For the Indian subsidiary of the SECO/WARWICK® Group, May 2022 marks the fifth anniversary of its establishment.
During that time, the company received several dozen orders for metal heat treatment equipment, placed by the leading companies on the Asian market.Regular customers of the company include the TATA Group – the largest and the oldest (154 years old) Indian company, generating approximately USD 314 billion in revenue.
Five-star anniversary
SECO/WARWICK in India celebrates its fifth anniversary, although they have been operating in that market since 2007. During the first ten years of their presence in the region, they completed dozens of orders. “Our first steps in India were a challenge, but with perfect products and positive opinions among the customers, we were quickly able to become the first-choice supplier for the Indian companies looking for aluminum heat treatment solutions, CAB or vacuum furnaces,” said Piotr Skarbiński, Vice-President Business Segment Aluminum Process and CAB, SECO/WARWICK Group.
The activity there became a starting point for the establishment of the company dedicated to the market. And so in 2017, SECO/WARWICK Systems & Services (INDIA) Pvt. Ltd. was established to be focused on the sales and servicing of the equipment for heat treatment under vacuum, vacuum and aluminum metallurgy in India, ensuring the best service and support for the Indian customers.
Over the years of business activity in the Indian market, SECO/WARWICK has built its position a trustworthy partner with great competence when it comes to metal heat treatment equipment. Numerous contracts from the home market prove this. The TATA Group (both automotive and steel companies) has partnered with SECO/WARWICK several times with great success.
“In India, we are the first-choice supplier of metal heat treatment equipment, which is often underlined by our customers themselves. It is great that we have created a company that is a partner for the largest producers in the region. The vast majority of our customers come back and place orders for successive technological solutions. This proves that establishing a dedicated company was the right step to make,” said Manoranjan Patra, Managing Director, SECO/WARWICK India.
Harsha Engineers was one of the first customers for SECO/WARWICK India. The company delivered equipment to this partner in 2018 and 2019. Winning the first order from a global automotive manufacturer for the CaseMaster Evolution-T furnace with oil quenching and LPC technology was a huge success. Commissioning and implementation of the LPC technology increased our Partner’s productivity by as much as 20%. The contract itself presented a challenge since the company did not use vacuum solutions previously.
The customers of SECO/WARWICK India also include Bharat Forge and Kalyani.
“Over these few years, there have been many milestones. We should certainly mention the fact that large equipment (for the aluminum segment) is in part produced on site in India, which clearly impacts our competitiveness. We assembled the largest Vortex® furnace in the history of the entire SECO/WARWICK Group or the largest VertiQuench® for the TATA Group. We have won with the competition that, during the early years of our operations, had an advantage, with both experience and knowledge of the market. However, good products, a perfect team providing a quick response as well as the local service department increased our advantages and today we can optimistically look into the future years of our market presence,” –M. Patra.
Indian track of SECO/WARWICK
The Indian economy is one of the fastest-growing in the world. Thus, it is no surprise that more and more top-tier companies select state-of-the-art technologies that help to increase efficiency and production capacity. India is a very interesting market and the fifth global car manufacturer. European corporations also have investments there. Volkswagen announced an EUR 1 billion investment program in India. The project assumes the expansion of VW and Skoda brands. In turn, Tesla announced its intent to start production in India.
“Taking into account a strong automotive production center in India, our modern vacuum technologies will be more and more popular there. The predicted growth of the electric vehicle market and the associated increase in the demand for battery coolers is also a great prognosis for the segment responsible for aluminum brazing and heat treatment. Numerous plants around the world, technical expertise and innovative approach make our CAB solutions the most popular technology for brazing cooler plates for hybrid-electric (HEV) and electric (EV) vehicles.
SECO/WARWICK also has the advantage of its ability to manufacture its equipment in plants in China. Thus, the delivery cost is lower, and the contract logistics much simpler in comparison with the delivery from Europe. I wish to congratulate the entire team of SECO/WARWICK India. I can see a huge potential for the continued dynamic growth of our Group on the market. I want to wish you all the best for your fifth anniversary,” said Sławomir Woźniak, CEO of SECO/WARWICK Group.
SECO/WARWICK solutions in India
The innovative ZeroFlow® technology also has a great future ahead in India. More and more customers opt for it due to a shorter process compared with traditional gas nitriding and nitrocarburizing, while ensuring a safe working environment and lower gas emissions. SECO/WARWICK delivered a retort furnace for ferritic nitrocarburizing to Harsha Engineers Limited, a leading Indian manufacturer of bearing cages.
A world-class Indian leader of automotive components uses a CMe vacuum furnace featuring LPC technology. The device was used to solve the problem of intercrystalline oxidation occurring in conventional atmosphere furnaces. The SECO/WARWICK vacuum furnace is used for the heat treatment of components of small and large-toothed gears, pinions and other car gears.
Recently, India’s corporation manufacturing feed machinery and the contractor for “turnkey” agricultural engineering projects has also placed an order for a Vector vacuum furnace with vertical insertion of loads. The device will be used in the production of ring dies and rollers for palletizing equipment. These are the parts used in many common large-dimensions agricultural machines.
This year’s customers of SECO/WARWICK India include a fastener manufacturer – Sundram Fasteners Limited – the company will receive a VECTOR® vacuum furnace from SECO/WARWICK. It will be used for manufacturing the highest-quality aviation bolts.
“It is a proven design fitted with an extensive pumping system. The round heating chamber with very good temperature distribution and an efficient and ergonomic pumping system, additionally expanded with a diffusion pump, will make it possible to obtain a high vacuum of approx. 10-4. With the powerful blower-based cooling system, the furnace ensures a maximum hardening pressure up to 15 bar abs. It is our flagship design, which has been proving itself in the aviation and automotive industries for years. So the selection of this technology, which ensures high quality of components, critical for this high-trust industry, comes with no surprise,” said Maciej Korecki, Vice-President Vacuum Furnace Segment, SECO/WARWICK Group.
