Mapsa, a leading manufacturer of aluminum alloy wheel rims, has partnered with GHI Smart Furnaces to enhance its production capabilities. Mapsa has awarded GHI a €10 million contract to install two advanced heat treatment lines at their Orkoien plant. This investment is part of Mapsa’s broader strategy to invest €140 million by 2025, including expanding the Orkoien plant, building a second plant, and boosting R&D activities.
Expansion and Innovation
The new facilities aim to increase Mapsa’s production of high-quality wheel rims. By the end of 2016, the Orkoien plant’s output was 2.6 million wheel rims. With the new investment, the goal is to reach 3.5 million rims annually by 2019. This will be achieved through acquiring automated robotic machining cells, X-ray analysis equipment, helium and mass spectrometry technology for rim tightness, molten alloy sensors, automatic deburring stations, and a new melting tower.
Advanced Heat Treatment Lines
GHI’s advanced heat treatment lines are crucial for this expansion. The first line, valued at €5 million, is designed to solubilize, temper, and age wheel rims of various sizes. This innovative line includes furnaces, a tempering tank, and auxiliary machinery, making it the first of its kind in Spain. Developed with Navarre University, this equipment aims to secure funding from the Regional Government of Navarre for its R&D activities.
Enhanced Production Efficiency
The batch loads in the new heat treatment lines rest directly on the roller bed, eliminating the need to heat unprocessable materials like load baskets. This design enhances energy efficiency. Rollers are arranged on four levels for optimal use of furnace length, and the furnaces are placed at varying heights to maximize space utilization within the plant. The line’s design ensures high output, reliability, full traceability of batch loads, and uniformity of heat treatment stages. Additionally, it features full automation of the rim intake system and furnaces.
Future Plans
Mapsa’s ambitious expansion includes a new plant, constructed in modules to accommodate customer commitments and production increases. This project has a €100 million budget, with €30 million allocated for the first phase, expected to be operational by 2019. The entire plant is scheduled for completion by 2025, significantly boosting Mapsa’s production capacity and reinforcing its market position.
For more detailed information, check out Empresa XXI and learn more about GHI Smart Furnaces.
