Fine-tuning furnace temperatures

With the help of a Kanthal success story in Japan, Sales Engineer Miran Kwon was able to show an industrial heating customer in South Korea that there are tried-and-tested benefits of electric solutions. Knowledge-sharing across Kanthal globally has proved to be hugely valuable in her work.

During her 20 years at Kanthal, Senior Sales Executive Miran has seen a definite shift in the dialogue with customers. “In the past, we only discussed the efficiency of the product itself, there was not so much a discussion about the environment and carbon footprints,” she says. “Since about four years ago, in part due to a government policy to reduce emission, this has become the main topic.”

In South Korea, Kanthal’s main markets are lithium-ion battery manufacturers and producers of electronics and displays. Miran gives technical support and system solutions suggestions also to subcontractors in those fields. Not only is she receiving more green enquiries than ever before, but the enquiries are also becoming increasingly complex.

“The semi-conductor industry is especially sensitive to this new policy for reducing the carbon footprint, which impacts some of our largest customers who produce memory chips for semi-conductors,” she says. “Kanthal’s role is to help them convert from gas or plasma furnaces, which are used to burn out toxic waste gases during the manufacturing process, and instead embark on electrification to protect the environment.”

To illustrate key benefits of electrification, Miran not only presents the figures – such as increased efficiency and better temperature control in the furnace – she also shares success stories from other Kanthal customers worldwide. “To respond to one enquiry, for example, I communicated with colleagues in Japan who had already supplied a system for a Japanese customer,” she says. “That system had been used for several years without any need for replacement, which proved that we have a good product with a good lifespan.”

At present, Kanthal engineers, researchers and technical sales are working harder than ever to get the temperatures as high as possible, which is crucial to certain clients. “Right now, I’m mainly in contact with subcontractors who build furnaces,” says Miran. “I’m still working on the design in order to bring the solution to a commercial scale.”