Braskem Idesa awards Alfran with a performance result of 100% in the third quarter of 2020. One more time, we are recognized for our performance in the works related to refractories and thermal insulation, that we have been installing in the petrochemical installation, located in southeast Mexico.
This summer, we told you in a post about theoretical-practical workshops that had been held in Colombia.
In line with our commitment to ongoing training for clients, another series of sessions have been organized during the month of September. On this occasion, the sessions were held in Spain, with participants from different countries.
There were four days in which there was both theoretical and practical training. It began with a guided tour of the factory, to know the manufacturing equipment and sacking of materials. Additionally, the participants learnt about the manufacturing process for precast shapes.
After visiting the factory, the participants were also able to visit our laboratory, where they were explained some of the quality tests and the characterization of concretes, which we carried out in Alfran.
Following the dynamics of previous workshops, the participants had the opportunity to mix, vibrate, shoot and project via shotcrete, with their own hands, the different materials on a test panel.
Some of the subjetcs covered during these four days were the following:
Of the training sessions, it is worth noting the commitment of the different collaborators. Multinational teamwork, Alfran Mode.
The WRA (World Refractory Association) has uploaded a video explaining the importance of refractory materials in our day to day. It is a very illustrative video for those people who do not know the strategic aspects of this sector.
Let’s take the example of a car: it is made with steel, copper, glass, aluminum and plastics, among others. These materials are manufactured at very high temperatures. For example, iron is melted in an oven and transformed into steel by processes that reach 2,000 °C. In order that the walls of the furnace are not affected by these temperatures, they have a coating of refractory material. In the same way, these coatings are also used for the manufacture of glass, copper, aluminum and plastics.
It starts from diverse raw materials of alumina or magnesia base that are baked in special ovens up to 1,800ºC, and this process makes the refractory properties appear. The refractory material can be supplied as non-conformed or shaped.
The refractory material is transported and installed in the facilities of our customers. For the installation, a specialized refractory company is required.
The life time of the coatings usually depends on the industry, since they work at different temperatures. In the steel industry, the material usually lasts from a few hours to a few weeks, while in the glass industry it can last up to 10 years.
Once the coating has worn out, it is removed and recycled when possible.
The refractory industry covers the entire cycle, from the extraction of raw materials, to recycling.
Visit the WRA website (World Refractory Association) by clicking here.
To combat the risks of accidents and damage to health, the application of technical and organizational measures is a priority. These measures are designed to eliminate risks at source or to protect workers through collective protection provisions.
When these measures are not enough, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is imposed. The PPE act fundamentally reducing the consequences derived from the materialization of the risk. The protective efficacy will depend on the adequacy of the individual protection equipment at the pre-existing levels of risk.
The correct selection and use of the appropriate PPE will minimize the consequences and damages should the risk materialize. Therefore, the mandatory use of them is of vital importance.
With the aim of raising awareness among all employees towards active behavior in the prevention of occupational hazards and advancing their integration at all levels, different Awareness Campaigns will be carried out during 2019.
For this, maximum involvement and collaboration is necessary, highlighting the members of the Health and Safety Committee, Delegates and Prevention Technicians, Intermediate Managers and Project Managers.
The Management and Prevention Department request the involvement of all to achieve the proposed objectives.
Within the power generation industry, Alfran offers detailed engineering solutions for refractory materials supply, installation and drying for biomass boilers.
From Alfran´s Technical, Operations and Sales Departments and with the support of another company of the Group, Intec-Heat, for the drying of the refractory, we provide turnkey solutions.
Our dense refractory castables, such as Tix 35 SiC or Cast 35 SiC, as well as the insulating refractory castable, Alfran Lite 10/14, are ideal for these biomass boilers.
We are available to our customers to offer, as we have done for over 100 years, our Industrial High Temperature Solutions.
At Alfran, we are proud to announce the opening of our new integrated refractory castables manufacturing plant in Perundurai, located in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. This facility will be our third integrated plant worldwide, joining our existing plants in Spain and Mexico, further strengthening our production capacity to meet growing international demand.
This strategic milestone marks a key step in our global expansion, reinforcing our commitment to innovation and proximity to our customers in the Asian market by providing high-value solutions and optimizing operational efficiency.
With significant production capacity, this new facility will not only reduce response times and improve logistical efficiency for our regional customers but also become a key pillar in strengthening our presence in Asia and enhancing our global competitiveness.
The Perundurai plant has been designed according to strict European environmental standards. In addition, this project contributes to the economic development of the region by generating direct and indirect employment, as well as technical training of local workers by our EMEA experts.
At Alfran, we are committed to sustainable growth, innovation, and excellence in all our projects, consolidating our global leadership and strengthening our ability to deliver high-quality, innovative solutions to customers worldwide.
We would like to thank ABC de Sevilla for the interview with our Executive President, José María Domínguez, where he shares details about this important milestone.
Read the full interview on ABC de Sevilla: https://www.abc.es/sevilla/
Since 2007, Refractarios Alfran has been the main player in both the refractory materials supply and installation at Votorantim Cimentos plants, in southern Spain.
Alfran has been the company chosen thanks to its knowledge of the facilities, the quality of its materials and our qualified personnel, mastering all installation methods and knowing perfectly the material requirements in each area, in the different maintenance shutdowns carried out at its plants in Cordoba and Niebla (Huelva).
We must highlight that castables such as ALFRAN CLEAN 85 G, ALFRAN ABR CLEAN, or DRYTECH 70 are commonly used in these cement plants, with exceptional performances.
The National Association of Manufacturers of Refractory Products, Materials an Related Services (ANFRE) held in Seville, between March 11 and 14, the II Edition of Refractories Engineering Course.
It is a course taught by and for members of ANFRE that aims to train new generations of employees.
The course combines theoretical and practical training to obtain a global vision of the sector. In addition, the participants had the opportunity to visit both Siderúrgica Sevillana and our Alfran plant in Seville.
The following topics are found in the content of this course:
From Alfran, we want to thank the entire Association for the organization of these courses.
alfran® as a company with Corporate Social Responsibility has decided to fight to convert its workplace, gradually and starting with our headquarters in Spain, into “Smoke-Free” sites for the health of our employees and their families. This measure will apply to both enclosed and open places.
