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8
N
ovember
2011
www.read-tpt.com›
I
ndustry
N
ews
MST Seamless Tube & Pipe invests in
manufacturing operations by adding $4.5mn line
MST Seamless Tube & Pipe is investing
in its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility
by adding a quench and temper heat treat
line to better serve customers. MST has
produced quenched-and-tempered products
for many years, but bringing the process in-
house will result in significant efficiencies
and more control of product quality.
“Adding the quench and temper line
gives us better control over the entire
process from order entry to truckload
delivery,” said Ted Fairley, vice-president
of sales and marketing.
To quench and temper products, material
is heated to a uniform temperature above the
transformation range then quenched with a
liquid to achieve a high level of hardness. The
material is then tempered as the final step
in the heat treating process. MST’s custom
designed and built line will provide water
quenching and will enable better controls of
mechanical properties of the finishedmaterial.
The $4.5mn capital expenditure will create
cost efficiencies for the quench and temper
process and enable MST to improve upon
its already stellar delivery performance.
Michigan-based MST maintains a steady
98%+ on-time shipping performance each
month and is committed to providing the
exceptional service and products that are
highly regarded worldwide.
“The quench and temper line gives us
the ability to serve our customers better
because we can provide even quicker
response and delivery,” said Les Whitver,
vice-president of operations. Bringing the
process in-house allows for quick change
over from order to order, reduced lead times
and the ability to react to emergency repair
situations more quickly.
MST will purchase the new heat treat
line from Thermatool, a worldwide leader in
quench and temper lines. It will be built to
cover MST’s full range of products, including
size ranges from 0.75" OD to 5.00" OD and
a variety of grades including several carbon
grades, chrome moly grades and other high
chrome grades such as 9 chrome and 13
chrome. MST anticipates the new line to
be fully operational by late spring of 2012.
There is a 10,000# minimum order required
for heat treated product.
For over 80 years, MST Seamless
Tube & Pipe has been the leading
manufacturer of carbon and alloy seamless
cold-drawn pipe and tube for a variety of
industry applications, including aircraft
and aerospace; mining and construction;
automotive; and agriculture. Located in a
suburb of Detroit, the company operates
a 320,000ft
2
manufacturing facility on 60
acres in South Lyon, Michigan, where
every pipe and tube meets today’s world-
class, global standards. Because of its size
and capabilities, MST can be extremely
flexible and provide fast set up and quick
turnaround on all orders whether they’re
large or small. MST is owned by Optima
Acquisitions in Miami.
MST Seamless Tube & Pipe
– USA
Website:
www.mstube.com