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EQI Acquires Ferralloy, Expanding Thermal Capabilities

The EQI team is excited to announce that we’ve recently acquired Ferralloy, Inc., a leading global supplier of heat-resistant alloy products. Over the past few years, EQI expanded its heat treatment capabilities with the acquisition of Pro-Tech, a prominent supplier of metal products to the thermal processing industry. The addition of Ferralloy, Inc. to the EQI family increases the scale of capabilities and opportunities for Pro-Tech and Ferralloy Inc.’s current customer base.

Established in 1984, Ferralloy, Inc. is based in Cleveland, Ohio, and operates a manufacturing facility in Wuxi, China. When the company was founded, its focus was on heat-resistant alloy castings and fabrications used primarily in the thermal processing industry. In the years since, Feralloy Inc. has experienced substantial growth, expanding its offering to include closed die and rolled ring forgings, investment castings, machined bar stock components, and exotic, superalloys, and refractory alloys in all standard shapes and sizes.


Through commitment to process improvement, quality, and customer satisfaction, along with ISO 9001 certification, Ferralloy, Inc. has established a world-class customer base, including Caterpillar, Ford, Owens Corning, Mack, Whirlpool and more. It also provides a full spectrum of value-add services to meet customers needs, including engineering support, quality assurance, testing, and logistics and inventory management services.


We are confident that the acquisition of Ferralloy Inc., which will operate as a division of EQI, will enhance the company’s ability to deliver the highest level of quality and service to its customers. Their expertise and capabilities in thermal processing and their focus on quality will drive innovation at EQI and better equip us to deliver exceptional value to our customers.

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For more information about Ferralloy, Inc. please visit ferralloy.com. For additional details on how EQI’s new capabilities can assist you, please contact us below or give us a call at 616.850.2630.

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What’s the Best Metal for Your Casting Project?

EQI has been a leading supplier of metal castings for decades. Castings allow for the cost-effective creation of complex, three-dimensional parts to meet almost any application’s requirements. While all casting processes begin with molten metal, a variety of specialized molding processes are best suited to specific materials and part attributes.

Investment
Casting


Uses a wax pattern coated with a refractory material. Then, the wax is melted out and the mold is filled with molten metal.

Techniques:

  • Silica sol process
  • Combination process with silica sol – sodium silicate

Sand
Casting


Uses sand as the main mold material.

Techniques:

  • Vacuum process sand
  • Green sand casting
  • Resin-bonded air or gas set sand casting
  • Thermal set sand casting (shell molding)
  • Lost foam

Die casting / Permanent Mold /
Semi-Permanent Mold


Uses metal molds and high pressure to force the molten metal into a mold.

Techniques:

  • High-pressure casting
  • Low-pressure casting
  • Gravity pour casting

When selecting metal for a casting project, EQI will work with you to consider characteristics such as strength, hardness, machinability, corrosion resistance, and cost. With these factors in mind, EQI offers a broad range of iron, steel, and aluminum castings across nearly every casting manufacturing process.

Iron


Grey Iron

Known for its color, which comes from the graphite flake structure that develops during the solidification process. Grey iron is a popular choice because it’s cost effective.

Qualities

  • Good machinability
  • Great damping capacity
  • Good thermal conductivity
Uses

  • Pump housings
  • Gears and valves
  • Hydraulic parts
  • Machinery bases

Ductile Iron (Nodular Iron)

A cast iron with spherical graphite structures in the metal that increase ductility and broaden the range of suitable applications. Stronger than grey iron, ductile iron can be alloyed to boost specific properties such as thermal resistance, strength, and elongation. Due to its high carbon content, ductile iron is a good candidate for various heat treatments to modify the microstructure and material properties further.

Qualities

  • High tensile strength
  • Superior ductility and improved impact resistance
  • Excellent wear resistance
Uses

  • Heavy-duty machinery components
  • Critical structural and load-bearing components
  • Hydraulic parts
  • Machine tooling
  • Fittings

Steel


Carbon and Alloy Steel

Steels can be tailored for many applications by selecting the appropriate carbon and alloy content. Heat treatment can provide a wide range of strength, ductility, and hardenability. Carbon steel is versatile and economical, making it ideal for general machine and structural applications. It can also be easily welded up to specific levels of carbon equivalence.

