retirement. While this is something of a crisis for the steel industry at the moment, it’s also a great opportunity for young people to get into the industry and enjoy the upward mobility that the workforce turnover is permitting.

Part of the problem is that the steel industry has a reputation as a male-dominated dirty industry. FRC Global is a great example of how this just isn’t true anymore. Between our all-female executive team and focus on making green, eco-friendly materials, equipment, and supplies available to our clients throughout the steel industry, FRC Global demonstrably breaks the old molds.

In many ways, FRC is representative of the coming change to the steel industry as a whole. Our leaders are young, with leadership under 40 enjoying the advice and expertise of older generations while deviating from old norms in key ways that make for meaningful changes. We’ve been able to focus our company on its most precious resource, our people. We’ve been leveraging the centuries of experience our older staff have to quickly bring our new hires up to speed. At the same time, our new people bring with them new ideas, out-of-the-box thinking, and vital energy that makes our company stronger, smarter, and greener.

This ability to change the trajectory of an industry that has historically been sluggish to implement green innovations and changes to the cultural zeitgeist is perhaps the most important reason that young people should take the steel industry seriously when planning their careers. Engineers have the added professional interest to help improve the steel industry from within as it is the backbone of our society and virtually all engineering specialties make use of steel in some form. Of course, there is also a strong financial incentive, as the steel industry offers competitive pay and is about as reliable and solid an industry as exists today. While the specifics of how we make steel may change over time, its role as a foundational material of our society is unquestionable.

An Engineer’s Perspective

While there are many sound, logical and ethical reasons to pursue a career in steel, the personal experience of engineers in steel is also of key importance when deciding for yourself if it’s the right industry for you.

Who Am I?

I am Diana Barrera. I am 26 years old, and a professional in Metallurgical Engineering from the Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia. 3 years ago FRC Global gave me the opportunity to work in its technical support team where I have developed my understanding of planning projects, installation of metallurgical equipment, data traceability, and quality control of refractory materials in steel processes.

How Did I Get Into Engineering?

Metallurgical engineering has several fields of action and the steel industry is just one of them. My dad is an industrial mechanic and has his own workshop. During my childhood, he melted aluminum and manufactured bicycle parts. My father was the one who got me involved in foundry and machining of materials, so I feel that I grew up with this love for metallurgy. Shortly after I finished my college studies and reviewed the academic content of metallurgy, I felt a connection and started my studies.

My General Experience At FRC

Within engineering, FRC provides technical support to its clients. My profession allows me to easily understand the metallurgical processes that take place in steel plants for whom we sell refractory materials, test equipment and products, carry out repairs, monitor operations with our materials, and provide transparency regarding the state of the refractories and possible improvements that contribute to the growth of our clients.

Steel production has not stopped growing in recent years. Its importance lies in its relationship with other industries, supporting an extensive supply chain throughout the continents, and facilitating high-value work in key sectors such as the manufacture of metal products, machinery, motor vehicles, and construction. This is why our work is essential for all industrial activities. Our refractories withstand severe operations (mechanical stress, resistance to chemicals, etc.) and they work almost always in high temperature environments without suffering any deterioration, keeping production of steel safe.

What Is the Best Part?

When you manage to get a project off the ground, that’s the best. When several obstacles arise and you manage to get a project going successfully despite them, it’s great. I enjoy having all these anecdotes that are created along the way in each new project and new experience that I have. Day by day you are training and growing as a professional and a human being.

What has it given you personally?

Countless things! Learning day by day, training with my team where we share experiences and seek to fulfill a unified objective: to continue growing. I feel very grateful to have the opportunity to work with a group of people so heterogeneous in customs, experiences, ages that day by day fill you with advice, knowledge, and experiences that lead you to be a better person.

Interested In Working With FRC?

At FRC Global, we’re constantly growing our teams of engineers, salespeople, and other professionals who support our work and make our company great. If you would like to submit your resume for consideration, please email us at EMAIL OR WEB ADDRESS FOR RESUMES.

The Role Of Global Steel In the Green Revolution

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 23:24:16 +0000

As one of the world’s largest recyclers and an essential core material of most modern infrastructure, it’s only natural that steel should be the backbone of the world wide effort to go green in many ways. Of course, the steel industry is also responsible for an estimated 9% of global carbon emissions since fuel, coke, and other essential aspects of current steel producing methods are significant sources of carbon emissions.

This presents a unique opportunity for innovation towards “green steel” that can become the standard for environmentally sustainable manufacturing. As borderline impossible as this looks today, there are a lot of promising developments coming down the line that make this lofty goal seem a lot more plausible.

The Steel Industry’s Advantages
The steel industry is the largest recycler on the planet, with more than 50-60% of steel produced coming from recycled steel. In theory, this means our reliance on mining and other dirty industries could be quite low. If we can find solutions to energy that are clean and don’t require high-carbon ingredients like coke, or require far less, we can seriously cut down on our net carbon output.

Steel also has a history of incremental and generational technological developments that become implemented very gradually. That history of adopting new technologies will serve the industry well as new breakthroughs become available on the open market. As an engineering and supply firm supporting the steel industry, FRC Global will continue to investigate, test, and offer these technologies. For example, we’re the only firm in the Western Hemisphere offering TKE-HTT™ systems that cut fuel usage in the systems they’re installed in by 50% or more.

Steel is also a totally essential industry to build the renewable energy infrastructure of the future, from upgrading power grids with more and better transformer substations and high capacity lines to building wind turbines and support systems for solar panels or central tower solar power plants, steel is the material of choice for economically viable, structurally sound construction. Unlike many other “dirty” industries, like coal mining, there’s no possibility that steel will be “left behind” in the green revolution. Green steel isn’t just a possibility, it is an inevitability.

