When it comes to heavy industry, few working environments are as extreme and demanding as smelting. By heating metal ores to liquid temperatures to extract elements like aluminum, smelting forms the first stage in so many manufacturing processes.
The smelting process has been used for thousands of years to produce a huge range of metals, including iron, copper, zinc and lead, and it also forms a crucial part of the steel manufacturing process. These raw materials are then used for everything from power lines to planes, shipping containers to the ships that transport them.
Firesleeve protects profits as well as people
Naturally, Firesleeve products are essential in such intensely hot environments. They protect cables, hoses and wires, as well as expensive equipment, from both consistent heat of around 260°C and occasional molten splash up to 2000°C. Most importantly of all, they protect your workforce.
These days, Firesleeve products also provide a vital role in protecting profits in smelting operations, as rising costs put the sector under increasing strain. Take for example the aluminum sector here in the United States.
Supporting American aluminum
As recently as the 1980s, America produced 30% of the world’s aluminum, and it remained the largest producer in the world until the turn of the century. Since then, rising fuel prices and increasingly stringent environmental regulations have pushed up costs and severely impacted production. Today, the US is responsible for just 1% of global aluminum production, with the number of major smelters dropping from 20 in the 1990s to just four today, with three smelters closing since 2020 alone.
However, the good news, as reported by S&P Global, is that the industry could be about to see its first new smelting plant in forty years, thanks to a $500million clean energy grant from the Department of Energy. This in turn is part of a larger $6billion funding package from the DOE aimed at both boosting and decarbonising America’s heavy industry.
Firesleeve cuts costs
With the smelting industry under such intense cost pressures, it has never been more important to protect your equipment. Firesleeve extends the life of key equipment by protecting it from heat and abrasion damage. This saves on maintenance, repair and replacement costs. When repairs and refurbishments are required, firesleeve’s flexibility makes it quick and easy, once again cutting costs without compromising on safety.
This trusted protection product also saves money by avoiding costly shutdowns. If accidents occur or equipment fails, a shutdown of a major smelting plant can be extensive and expensive. Failure to meet delivery deadlines can cost even more, while workplace injuries add litigation and increased insurance costs to the bill.
Firesleeve reduces the risks of such events by providing a dependable barrier between extremely hot processes and the adjacent equipment, cables and wires. With firesleeve in place, you can maintain operational efficiency and meet your deadlines without fail, while still working safely and effectively, looking after your people and your plant.
Find out more about National Firesleeve
To find out more about how National Firesleeve products can help you to protect your smelting plant in even the hottest and harshest conditions, contact our expert technical team today. With first class service from a US company, backed by first class British made products that lead the world, National Firesleeve have the solution you need to keep your company competitive in even the most testing times.
Whether you are working in the struggling aluminum industry, or any other part of the American smelting sector, National Firesleeve are here to help with tried and tested solutions that meet even the most stringent of standards for health and safety compliance.