Qualities

  • High tensile strength
  • Great ductility
  • High machinability
Uses

  • Industrial equipment
  • Construction components
  • Machinery parts

Stainless Steel

A ferrous alloy that is highly resistant to oxidation and corrosion due to added chromium that forms a protective oxide layer. There are over sixty different grades of stainless steel, and unique compositions are regularly added to the spectrum.

Qualities

  • Corrosion resistance
  • High strength
  • Toughness
  • Excellent thermal resistance
  • Suitable in harsh environments (heat, cold, acidic) and hygiene applications
Uses

  • Chemical processing equipment
  • Pumps & valves
  • Impellers
  • Housings

Nickel-Based Alloys

These alloys are often deployed in extreme working environments. The nickel matrix and alloying additions perform exceptionally in high-temperature and corrosive applications, often in the thermal processing, chemical, and petroleum industries.

Qualities

  • Thermal resistance
  • Corrosion resistance
Uses

  • Industrial furnaces
  • Water treatment components
  • Marine parts
  • Chemical processing equipment

Aluminum Alloys

Aluminum alloys have a desirable strength-to-weight ratio, making them ideal for applications where weight is an issue.

Qualities

  • High strength-to-weight ratio
  • Good corrosion resistance
Uses

  • Transportation parts
  • Industrial components
  • Marine applications

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EQI is ready to help you determine which metal alloy best suits your needs. Get started with help from our metal casting experts.

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The Truth About Tariffs



Why EQI is uniquely positioned to handle any type of supply chain risk.

 

 

We’ve all heard the news about the tariffs, and many of you have come to us with concerns. How will these tariffs affect us? Where is the right place to do business?

Our answer to these questions is simple. Tariffs are just another type of supply chain disruption, and we at EQI are the most effective company in the world at mitigating risk for your metal components.

From the pandemic to environmental crises, government sanctions, and beyond, we have swiftly navigated every type of challenge you can imagine–including tariffs implemented by previous administrations.

We thoughtfully evaluate each customer’s challenges and create custom solutions, matching them with the best capabilities and partners for each project. To achieve this, we leverage our global manufacturing network, which empowers us to produce a diverse array of line-ready metal components that fulfill unique product needs.

 

 

 

Let’s take a look at a few more reasons why EQI is uniquely capable of mitigating risk:

  • Top-three global counterweight provider with years of experience managing risk.
  • A leadership team that brings decades of experience in production, procurement, logistics, supply chain management, and more.
  • Spent over 20 years developing an extensive supply chain in China and have maintained strong relationships with production partners there. China continues to produce high-quality, lower-cost products, even with the tariffs.
  • Developed strong partnerships with suppliers in India, Vietnam, and North America, doubling our capacity and enhancing our ability to swiftly source outside of China as needed.
  • Established global logistics and shipping partners. Other competitors in this market don’t have the same type of access to large-scale options. For example, EQI ships over 8,000 containers per year.
 

When you partner with EQI, you gain access to a comprehensive range of capabilities. We will expertly handle your shipping and logistics and offer value-added services such as coatings, warehouse and inventory management, machining, and assembly.

This extensive range of services simplifies supply chains and provides certainty, transparency, and resiliency in the face of any type of risk.

 

 

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Interested in learning more about our risk mitigation capabilities? Contact us today.

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Blog Article

Celebrating Our Wins in 2024

Thanks to our partners and the entire EQI team for all we’ve achieved in 2024.

 

At the close of every year, the EQI team takes time to celebrate the goals we’ve reached. We’ve had a lot to be thankful for in 2024. So let’s take a by-the-numbers look at everything we’ve accomplished with help from our customers, employees, and industry partners.