The Steel Industry’s Disadvantages
The major difficulty of lowering greenhouse emissions from the steel industry comes from the very high energy requirements of smelting steel. Even existing electrical systems that could technically be adapted to purely green power sources, like EAFs (Electric Arc Furnaces), require far more energy than renewable energy can currently provide and involve other carbon intensive materials. One estimate is that full implementation of electrical smelting will require 3 terawatts of renewable energy production. Current global green energy production is less than half that.

The bright side of this incredible need for new and greater energy infrastructure is that steel will be integral to achieving the same goals seen as prerequisites for achieving green smelting. So even as the need to transition becomes more urgent, this very need should help to provide the fiscal support such a transition requires. It has been suggested that it will be necessary to provide further economic incentives to steel manufacturers to get the transition to move quickly enough. This would be helpful, especially to keep the steel industry from monopolization by the companies able to transition without such assistance.

The Proposed Solutions
As with all other elements of the green revolution, there are many people, investors, and institutions trying to solve the problems steel faces in fully embracing the green revolution. There are also some shorter term options being explored as less costly interim measures.

Natural Gas For CO2 Reductions

The potential for natural gas to reduce CO2 is not really news. It’s been discussed in many industries over the last 15 years. Though this an admitted half-measure, it is estimated that switching over to natural gas may reduce emissions by up to 60% even if it’s the only step being taken. It should also be a relatively inexpensive adjustment to plants for producers with ready access to natural gas.

That said, investing in infrastructure that delays the problem by a decade or two only makes sense when it’s cost effective. If natural gas infrastructure isn't already available, or near to availability, it likely won’t make much sense to invest heavily in this option. That said, plants in regions where natural gas is affordable are having good success reducing their emissions with this strategy. Natural gas is also much more expensive than coal in North American and European markets, especially given the quantities needed.

Hydrogen Fuel
There has been a lot of talk about Hydrogen being the fuel of the future. You may remember that Arnold Schwartzenager had a hydrogen hummer made during his tenure as governor of California. Despite the PR, Hydrogen still relies on electrolysis to electrically separate the Oxygen and Hydrogen atoms in water. That electricity could in theory be green, but this adds a substantial electrical requirement to the production chain and adds a lot of waste to the manufacturing process. This inherent weakness in Hydrogen as a fuel is what has held it back from fulfilling the various goals set before it.

That said, there are three steel plants planned for Sweden. Seeing how they succeed or fail may determine a great deal for steel in the next decades. The complexity of powering the green production of hydrogen, transporting it to steel plants, and converting the steel plants to use hydrogen fuel is daunting, to say the least. However, with the strong backing of various corporate entities and research from organizations like BloombergNEF, Hydrogen may yet become the new zeitgeist of the steel industry.

Molten Oxide Electrolysis
A new technology under development at MIT, molten oxide electrolysis is an electrical process that separates oxygen from iron ore and produces only O2 as a byproduct emission. This faces the same main challenge as Hydrogen in terms of the need for a massive amount of green electricity in order to function in a carbon neutral way. However, it has the advantage that it doesn’t require new delivery infrastructure or additional production steps as Hydrogen does.

While this process hasn’t been implemented at a commercial scale, it has seen significant success in laboratory settings and might be the solution steel has been looking for. The big disadvantage for steel producers is that it appears that equipping plants with this technology will require significant renovations and changes. Keep an eye on Boston Metal’s project to bring this technology to market for commercial steel production in the next 2 to 3 years.

FRC Global’s Role
At FRC Global, we’re focused on the bleeding edge of steel production technologies as well as sourcing and offering the best existing technologies for conventional steel and other metal industries. We want to be your partner for all the coming changes to the steel industry. In the meantime, we will continue to monitor the latest industry information to keep you informed and ready for what’s to come.

The Hidden Costs of Covid to the Steel Industry

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:23:23 +0000

Over the nearly two years of the “Novel Coronavirus” pandemic, a lot has changed for industries across the board. You’re no doubt familiar with much of the impact covid-19 has had on your company or plant. There are, however, many compounding and aggravating factors to consider that may not be so well understood. Though it is a grim and sensitive subject, we want to help you to see the full impact of Covid on the steel industry as a whole. We hope that we can all learn lessons from these events and become a stronger industry as a whole.

The Clear Costs of Covid-19
One of the more obvious costs of Covid-19 has been the human cost. As of December 23rd, 2021, more than 290,000,000 people have been infected by some form of the coronavirus, and approximately 5,460,000 have died. Among survivors, an unknown but significant portion experience long term damage and symptoms long after the infection has cleared, leaving them less able to work. This human cost, though relatively small compared to the global population (about 3.5% of the population has been infected overall), has still caused serious disruptions to the labor force at all levels.

In attempts to mitigate the human cost, we’ve broadly taken up PPE, testing, and quarantine protocols that all cost companies both in materials and in lost productivity. At this time, there’s no way to accurately estimate the impact of these factors on the global economy or the steel industry itself, but it’s clear that at least tens of billions of dollars have been spent on these measures globally since the start of the pandemic. Inevitably this has affected all industries both directly and indirectly as passthrough costs.
Unstable Demand and Supply
In 2019 there was stable global demand growth of 1.3%. In 2020, global demand dropped 2.4% and in 2021 it has grown at least 4.1%. This alone has led to market volatility with steel production dropping by 0.9% in response to reduced demand in 2020 only to be forced to up production by more than 5% globally in 2021 to make up the difference.

This unforecasted increase in demand was severely aggravated by international freight supply shortfalls, delayed shipping, and massive increases to costs of shipping internationally and domestically. While some steel plants kept up normal production on a steady basis through the entire pandemic, with only brief or mild drops in productivity, many others had to close or reduce production for significant periods, making the increased demand significantly harder to account for. It is also unclear if this elevated demand is just pent up demand from 2020, or if it indicates a trend towards higher actual demand, making planning for the near future a challenge.
What Our Sales and Engineering Staff Have Seen On the Ground
We sent out a survey to some of our Latin American team members asking how they’ve seen their steel industry clients have been affected by and changed policies in response to Covid-19. While this isn’t a formal poll of the industry, our agents in the field each interact with several plants, and their qualitative experiences provide some insight into the measures plants have taken and effects had on production.

