In 2023, the SECO/WARWICK Group increased its production by 15% compared to the previous year, investing in expanding its production facilities by a significant 60%. During the same period, employment within the Group grew by over 6%.
Last year, the company supplied its metal heat processing equipment to leading enterprises in the aerospace, automotive, and commercial heat processing industries. Notable recipients included companies such as Siemens, Marle, Skana, Assan Alüminyum, and PWR Australia.
“This year has been crucial for us due to the expansion of our production capabilities. We have focused on development that will provide us with production flexibility in the coming years. We will be able to fulfill orders from around the world more quickly and efficiently. Currently, we have production facilities in Europe covering an area of 12,000 m². In Asia, we have expanded production space to 13,500 m², and similarly in the United States, it has increased to 13,500 m². In total, our production plants now comprise halls with a combined size of 39,000 m², precisely equivalent to the space occupied by five full-size football fields. The effects of these investments were already evident last year. We increased production by 15%, and in my assessment, this is just the beginning. We are ready to handle a greater number of orders, and importantly, we are also well-prepared logistically to manage them,” said Sławomir Woźniak, CEO of the SECO/WARWICK Group.
Among the production highlights is the construction of a vacuum furnace chamber measuring 32 meters for a representative of the nuclear industry. The device is used for the heat treatment of stainless steel pipes. Another furnace, designed for cleaning 5G graphites, allowed achieving a record temperature of 2,400°C.
“Two R&D departments (in Poland and the United States) are constantly working on improving solutions and technologies to tailor them to customer needs. With well-developed product standards, we have an excellent foundation and experience that allows us to undertake unconventional projects that are often not taken on by other manufacturers,” added the CEO.
The company’s production in 2023 increased by 15% compared to the previous year, undoubtedly a result of investments in production. Thanks to completed investments in China, India, and the United States, the production area has expanded to over 39,000 m².
The SECO/WARWICK Group comprises three companies operating in the American market: SECO/VACUUM, RETECH, and SECO/WARWICK USA. RETECH has expanded its production and office space by over 100%.
As Earl Good, Managing Director at RETECH, explains, “The new RETECH production hall is located in Tonawanda, New York, in the suburbs of Buffalo. It is a very advantageous location, just 20 minutes from the current office. The space will be used for assembly and factory testing of our equipment. Additional R&D-type furnaces will be installed shortly, helping to test innovative solutions. We started the moving process in December of last year, and currently, we are waiting for the installation of cranes, which should happen in the coming days. Production will be launched immediately. In the initial phase, we will produce spare parts, electrical components for our equipment, and R&D-type furnaces.”
The previous year was also crucial for their Asian companies. The Chinese branch opened an entirely new production hall in the Xiqing Economic Development Area (XEDA) in Tianjin. The company specializes in the production of CAB lines, vacuum furnaces, and vacuum metallurgy solutions.
“Currently, we can produce 20 CAB lines, 5 VAC vacuum furnaces, and 2-3 VME furnaces annually. Both our production plants cover 10,000 m², so we have doubled our space. We are also steadily increasing employment to meet production challenges,” said Yedong Liu, CEO of SECO/WARWICK China.
The Indian company will start production of continuous aluminum brazing lines this year. Eventually, the company will also become a manufacturer of vacuum solutions, responding to the growing demand for such equipment in India and other Asian countries. SECO/WARWICK in India leads in the sales and servicing of metal heat processing equipment. Starting the production of continuous aluminum brazing lines and vacuum solutions will further strengthen its position in the local market and better meet customer needs.
Binoy Koshy, Managing Director of SECO/WARWICK India, explained, “The new assembly hall in India is located 30 km from the center of Pune and is in close proximity to our main suppliers, partners, and subcontractors. In India, we will focus on the production of vacuum equipment, CAB lines, and service offerings. We will soon start the production of CAB lines. The finished solution should leave our hall in the third quarter of 2024. The first VAC furnace of Indian production will reach customers in early 2025.”