Increased outdoor warehouse storage space

 

Expanding Facilities

 

+5 acres

Of additional outdoor warehouse storage space in the US

+62,000 square feet

Of indoor warehouse and manufacturing space between the US and UK

+1

New location in Kentucky with increased storage and manufacturing

 
 



 
 

Extending Capabilities

 

Thermal processing capabilities

Acquired Pro-Tech, adding thermal processing components to our capabilities

Berea, Kentucky facilities

Added wet paint capability in Kentucky

Powdercoat line for extruded aluminum

Added powdercoat line for extruded aluminum

Casting and material sourcing

Added a sourcing location in Brazil

 
 



 
 

New location in Coimbatore, India
 
 
Growing our Team

Increased headcount to 357 employees

 
 
 

 

 

Shipping port

 

Making an Impact

 

+6,500

Containers shipped

268

Customers served

1st

Tradeshow booth at GIFA in Indonesia

 

 

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Case Studies

How EQI evolved into a center-of-gravity supplier for Hyster-Yale

For nearly two decades, EQI has been creating supply chain certainty for global companies. Since its inception in Spring Lake, MI, in 2004, EQI has become a leading provider of line-ready metal components. One of the most significant reasons for the company’s growth is the relationship it established with Hyster in 2006. Today, the company that’s now called Hyster-Yale partners with EQI to source components for a wide range of lift trucks and aftermarket parts.

 

Due to its extensive global network, EQI is the perfect partner for Hyster-Yale. The company has a strong international presence with manufacturing facilities and regional product development centers in the US, China, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, India, and Japan. EQI also has an extensive global network, with headquarters in the US, Canada, Vietnam, China, and India. In addition, EQI has 11 warehouses and finish painting locations across three continents and 30 customer fulfillment locations on six continents.

Because EQI sources products offshore, it’s well-equipped to be cost-competitive, meet quality requirements, store products near customers, and always have a team ready to serve. These capabilities were beneficial during the supply chain disruptions during the pandemic.

 

Solving Supply-Chain Challenges During the Pandemic

Over the past few years, COVID-19, unprecedented inflation, and material shortages have been incredibly disruptive for companies such as Hyster-Yale. Shortages across Tier 1,2 and 3 parts and components required significant changes in the company’s ordinarily steady supply chain. To address these challenges, Hyster-Yale turned to its core suppliers for help securing parts when and where they needed them.

As a key supplier for Hyster-Yale, EQI set the standard for overcoming supply chain challenges and meeting delivery dates in a crisis. First, EQI offered Hyster-Yale use of its freight forwarder, containers, and shipping contacts. EQI also found alternative sources for materials, mitigating risk by supplying parts that can be produced at multiple locations. 

For years, EQI has had multiple regional sources across China. So, when certain Chinese regions closed during the pandemic, EQI had other resources to turn to in China. EQI also became the first and largest customer of a foundry in India that produces cast iron counterweights. EQI’s strategic approach to sourcing materials in new regions set an industry precedent and helped them fulfill clients’ needs during the shutdown. 

 

Becoming a Center-of-Gravity Supplier

EQI has grown exponentially since 2004. Initially, the company focused on gray iron counterweights for forklift trucks and other large mobile equipment. Over the next decade, it entered new markets in construction, forestry, CNC machine tool manufacturing, and more. It’s also become a pivotal partner to several large-scale manufacturers by launching strategic initiatives to expand sourcing operations and offer value-added services.

For example, in late 2021, EQI acquired Industrial Paint Solutions in North Ireland, fueling EQI’s penetration in warehousing and finish painting services. The facility is also strategically close to Hyster-Yale’s plant in Ireland, allowing EQI to help them reduce working capital and warehouse production-ready parts according to Hyster-Yale’s line sequence and manufacturing schedule. EQI provides a similar value-added service in the US with a warehouse near Hyster-Yale’s largest manufacturing facility in Kentucky. The warehouse allows Hyster-Yale to keep fewer goods on hand while keeping line-ready components nearby. 

This is just the beginning of a long and successful partnership between EQI and Hyster-Yale. In the years ahead, the team at EQI will continue to uncover and solve problems for Hyster-Yale, helping them mitigate risk through tailored solutions, hassle-free logistics, and cost-effective quality. 

 
 

 

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Interested in streamlining your supply chain and enhancing your manufacturing process? Contact us today.

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