Are there new requirements to enter plants to meet with clients?
All of our agents reported that they’ve had to provide negative Covid tests at at least some of the plants they work with, and most also require full vaccination. For a period of time, when the virus was least under control, some plants even required isolation periods before visiting their facilities.

What problems has the new normal of Covid caused?
Our sales agents report that administrative staff is rarely on site now, and working remotely, which can cause slow downs and disconnects when decisions need to be made. The impact Covid has had on freight and logistics has also affected many plants, leading to a lower volume of inventory on hand and sales. Personnel shortages are affecting plants’ productivity as well.

Have you seen a reduction or increase in your clients’ production levels?
Most plants experienced a dip in production at some point during covid, either in response to reduced demand, reduced staffing, or other logistical issues, however, overall, production has remained relatively steady according to our sales agents and engineers.

Have you seen a reduction or increase in your clients’ staffing levels?
Most plants seem to have less staff on site, though others have remained pretty stable. What no agents reported was an increase in staffing levels, despite the increase in demand in 2021.

As an engineer/vendor, how have you been able to help clients with this situation?
Our engineers and vendors have stepped in to offer support with technical and administrative tasks depending on their expertise to support their clients. Not all plants are open to outside help, but those that have allowed our staff to help have benefited from assistance in making freight and general operations more efficient.

As a company, how could we be of help to your client with this current situation?
The most common area where client plants need assistance, according to our staff, is freight costs. They’ve increased so dramatically that no projections or preparations have been adequate. This is a pain point across the board, and has affected our own business in unprecedented ways. We continue to try to find ways to make freight work better for our clients.

FRC Global
We have been here for you throughout the pandemic offering competitive pricing on the supplies and solutions you need. We will continue to assist you in running your metal industry company for the long term. If your operation has suffered from the hidden costs of covid, reach out to us to find out how we can help.

What Industry 4.0 Means for the Steel Industry

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:24:20 +0000

Industry 4.0 and Steel
Maybe you’ve heard of “Industry 4.0.” Odds are good that even if you have, you’re not entirely sure what it is or what it means to those of us in the steel industry. While it’s revolutionizing some industries, others are lagging behind, either because there isn’t pressure to adopt these cutting edge processes and heavy investment seems unnecessary, or because it’s difficult to adapt existing Industry 4.0 technologies in a meaningful way to the industry.

In the steel industry it has been a bit of both. With multimillion dollar plants and good profit margins, pressure is low. With a global supply chain that was running like clockwork prior to 2020 and relatively old and established technologies dominating the industry, there didn't seem to be a lot of room nor an urgent need for this kind of development.

What Exactly Is “Industry 4.0?”
Industry 4.0 refers to an emerging model of organization of industrial processes using smart machines and digital communication between machines to improve control of the supply chain, efficiency of production, and introduce new automations. The value this organizational philosophy offers through the product life cycle and manufacturing systems that support the new IIOT (Industrial Internet of Things) is unprecedented. The industries that successfully take advantage of this approach are taking advantage of all that information technologies make possible.

Industry 4.0 encompasses the entire supply, production chain, and product experience including product design, sales, inventory management, planning manufacturing, quality control, product engineering, and both customer and field service. As a complete paradigm shift, this fourth wave of the industrial revolution offers as dramatic a generational improvement as computerization and the assembly line had when they were introduced in the 20th century.

Mechanically, this is a process to leverage the intensive use of the internet and cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning, with the primary aim of developing new, smarter industries that are more respectful of the environment and production chains that are more transparent to manufacturers and consumers alike.

In short, Industry 4.0 is a way of detecting opportunities for improving efficiency and streamlining supply chains with intelligent automations that don’t rely upon human judgement to make decisions using machine learning.

How Does This Affect the Steel Industry?
One of the greatest pain points in steel right now is the combination of logistics problems brought on by the freight crisis and labor shortfalls that have resulted from the spread of Covid infections and governmentally driven quarantine protocols. These are both problems that Industry 4.0 is perfectly suited to help with.

Supply chain and logistics management can be automated by AI decision making models based on the real world data reported autonomously by hundreds or thousands of connected machines over the internet. This effectively solves much of the freight problem, in terms of added predictability of supply and delivery chains. Of course, this cannot fundamentally alter the reality of the inflated costs of freight, but smart investment in automated logistics will make such a crisis less of a problem by reducing its impact on production and relegating the problem to one of pricing to account for the additional costs (which Industry 4.0 can also help with by analyzing real world costs, competitor pricing, and more).

New and sophisticated automations can reduce plant reliance on manual labor enough that labor shortfalls won’t stagnate production when they arise. Humans, especially engineers and operators, will always be necessary for any serious manufacturing process, but the fewer specialist and generalist labor is needed to meet minimum requirements, the less downtime plants can expect, even under the worst labor conditions.

In addition to these immediate and obvious difficulties, Industry 4.0 provides the robust data and insights needed to make major refinements to your manufacturing process, increase safety for employees, speed up production, and find carbon reduction and energy savings opportunities with the deployment of sensors throughout the production process. If you want to learn more about these opportunities, you can watch the short video from WorldSteel.org below or read this comprehensive overview published by MDPI.

[video link: Steel rises to the challenge of Industry 4 0 (https://youtu.be/mjiezzfeDvE)]

The bottom line is that as we move into the middle of the 21st century and the demand for greener, more efficient steel rises further, those who haven’t made investments in Industry 4.0’s paradigm shift are going to fall behind.

How Is FRC Participating In the Revolution?
FRC Global has invested in an intuitive ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system that has not only helped us manage production and supply chains, but also increased innovation, efficiency, and transparency across the board. We use this system to help us manage many elements of our international operations as we continue to innovate and grow as a global vendor and developer of great steel supplies and technologies. Ultimately, we recognize that by adapting to this new philosophy we can better support our clients, which is always our priority

Tips to Increase Sustainability

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 23:59:46 +0000

While many organizations are pledging to go green, it is time that certain industries including manufacturing companies also take this initiative. After all, it is clear that these companies have a significant impact on the planet

Sustainable manufacturing comes with several benefits. These include:

- The ability to save some money.

