Exlabesa, a global extruder of bespoke components for architecture and industry, recently expanded production at its aluminum recycling plant in the province of A Coruña, Spain. The company started operation of a new continuous homogenizing furnace from Hertwich Engineering, part of SMS group, which will increase capacity by 30,000 tons to around 80,000 tons per year.
The expansion of the casthouse with additional homogenization capacity enables the company to be less dependent on buying primary aluminum and to conserve resources. This not only improves the sustainability of the plant, but also supports the company’s efforts to meet the increasing demand for this type of product.
“Finding solutions that are individually tailored to the needs of customers is one of Hertwich Engineering’s strengths,” says Gerold Keune, CEO of Hertwich Engineering. “Our expansion of continuous homogenization operations at the Exlabesa plant fits perfectly into the existing production environment. And last but not least, it is an investment in the sustainability of aluminum production. This endeavor also underscores our commitment to long-term cooperation and partnership. We believe in forging strong alliances with our clients, built on trust and shared goals.”
Exlabesa had previously commissioned a second continuous homogenizing furnace at the site back in 2018, as well as a multi-chamber melting furnace, both of which were supplied by Hertwich.
The recently installed continuous homogenizing furnace includes an air cooling station, long-billet stacker, and semi-automatic PET strapping system. Specifically focused on processing recycled billets sourced from post-consumer aluminum scrap, the furnace is designed for aluminum billets with a diameter of 178 to 406 mm and a length of 7.0 m, as well as to process all of the alloys included in Exlabesa’s extensive portfolio.
A major advantage of Hertwich’s continuous system compared to chamber homogenization is the uniform treatment of the billet. In the homogenizing furnace, billet cast from melted aluminum scrap undergoes continuous heat treatment at temperatures of up to 590°C. The precise temperature control when heating and retaining the heat in the furnace ensures that the billets have a uniform microstructure before they enter the air cooling station. This process guarantees high billet quality with optimal metallurgical properties, while at the same time reducing the energy required for billet homogenization.