Ajax Tocco Magnethermic and Mansfield Plumbing Products LLC report that a repair project that followed a fire at the plant in August 2002 was completed last September. Mansfield Plumbing Products, Perrysville, OH, supplies brass plumbing fixtures to manufacturers and suppliers around the world.
We were fortunate that everyone involved in the project was able to do excellent work under some very difficult conditions. Safety was our foremost concern, and our primary goal was that no one would be injured making the repairs. The project was completed in 13 months and involved eight contractors. There were no injuries.
Ajax Magnethermic was the manufacturer of the damaged furnace and power supply. We were called Ajax that morning, and by the next day they had technicians on site to inspect the damage.
Damages were severe, but we had support from Ajax to determine the loss estimate of the furnace and components. Then, another question came up: What type of furnace would we like to have in the foundry. Should we plan to repair our damaged induction furnace, or change to a coreless furnace? While we had hundreds of questions and choices, everyone at Mansfield agreed that the furnace had to be an Ajax Tocco Magnethermic unit. Ajax explained the options they had available, pros and cons of each furnace type, and worked with us to make an informed decision.
Mansfield Plumbing Products contracted Ajax to rebuild the furnace and inductor. The company also was contracted to build a replacement power-supply for the furnace. They were involved from the time of the fire until we were pouring again. They were able to mobilize all manufacturing, service, communication capabilities, and we consider them to have been a driving force in the project. Finally, Ajax Tocco Magnethermic Service Department was contracted to wire the power supply and furnace.
The restored furnace was put back into full service on September 15, 2003 —
a good day to go to work. -- Contributed by Jeff Gray, an electrical engineer with Mansfield Plumbing Products L.L.C.