- Supporting a healthier, greener environment

- Receiving tax credits.

- Positive brand recognition worldwide.

- It is increasing contributions to the economy.

Even though the manufacturing sector may not be viewed as a green industry, there are many ways to establish better sustainability efforts within this industry. The following are a few tips on how:

1. Understand How You Impact the Environment
The first step to increasing sustainability is to understand where you can cut down and improve. To do this, you must first take a full inventory of what aspects of your operation have a negative environmental effect. You can start by assessing water consumption, materials used in production, the amount of energy/electricity you use daily, fuel consumption, etc. Once you have done this, you will have a full overview of how your company impacts the environment and begin taking steps to improve it.
2. Go Over Product Designs
If you want to increase sustainability, you must review your product designs and explore making them more environmentally friendly. A good place to start is switching certain materials used with recyclable materials where applicable. You may also consider using fewer materials overall so that you can reduce waste along with wastage on packaging products.

3. Opt for Green Energy Alternatives
It is no secret that the manufacturing department uses an abundance of energy. However, you can always switch up your power sources to introduce eco-friendly sources of power. A lot of research points to the idea that clean energy helps lower overall costs compared with traditional sources of energy.

There are several alternative power sources that you can use. These include solar energy, geothermal energy, and wind energy. Moreover, you can introduce some green alternatives inside your company as well. For example, choose to install more LED lights and ensure that your facility is adequately insulated to avoid wasting energy.

4. Try to Recycle
Is your company creating more waste every single day? Maybe it is time for you to switch to recycling. Instead of allowing waste to reach the landfill, you must study which items can be recycled.
Train the employees in your company to recycle things. Introduce partnerships and work with other green facilities that are trying to cut down on waste production.

5. Educate Your Employees on Sustainability
Even though one person can slowly change the state of the world, it takes an army to bring change on a significant level. Having more people share the same vision as you can help you go green much faster.

Start by educating your employees about sustainability in the workplace and why it is essential. Once you have people on your side, you can easily begin the transition to a green facility. Moreover, you will gain massive respect in the job market and slowly start to employ individuals who share the same values as you.

FRC Global & Robotic Blast Furnace Relining

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:25:14 +0000

Whenever the date of refractory repairs or maintenance in your furnaceapproaches, you understand how critical it is that your team and strategic refractory allies choose the right materials and ensure your first-class repairs,this with the aim ofdiminishing any situation in the operation that creates a major interruption of the production of its blastfurnace.

We have accompanied many of our customers in this type of equipment failure,which is usually one of the most devastating events they have to deal with, even if they are only 10 to 15 years old. Between the downtime caused and the dangerous and laborious repair work that a stopped blast furnace leads to,it is one of the mostcostly eventualities a steel producer can face. At FRC Global, we want to help our customers with all their problems, minimizing their difficulties with advanced refractories, trained personnel and other technologies that make steel production faster, easier and safer always hand in hand with safety and care for the environment.

Obviously, the best practice is prevention through the use of high-quality materials and regular maintenance. In an ideal world, prevention would be seamless and would be up to the task of keeping your equipment operational forever, but we all know that this is not the case in the real world. Do you have a backup plan for when the inevitable happens? FRC Global Inc. he is proud to say that we have a solution to this difficult situation, to turn it from a complete nightmare into a manageable problem.

Recently, a blast furnace belonging to the PazDelRio steel company in Colombia needed an extensive refractory coating, even in parts of difficult access. Standard repair services required more than 1 month of inactive furnace to repairit, in addition to the necessary cooling and all the high safety risks that managers must assume when entering the furnace. FRC Global Inc. and its Ally Seven Refractories work together to provide a better response: Robotic concrete,which offers a quick implementation and a simple cooling system,the blast furnace was operational in a week, not in a month and with the peace of mind of not expose your staff to the atmosphere that is created inside the oven thus eliminating any work event.

In many ways, Acero PazDel Rio was perfect for implementing this blast furnace repair approach,the first to be performed in Colombia. Its motto is "Colombian steel made with the heart" which translates to "Colombian steel made with the heart". The only integrated steelmaker in Colombia and the largest within its country,it hasa solid reputation for having the best and safest working conditions forits workers, and maintaining this reputation and core value means looking beyond normal and easy solutions to the thorniest problems.

Well, not only were the repairs of high quality and faster, but they were demonstrably safer. When you need your companions, friends to enter a blast furnace to repairr,and you have a latent and substantial risk. In addition, that the conditions modify the effectiveness of the work. Robots were custom-built to perform refractory repairs,on theother hand, they are extremely effective, efficient and quick to complete the job.

The growth of high-tech niche solutions like this, across industries, has led to increased productivity, reduced downtime, and improved working conditions for all staff. This saves our customers a lot of money and wasted time, while giving them something even more precious: peace of mind. Every project manager who has experienced a blast furnace failure understands how devastating it can be. In turn, that devastation affects the directors of each area who are sometimes blamed for material failures and often tasked with managing the solution.

One of the hidden advantages of robotic technologies like this is how agile they are compared to traditional manual responses. While it would have taken a month for a team of human experts to complete the task at great cost, with some of that time and money spent on the needs of moving people and meeting their basic needs, our solution only required a very small team of technicians and a small amount of specialized equipment. The repair itself required approximately 200 tons of advanced refractory materials to complete, an application that was carried out in 25 hours. The conventional method would have taken operators or collaborators thousands of hours of work to apply it successfully. Repairs were necessary on the belly, pile, and furnace bosh, so it was not a simple feat.

By outsourcing repairs to our expert technicians and their frontline teams, plants can save on liability, but increase their expense and sacrifice control of repairs. We demonstrate that we can work closely with our customers and partner organizations to perform this refractory repair correctly and quickly, even in a country where it has never been done before and there are no specializedor trained personnel or in this technology immediately available.

