Mincon Group plc, the Irish engineering group specialising in the design, manufacture, and servicing of hard-rock drilling consumables has added a state-of-the-art heat-treatment facility to its USA plant in Benton, Illinois. This latest addition forms part of the group’s global expansion, which has seen it investing heavily in R&D and manufacturing facilities to meet global demand.

The heat-treatment facility, made by USA-based manufacturer AFC Holcroft, consists of a large furnace capable of handling 2,700kg (6,000 lbs) per load along with a tempering furnace. The US$2.5-million project took 18 months to be completed, and now that it is operational it will play its part in helping Mincon Group double its production volumes.

The new facility will ensure consistency in the quality of drill bits produced at the Benton plant. The key to the durability and reliability of Mincon’s products are proprietary heat-treatment processes that greatly enhance the wear properties of the components’ metal surfaces. These processes were pioneered and have been perfected over three decades at the in-house heat-treatment facilities at Mincon Group’s headquarters in Shannon, Ireland.

Mike Jones, Benton Plant Manager, Mincon USA, said:

“We are excited by the possibilities presented by the addition of this key piece of equipment. In addition to ensuring our USA plant produces superior quality drill bits, running our own facilities also shortens manufacturing cycle times and introduces flexibility when compared to using an outsourced heat-treatment solution”.

Along with world-class DTH drill bits and hammers, Mincon also offers a full range of drill string consumables for a variety of applications, including mining, exploration, water well, geothermal, construction, horizontal directional drilling, oil-gas and energy. Contact a Mincon representative in your region for expert consultation on a complete drilling solution for your needs.