MAUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY INSIGHTS | Allstates Refractory Contractors has created a niche of its own in the refractory market by providing necessary services, rebuild, repair, emergency services, and refractory materials.

It’s a no-brainer that refractory services are instrumental in bringing out the maximum operating potential of high-heat equipment like melting and heat-treating furnaces, incinerators, environmental burn off ovens, and others used in power plants and petrochemical settings. However, most refractory contractors’ services are specific and would not fit every client’s bill perfectly. For instance, a recession in the automotive industry tends to adversely impact its supplier’s refractory contractor, both operationally and financially. Also, refractory services have to be availed in a way that results in minimal downtime, which can be a challenging feat to achieve for the players in certain industries. As such, they need a contractor who can work closely with them and be proactive with respect to refractory services’ decision making. The COVID-19 pandemic has also resulted in the shortage of refractory materials in the market. The lack of skilled refractory workers is another issue. Overcoming and working around these issues, to ultimately serve their clients better, is Allstates Refractory Contractors (ARC.)

When it was established in 1995, ARC provided metals manufacturers with refractory lining solutions. Under the leadership of its current president, David Boothe, the company diversified its portfolio to the glass industry and petrochemical industry as well. Today, ARC has created a niche of its own in the refractory market by providing necessary services, rebuild, repair, emergency services, and refractory materials.

ARC’s refractory services have helped companies, both new and old, in improving their output and achieving the maximum operating potential of their refractory lined equipment.

ARC positions itself as a partner rather than solely a service provider to its clients and strives to determine the exact issues with customers’ equipment and fix them within a stated schedule and budget without compromising a safe work environment.

ARC’s client approach/onboarding process usually entails a face-to-face meeting where its representatives inspect the unit for repair/rebuild/reline and learn the schedule for the client’s downtime availability. They probe their client’s facility and sometimes request photographs of the particular areas of the units that the client wants to fix. Based on this information, the company decides what needs to be done to complete the unit’s treatment as soon as possible. To ensure that it has plenty of time to complete the work, ARC requests/advises its clients to pre-plan their downtime well in advance to ensure proper repair work in minimum prescribed time. Over the years, ARC’s ‘partnership’ approach has enabled it to gain a large repeat clientele and an admirable reputation in the market.

ARC’s refractory services have helped companies, both new and old, in improving their output and achieving the maximum operating potential of their refractory lined equipment. Boothe describes the instance of one of ARC’s new clients who had a large heat treatment oven, the door of which was 10 x 10 feet. The oven’s constant use brought the door to the point where it needed to be relined, and it also had a few structural issues. The company sent a representative to the client’s location and had pictures and measurements of the door taken. ARC then received the help of the maintenance manager, who was well versed in the oven’s operation process. With the manager’s help, the company laid out a repair scenario where it planned the minimum work it needed to do to turn the oven back on and get it operational. ARC’s relining approach included finding the root of the hidden problem in the oven’s structural line-up. The repair team then devised a plan that addressed the entire operation. ARC completed the entire relining process at 40% of the cost of a competitive estimated budget.

With a history of several such success stories, ARC aims to improve its performance further and broaden the scope of its refractory services portfolio. The company also plans to hire potential additional talents to strengthen its management structure and build a team that can further improve its management capabilities.

This article was published in Manufacturing Technology Insights. Allstates Refractory Contractors is pleased to be recognized by Manufacturing Technology Insights and included in their 2020 listing of companies that are at the forefront of providing Heat Treating consulting / services and impacting the industry. To review our work, please visit our Glass, Metals, and Petrochemical news sections. To speak to someone about our Refractory Services, please Contact Us. If you enjoyed this article, please share it.