What this means for plant managers and blast furnace managers and their team is that they can be sure that there is a faster and better way to perform blast furnace repairs and at a low cost without exposing their team to unsafe work for weeks. With 75% efficiency over standard jobs,robotic furnace coating repair is a viable option for the growing South American steel industry.

We are confident that this incredible repair isthe beginning of atrend towards the adoption of new technologies by Colombian steel producers and other South American steel producers, creating mutually beneficiallinks or that will last for generations. As the world globalizes, it is important for the global steel community to find ways to support itself around the world and move forward with the times. Environmental and safety regulations are becoming more demanding every day and we must adapt, so it is necessary to adopt new technologies and relationships to achieve a future in which we can all thrive.

If your blast furnace is nearing the end of its expected lifespan and needs major maintenanceand/or repairs in the near future, this is the time to contact our representatives to inquire about available options. We strongly believe in new robotic refractory application technologies as the future of blast furnace renovation.

How TKE-HTT™ is Helping the Global Steel Industry

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 15:06:33 +0000

The steel industry is, at its core, all about heating metal for its manipulation. Whether you’re forging steel from iron, melting steel for molds, or heating metal for reshaping, reliable high temperature heating is at the core of what you do. While a lot of the peripheral technologies around this process have changed, getting more efficient with better insulating materials and gotten safer over time, the basic heating systems have barely changed since the industrial revolution. They're still just a burner system, burning a heavy, hot fuel inefficiently and relying on radiant heat transfer to get the job done.

This is why our Thermal Kinetic Energizer-Heat Transfer Technology™ (shortened to TKE-HTT™) is so important to you if you’re a decision maker in the steel industry. This is a space-age take on the heating needs of the steel industry and every other metallurgic industry! TKE-HTT™ is a revolutionary cost-saving technological leap forward in how we heat materials for processing. This system offers a paradigm-shift in heating solid materials away from wasteful conventional radiant systems and towards controlled, highly efficient kinetic heating that uses less fuel and works faster and better!
It sounds great in theory, but it’s even better in practice. Let’s take a look at the various ways in which TKE-HTT™ is actually helping the steel industry right now.

Saving You Money
While the exact savings for your application are bound to vary, savings of up to 80% on fuel usage have been recorded when converting from traditional burners in a conventional radiant heat system. Not all fuel savings will be this dramatic, however there are several more ways the system saves steel manufacturers, aluminum recyclers, and so many other processing plants a ton of money in real world applications!
TKE-HTT™ completely and perfectly burns natural gas fuel! This not only improves efficiency by reducing fuel usage, it reduces scale and carbon deposits that add time and waste to your production process.

By dramatically speeding heat transfer with high-speed emissions (fuel exits the system at 220 meters per second!), TKE-HTT™ reduces how long it takes for materials to be heated through. The kinetic aspect of the generated heat is penetrative to even dense materials like steel, unlike radiant heat. This is why heating through materials that normally require a very long radiant heating takes a fraction of the time when you use a TKE-HTT™ system.

TKE-HTT™ based systems require very little maintenance compared to heavy fuel burner systems. This is because the speed of fuel transfer in a retooled TKE-HTT™ system doesn’t allow the deposited waste and buildup that always occurs in slow traditional burner systems. Not only does this mean less resources spent on maintenance directly, it also means more uptime for manufacturing. This can be a major boon for any manufacturing process. Especially these days when so many supply chains are backordered after this stage of the production pipeline.

TKE-HTT™ based systems don’t have a warm up or cool down requirement, meaning that you aren’t losing efficiency. You also don’t need an active pilot to reignite your system, so turning the system on and off is faster and efficient even for pulse firing.
The TKE-HTT™ system is considerably less bulky than many traditional systems. The space savings can save on industrial space requirements for your foundry or production plant, or permit additional productivity in your existing space without increasing the fuel and space you need.

Energy costs constitute 15% to 20% of total costs in steel manufacturing. If this cost can be reduced, the bottom line for your manufacturing plants is considerably lower. How much would it affect your profits to reduce your manufacturing costs? Imagine what can be done to compete with other manufacturers on cost with those savings, increasing market share, and making use of the increased manufacturing capacity TKE-HTT™ systems offer.
When you start considering your real work numbers, and the actual savings being presented, it’s clear that this is an incredibly high-value upgrade for any heat-based manufacturing process that places your plant ahead of competitors who haven’t embraced this technology yet.

Other Benefits
There are quite a few other benefits to the TKE-HTT™ system in regards to safety and product quality control, beyond the savings and productivity improvements it offers. There are a number of common problems across the metallurgic production industries, and this system solves several of them.

Gas is burned at a lower temperature overall, and the system instead relies on highly efficient heat transfer. This means that your work environment can be kept cooler overall and be less dangerous and unpleasant for workers.

Thanks to highly efficient heat transfer there are no more hot and cold spots in your kiln. This, combined with complete combustion and lower temperature heating leads to little to no scaling, and minimizes oxidation, making for more efficient batch yields for a wide range of processes.

Beyond the practical business benefits, TKE-HHT™ offers steel and similar material processing industries an opportunity to become more green. When you’re saving on fuel and electricity costs, you’re also reducing your direct and indirect emissions. This isn’t just better for the environment, it helps to protect you in the face of increasing environmental regulations.

In a similar vein, because fuel is completely burned and doesn’t become a waste emission, your process will emit less hazardous material. This goes beyond mere quantity of emission reduction and actually affects the quality of your emissions.

By working with the expert engineers at FRC Global, you can be assured that the best custom solution for your manufacturing process will be found. While TKE-HTT™ is a revolutionary system and paradigm shift in heating, it’s far from the only efficiency boosting technology we have to offer your foundry or production plant. Further, with technologies that offer greater safety for workers and more consistent production processes, we aim to help you increase productivity and up time for years to come.

