EuroWire March 2018

Corporate News

OVAKO has introduced an innovative steel family that it says challenges traditional steel categorisations – Hybrid Steel. It offers properties of tool steel, maraging steel and stainless steel, combined with the production economy of engineering steel. It is set to enable customers to achieve enhanced performance and help reduce production costs. “We are convinced that our hybrid steel is a groundbreaking innovation for the steel industry,” said Marcus Hedblom, president and CEO at Ovako. Because Hybrid Steel develops its full properties though heat treatment at temperatures that cause a very low distortion, manufacturers will be able to adopt new, more efficient processes that eliminate a number of stages. For example, a component might be machined to its final dimensions in a softer condition and then heat treated to achieve its full strength, a route that could offer a significant reduction in manufacturing cost and complexity. Hybrid Steel takes its name from the simultaneous hardening by both carbides and intermetallic precipitations. ”In this hybrid steel you combine both mechanisms and indeed the properties are very good, and in particular the material maintains them at elevated temperatures,” said John Ågren, professor in physical metallurgy at the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. The development of Hybrid Steel has been carried out at Ovako’s R&D facilities in Hofors, Sweden. Prototype test programmes are already underway with a number of component manufacturers. Ovako AB – Sweden Website : www.ovako.com Ovako introduces Hybrid Steel®, redefining steel design possibilities Death of former Teknor Apex vice president Dr Robert S (Bob) Brookman, a leading figure in the vinyl compounding industry whose career spanned more than 50 years, has died at the age of 83. Most recently he was vice president of business development and a member of the senior management team at Teknor Apex Company. Dr Brookman joined Teknor Apex in 1998 after holding executive positions with other compounding companies, chiefly focusing on vinyl technology. He had been in charge of the company’s vinyl and chemicals businesses before retiring in 2011. He continued to serve Teknor Apex as a consultant.

Teknor Apex – USA Website : www.teknorapex.com

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March 2018