Problem: Nor-Cal Perlite, a producer of horticultural grade perlite located in Richmond, California, needed to increase their capacity but did not have the space available to install another furnace line.

Solution: Replace one of two existing furnaces with a high-efficiency Incon H-22 vertical furnace giving 50% more product with lower energy consumption and with furnace fall-out essentially eliminated.

Details: Nor-Cal was operating two VS-225-P furnaces at their Richmond, California location. They were faced with the need for increased capacity, but had limited room on the site for a third furnace line. Dennis Clarke, the owner of Nor-Cal, approached Incon with his problem.

"OUR PRODUCTION RATES INCREASED MORE THAN 50% WHILE THE INSTALLATION COST ONLY 30% THE COST OF A NEW LINE"

Incon suggested replacing one of the older furnaces with their latest model, the H-22, which incorporated many improvements in furnace design over the older furnace. The H-22 being 5 feet taller would require some modification of the ore feed elevator but most of the rest of the existing production line could be retained.

"INSTALLATION TOOK ONLY TWO DAYS."

The suggestion was implemented at a net cost that was about 30% of the cost of an entirely new line if there had been enough space to put the line in. Dennis Clarke was very pleased that the elapsed time from shutting down the old furnace to the startup of the new H-22 was only 2 days. The loss of needed production was minimized by the trouble-free installation.

"WE ARE VERY PLEASED. IN ADDITION TO THE NEEDED PRODUCTION, ALL OF OUR UNIT COSTS WENT DOWN."