The Costs Of Producing Steel With Electric Arc Furnaces

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 14:58:13 +0000

There are three main operating costs in recycling modern steel using electric arc furnaces, in addition to labor (which only amounts to about .003 man-hours per tonne on average), that they must strictly consider on a regular basis: scrap, energy and electrodes. Let's examine these costs, how the industry is managing them, and how these facets can be improved to affect profits and production.

Scrap
Steel scrap abounds after more than a century of industrial-scale steel production. However, it is still a large part of the cost of reusing steel. In the US, steel scrap ranges from $ 160-280 ($ 400-450) per ton at the time of writing. With industrial electric arc furnace loads ranging from 40 to 150 mt, that means a cost of $ 16,000 to $ 67,500 per load. Since rebar steel sells for more than $ 1000 per ton in the same market there is plenty of room for other costs and profits.

However, given the high cost of shipping, this margin is not as lucrative as it appears from an outside perspective.

In general, this cost represents about 5% to 6% of the value of gross sales. This is certainly not insignificant, and getting good quality scrap at a low price helps with margins. However, it is not a cost under the control of the manufacturers. With market demands, shipping limitations, and inefficiencies in global recycling systems, the most a steel producer can do to control this cost is to develop strong relationships with their suppliers that help ensure regular, timely and affordable deliveries. scrap for recycling. Fortunately, this market is relatively stable thanks to proper recycling programs and the “circular model” of steel production.

Energy
It's no secret that melting steel requires a lot of energy. However, few people understand the actual energy requirements of the various methods of casting steel. First, a basic oxygen furnace requires approximately five times more than an electric arc furnace requires. Approximately 500 kWh is needed to melt one metric ton of scrap steel in a modern electric arc furnace.

This means that for the 150 ton batch considered above, a steel producer can expect to need around 75,000 KWh of electricity. In the US, industrial producers paid around $ .0666 per KWh in 2020. This equates to roughly $ 6,250 in electrical costs to melt their batch of scrap steel. Industrial electricity costs are relatively stable thanks to the relatively stable balance of supply and demand. Even if one or the other industry is experiencing a rebound or slowdown, this rarely moves the power supply needle.

Electrodes
In a typical scenario, graphite-based electrodes only account for around 2% to 3% of the total cost of steel production. However, if the history of the market is any indication, this is not a cost that can be relied upon to remain stable due to its many complex influences.

It takes up to 3 kg (6.6 lb) of graphite electrodes to produce one ton of steel. This means that you can expect 900 pounds of graphite electrodes to be needed for your 150-ton batch of steel. This equates to between $ 1,100 and $ 1,900 in costs, depending on the quality and grade of your graphite electrode, based on current prices.

However, if you have followed the refractory electrode market for a long time, you know that the cost of this key part of the steel making process is not the most stable. With the complications of global trade and burgeoning industries placing new demands on graphite, such as the massive number of lithium-ion batteries needed for electric cars, smartphones, and other devices, the cost of graphite-based refractory electrodes has been tumultuous in this century. It has ranged much higher than current prices before the global slowdown with Covid-19.

History teaches us that securing a good price per ton in electrodes can make the difference between $ 10 and $ 80 in cost per ton in a single calendar year. Prices at the moment are great and may continue to be. However, with ongoing transportation issues, tariff wars in our recent memory, more and more devices using internal lithium-ion batteries, and potentially exponential growth in the electric car market looming on the near horizon, the time to stock up on refractory electrodes could be upon us. .

Considering that some of these factors will also affect the steel industry (one of the largest electric vehicle manufacturers, Tesla, uses substantially less steel than a traditional car, and many other electric vehicle manufacturers are leaning towards building materials dominated by aluminum) the point at which graphite- Electrode-based electrodes start to get more expensive also when steel is less in demand. The good news is that these market imbalances have happened before and they don't last forever, but they could outlast the electrode supply.

Final thoughts
The real difference between electrodes and the other major costs in the steel industry is that it is much more practical to store electrodes while they are at a good price, or to secure long-term sales contracts while the market is weak than with anything else. the rest. Power companies can lock in prices for a short period of time, but they have all the leverage given the very low competition in the power supply sector. Scrap is needed in such quantities that it is basically impossible to store significantly, and the need for multiple suppliers for most steel operations makes negotiating long-term deals that much more challenging.

In short, if you can lock in the price of your electrodes now, you will have better control over your future earnings.

Navigating the Ongoing Supply and Freight Shortages

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 14:53:28 +0000

The supply and cargo chain is a factor that has affected us all in the last year due to the impact of the virus. Most noticeably, the time it takes to ship almost anything overseas has gone up dramatically. However, costs have also become seriously inflated, to almost inconceivable levels by the stresses placed on the supply chain and shipping industry.
The reality is that if one part of the chain is affected, it ends up affecting the rest of the system sooner or later. That’s why we are still seeing a wide range of consequences on our industry and personal lives. In this article, we will review some of the causes and consequences of this situation.

The Costs of Importing Goods have Skyrocketed
The first repercussion of the pandemic’s impact on shipping is that the price of the transport of merchandise and freight has skyrocketed and correspondingly the prices of products have risen. This increase has been drastic from one year to the next. A key fact in this situation is that approximately 80% of the products we consume worldwide are transported by sea. So we are talking about a broad effect applying to a considerable number of the products that we consume on a daily basis. Someone has to pay for those increases with increased costs and in the end this always affects consumers. Companies already see how their suppliers have consistently increased the price of their products.

There Is a “Container Crisis”
A large part of what caused this crisis is the shortage of shipping containers in Asian ports, which translates into little space to transport products from Asia to the West and skyrocketing freight prices. Some exporters had to wait weeks for containers to be available to move their cargo and this pushed up their price.
This does not mean that these containers do not physically exist, what has happened is that they are not where they should be. Hundreds of ships with thousands of containers arrived at their destination ports, but these could not return due to the pandemic, so many of those containers are piled up in European and American ports. This in turn has created congestion and saturation in these ports as containers pile up faster than they can be accepted at foreign ports due to pandemic-related restrictions.

