"Hard Work Wins" is the motto of Ipsen International GmbH, the global market leader in heat-treatment furnaces and plants. The Ipsen Group of Companies has production sites in Europe, America and Asia at its disposal. Ms Barbara Schulz, Director & CEO, Ipsen Technologies Pvt Ltd, India, responded to the IPF Questionnaire for the Special Section on Furnaces. Excerpts:

Ipsen is known for heat treatment systems and equipment. What are the different types of activities the company is engaged in?

Ipsen is an international market leader in the field of heat treatment technology. Over the last six decades, Ipsen has built more than 50,000 installations worldwide comprising both atmosphere controlled and vacuum furnaces with related equipment. We have been in India since 1982 and are proud to have been the preferred choice of most top-line Indian industries since the start of our operations here.

Ipsen India has particularly strong references with the Indian automotive industry where most of the large OEMs are our customers. Our activities include batch and continuous type vacuum and atmosphere controlled heat treatment furnaces used for carburising, carbo-nitriding, nitrocarburising, nitriding, annealing, hardening and tempering of plain and alloy steel components to achieve desired mechanical and metallurgical properties.

Ipsen also carries out extensive R&D work in heat treatment technology and has a number of patented and registered processes to its credit, e.g., Supercarb?, Nitemper?, Avac?, SolNit?, Carb-O-Prof?, Vacu-Prof?, Ecoburn?, Hybridcarb?, etc - all of which are distinctive for their realisation of precision in process control or energy savings.

What are the different types of furnaces and technologies used in heat treatment?

Heat treatment is a vast subject with many different dimensions. Ipsen has a clear focus as of now only on iron and steel based components. Within this, our technology caters to hydrocarbon gas or liquid based atmosphere controlled heat treatment and on furnaces that do heat treatment under vacuum conditions. In atmosphere furnaces, the Ipsen range consists of Sealed Quench Furnaces, Pusher Furnaces, Rotary and Ring Hearth Furnaces, Endogas Generators, Washing Machines, Tempering and Preheating Furnaces, Nitempering Furnaces and Loading/Unloading Machines. Ipsen also makes mesh belt furnaces and special bainitising furnaces that combine atmosphere controlled heat treatment with salt bath type quenching to obtain specific microstructures that are demanded by today's advanced engines and gearboxes.

Ipsen continuously upgrades its technology to bring benefits to its customers. A strong focus on sustainability has resulted in development of technologies like the low NOx RECON-III? burners, Ecoburn? and Hybridcarb? gas recycling systems. Development of special sensors like K-Nit and HydroNit are underway to bring more precision to nitriding processes In the field of vacuum heat treatment, Ipsen has a wide range of vacuum hardening, carburising, and tempering furnaces with gas and oil quench options. In vacuum, Ipsen's Titan Vacuum Furnaces have revolutionised the industry by its compact, modular design and versatility at a most optimum price point. However, there are many other types of conventional heat treatment furnaces, e.g., pit type furnaces and salt bath heating for tool steels where Ipsen is not present.

What are the distinct advantages Ipsen offers vis-?-vis the competition?

Ipsen's design philosophy is robustness, automation, process control precision, ease of maintenance and an obsession with safety. A typical Ipsen product lasts longer and gives repeatable production at optimum running cost for a longer time and with less attention than comparable designs. Ipsen's automation levels also are state-of-the-art and we can install large capacity heat treatment plants with a wide variety of equipment running almost without any human supervision.

Ipsen also offers in-house developed expert systems that take the mystery out of heat treatment by assimilating a lifetime's worth of field experience into dedicated software. However, the success of any development is ultimately measured by the customers' experience. And this is where Ipsen scores...the customers' total experience is different when working with Ipsen. Whether it is the automatically repeated accuracy and precision of metallurgical results and surface finish, or the might of Ipsen's R&D working for the customers' benefit, or our service team that refuses to let go of a problem unless they solve it - we try to bring a different experience to the customer.

One important point to remember is that Ipsen operates in 34 countries with 7 manufacturing locations in 5 countries. Three of these are in Asia - in China, Japan, and India. This multi-cultural edge is a big advantage because we can draw upon the experience of sister companies at any time.

What is the nature of Ipsen's operations in India today? Is it a joint venture or subsidiary?

Ipsen operates in India under the name and style of Ipsen Technologies Pvt Ltd. This is a 100% owned subsidiary of Ipsen International GmbH, Germany.

Are all these products manufactured or is there any assembly of imported machinery or CKD kits?

100% of atmosphere controlled furnaces and related products are manufactured in India based on proprietary designs, drawings and specifications of Ipsen International, Germany. Vacuum furnaces are at this time sourced from our group plants in USA or Germany.

What are the company's achievements?

In the 30 plus years of its operations in India, Ipsen has become the preferred choice of most top-line Indian automotive manufacturers who have made investments in heat treatment - particularly in the 2-wheeler and commercial vehicle segments and their component vendors. Ipsen is also proud of the fact that our customers keep coming back - we have a great track record of repeat orders.

Any breakthrough product launch that made a difference?

Our industry does not have game changing breakthrough launches, typically. There is usually a gestation period between a technology or product's development and its final state, during which it goes through prototype and field trials. After that it is exposed to the market.

The speed at which it brings in orders depends a lot on perceived benefits and the pricing. Having said that, however, there are some products that have made a difference in the market - e.g., Ipsen's Nitemper/Nitriding furnace which avoids the traditional retort...we are seeing exponential number of enquiries for this product. Similarly, there are technologies that Ipsen is working on, which are sure to make a difference in the market in terms of distinguishing Ipsen from the rest.

How strong/effective is the after sales service?

In our industry, a company is made or broken because of its after-sales service infrastructure - both in terms of qualified engineers and technicians to the pricing and availability of spares. At Ipsen, worldwide, this is a conscious focus and a big strength. We have engineers trained in Europe, China and USA to service our equipment and most of them have been with us for many years. This continuity is very important. We have a continual focus on the improvement of our service delivery and always have one or more projects running towards this end.

How is the present business environment?

Most see it as a recession. At Ipsen we see it as a big opportunity. When business sentiments are insecure, or say when planning horizons are very short because of unpredictable economic scenario, that is the time when discerning buyers need Ipsen. Ipsen can provide them with solutions that are cost effective with quick ROI. Ipsen can provide existing customers with excellent maintenance services so that they tide over these times. All in all - yes these are difficult times because the market is insecure, but we will still grow.

What are the future plans?

More integration of the Ipsen India operations into the international group level. In particular, we are looking at playing a bigger role in product development and international initiatives towards a more coordinated role of Ipsen group companies. In India we want to become a major player in the vacuum and continuous furnace segments, with expansion into South East Asian markets a major focus area.