Traffic Jams In Major International Ports
Our last problem directly leads to this problem. The same chain-reaction leading to market fluctuations, has caused an unprecedented congestion of ships waiting ust off shore in long queues to offload their cargo, and this has generated bottlenecks in world seaports. While the pandemic has aggravated this directly with quarantine requirements and brief shut downs, the pile-up of shipping containers is also a major factor, as there’s very limited space for unloading cargo in addition to staffing difficulties and virus-related restrictions.

Temporary Closure Of Ports
Strict measures were put in place in China to prevent further waves of the virus. Thus, when an outbreak is detected somewhere, major ports close, production slows down, this then causes a delay in the delivery of merchandise. This same series of events happens in other large producer nations, such as India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. There is a domino effect every time a factory or port closes; inevitably it leads to a consumer like you or us being left without the ability to consume that product.

Shortage of Boats
Shipping companies did not have additional ships available to handle the wave of freight, so even the limited supply of shipping containers available could not be used effectively.

What This Means For Us
Even as the authorities of each country propose and apply solutions in order to alleviate these problems, such as "fees for excess permanence of containers," there is still a great deal to be resolved in order to restore the normalcy in international freight transport and prices.

At FRC Global, we propose that honest, fast and continuous communication between steel suppliers and interested clients is the best way to deal with this situation, and we are leading by example.
In order to keep our clients updated, FRC Global created a newsletter on the evolution of the cost of transportation, which will help create contingencies to deal with delays. Also, as a customer, it is imperative to plan your orders in advance so that you can accommodate any unexpected delays. Be sure to contact us well before you run out of safety net stock so we can make sure your shipment arrives in time
Choosing vendors committed to being transparent with you regarding cargo container shortages, expected arrival times, and other shipping-related factors is crucial to navigate through this difficult time.

FRC Global remains on top of the latest shipping trends, freight container shortage news, and any other factors that can result in delayed shipping and deployment of goods. We will continue to be as transparent and forthright with all shipping information, so our clients will be able to plan accordingly.

CONAC 2021 - Congress and Exhibition of the Steel Industry.

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 14:47:27 +0000

What is it?
It is the largest congress of the Steel Industry in all of Latin America,
Designed as a technical exchange platform for the steel industry in Latin America.

This event grows in attendees and exhibitors each edition
Around 1,500 people are expected to attend, there are approximately 76 exhibitors and 80 technical conferences
The conferences are scheduled on topics of Steelworks, Rolling, Processes and Uses of Steel as well as Safety and Maintenance.
Also, Short Courses are taught at this congress

What is done there?
The days of this congress are celebrated with expositions of companies and networking with leaders in the steel sector, as well as access to conferences and short courses.

Short courses of this edition:
• Rolling of flat products: Focused on studying the rolling of hot and cold flat steel products.

• Secondary Metallurgy: It seeks to establish the most useful concepts in these secondary processes, which include: Electric arc furnace, (HEA), ladle furnace, (LF), up to the vacuum degasser (VD / VOD), with the aim of achieving quality steel efficiently.

• Industry 4.0: Dedicated to the trend towards automation and the exchange of data in manufacturing technologies through three main elements: the Internet of Things, Physical Cybernetic Systems and Cloud Computing.
This course will be presented by several speakers, in addition to having very interesting sessions, such as:

- Introduction to Industry 4.0
- Dangers of NOT being digitally transformed
Among others…

Where and when?
The headquarters of this congrego will be Monterrey, it will be held in November from 8 to 10, 2021.

FRC Global and its involvement
FRC Global as a leading supplier of refractories, electrodes and high temperature combustion systems, will participate in this great event and we will take the opportunity to publicize and inform our news in products and services, as well as being an excellent opportunity to contact and dealing with our customers and others who are passionate about this industry.
You can visit us at our booth, you will find us at stand L.

From FRC Global we want to remind you to be sure to comply with the security measures established by the congress in order to enjoy the event in the best way and with greater peace of mind:
• Use of face masks
• Temperature measurement: They will take your temperature when entering the showroom and conference rooms.

• Antibacterial gel: They will have stations with antibacterial gel for use.
• Vaccination record: They will ask all visitors, exhibitors, lecturers, AIST team, committee members and staff to show their vaccination certificate to confirm that they have the two doses.

• Antigen test
In the event that someone is not vaccinated, they will have the right staff to perform a rapid antigen test, at an economic cost.

• Sanitation
Conference rooms, common areas, and exhibits will be frequently disinfected.

We at FRC Global would be delighted to welcome you if you attend this Steel Industry Congress and Expo.

The Newest Refractory and Electrode Supplier, FRC Global Inc.

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 14:30:04 +0000

For the past 11 years, Julianne Lord has played a role in the steel and metals industry. She has spent years of hard work in the refractory and electrode supply business and has recently achieved president at FRC Global Inc.

FRC Global is a next generation business. Learning the core business from their experience working at their father’s company, the three sisters decided it was time to evolve the company into a refractory and electrode supplier with its eyes focused on the future. Julianne Lord sits as the president, Leanne Pate enjoys her role as the director of people operations. Dianne Detwiler, is the director of electrodes and a product manager of black refractories.
FRC Global is proud to be a women-run business and consistently encourages the younger generation to jump into the industry. Lord is leading the company with enthusiasm, transparency, and innovative ideas as the president while encouraging her team to think outside the box.
In this article, you will learn about Julianne Lord, her background, dreams, and role in FRC Global.

Education and Career
Lord attended the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and received a B.S degree in entrepreneurship and marketing. She then went on to complete her master’s from Humboldt State University in California in corporate sustainability.
In 2010, Lord became a part of the team at Fedmet Resources Corp. She worked as the marketing manager and spent her early years in the sales support and marketing group.
Over five years, her hard work earned her a significant part of the leadership team, notably the only woman working alongside men. Today, the company has grown and is proud to be more diverse.
Passion for the Steel Industry
Lord grew up exposed to the steel industry. In the 1990s, when her father started the company, Fedmet, she would often hear the workings of his everyday tasks and took an interest in the business.
Lord remained interested in his work and witnessed how he managed to grow the business. Lord's father would often take her along on business trips and other meetings. She was fascinated by the global reach the products had and wanted to be involved in a business that helped one of the world's largest industries.

Lord’s Support System
Lord found a support system in people who worked alongside her daily with a company built by some of the most brilliant employees.
She was able to learn from those experiences around her. The veteran generation helped mentor the younger employees and passed on knowledge they gathered over the years in the steel industry.
Initially, Lord joined the AISTech Young Professional group and now the Women in Steel group. Her parents consistently remained by her side, always encouraging her and pushing her to pursue her dreams. While her father taught her passion, her mother taught her the importance of personal responsibility, relationships, and independence.

Some of Lord’s Achievements
Lord spearheaded the restructuring of her fathers company back in 2011, so starting FRC Global and heading the new corporate branding was an exciting endeavor for Lord. Her sisters worked alongside her to introduce something that the industry hadn’t seen before. After all, FRC Global was to be something special for the upcoming generation.
Over the last two years, one of Lord's aims has been to invest significant capital into technology. It includes an enterprise resource planning system that will help increase transparency, innovation, and efficiency. FRC Global’s entire workforce has played an essential role in bringing about these changes.
Being a woman in the steel industry has been a wonderful learning experience for Lord. She loves the opportunities to learn more about the industry and also to educate those around her about it.
For a long time, the steel industry has been predominantly male-run. However, Lord is happy to be a part of that change and hopes to inspire and encourage other women to join.
Words of Wisdom
Lord encourages every woman to be resilient and determined. It includes stepping into the steel industry as well as the vendors who supply the industry. Even though the steel industry has revolutionized itself, there is still a lot of work that must get done. Within the next five to eight years, a generation of employees will retire from the industry to make place for a brand-new workforce. Lord urges women to step out of conventional roles and think outside the box. It may feel challenging, but this is the time to make your space in the industry.

The top 3 steel production costs are: scrap, energy, and electrodes.

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 15:07:18 +0000

If a good cost per ton is not chosen

How much can it cost the company? How much can you increase your production costs?

The mistake of not choosing well can make you competitive in the market or not

Graphite electrodes play a significant role in the steel-making industry. It is the primary heating element present in the electric arc furnace. The intense heat obtained through graphite electrodes helps melt junk cars and appliances to produce new steel.
To make this process efficient, a company should have high-quality graphite electrodes installed in their electric arc furnaces. Finding the best graphite electrode can be a challenge. It is especially true when you’re a novice in the industry.

From resistivity to apparent density, there is a diversity of technical factors that needs consideration; and, let’s not forget the hunt to find a reliable supplier.

FRC Global is a leading supplier of graphite electrodes, refractories, and combustion systems. Having dealt in this industry for a long time, we understand how confusing this whole process can be for you.
To help you, our team of experts dived into the details and compiled this comprehensive guide.
In this guide, you'll learn about the important technical aspects that come into play. You will also discover graphite electrode uses and types. Read more!

Graphite Electrode & Its Uses
An electrode is a simple conductor that provides a path for electrical energy to travel between objects. There are several electrode types, each made from a different metal.
However, the most commonly used one is the graphite electrode. It is the integral heating component in the steel-making industry. It also gets used for steel refinement in ladle furnaces and several other smelting processes. Graphite electrodes also get used to refine steel in ladle furnaces and other smelting processes.

As of 2021, the graphite electrode market has a worth of USD 4,431.49+ million, and analysts have expected it to rise further.
If it continues to grow in price, it will dominate

But, why is graphite electrode preferred over others? And, why should you invest in it?
Here are a few reasons why you should buy a graphite electrode:
Graphite electrodes possess high thermal conductivity. It can withstand extreme temperatures in furnaces.
It exhibits low resistance to electricity. Hence, these electrodes can conduct the massive electrical currents required to melt metals, like iron.
High-quality graphite electrodes last longer.

Types of Graphite Electrodes
When selecting the best graphite electrode, you will come across several types. You must evaluate each class to pick one that satisfies your needs the best.
Generally, graphite electrode companies divide them based on two factors; coke quality and furnace type.

Factors to consider in the Best Graphite Electrode
Once you’ve selected the type of graphite electrodes, it’s time to consider some other essential features. These features help evaluate the physical and chemical indexes of the particular graphite electrode.

Electrical Resistivity
The electrical resistivity refers to the difficulty faced by the electric current when passing through the electrode. Lower values indicate the smooth and higher flow of current without causing overheating.

Flexural Strength
Flexural strength is the maximum amount of stress a graphite electrode can handle. The higher the value, the powerful the electrode is, and the lesser flexural breaks you will experience.
Apparent Density
The apparent density is the weight per unit volume of the graphite electrode. Usually, it is better to opt for higher apparent density as it indicates enhanced mechanical properties.
Resistance to Tension
Graphite electrodes might experience nipple breaks if the resistance to tension is high. Lower tension resistivity can reduce the number of nipple breaks.
Young's Modulus
Young's Modulus is the measurement of resistance to length change before a compression or tension force. It also gets expressed as the relation between deformation and strength. It would help if you opted for lower values to ensure that the resistance to thermal shock is good.

At FRC Global, we prioritize customer satisfaction as much as quality product supply. We manufacture the highest quality graphite electrodes globally. We have 25+ warehouse facilities located in various cities in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and South America.
You can reach us at any of these facilities and discuss graphite electrode purchases with our experts. We'll be glad to help you through all the stages!
Alternatively, you can also give us a call or contact us through our website. Hopefully, this guide to purchasing the best graphite electrode must have helped you in your journey. In case you’ve any queries or recommendations, do let us know in the comments below!