Power Supply Upgrade

19 February 2011

 

At present Leach & Thompson produce its various irons through Cupola melting and one electric induction furnace. The age of the Cupola and its use of vast amounts of coke have been a much talked about subject in managerial meetings over the years.

What would end its usage would be the addition of two more electric powered furnaces but what was lacking was an adequate power supply.

After extensive research carried out by MD Mick Milner into the logistics of the work necessary and also possible funding through the Carbon Trust work as now started on the project. An estimated £200,000 which includes the already purchased electric furnaces will be spent this year. The new substation and switch gear rooms are almost complete and the new substation will be in place by the end of this month. It is hoped that the electrical installation and commissioning of the new furnaces will be completed by late August 2011. The actual decommissioning of the Cupola probably will not be until sometime in 2012. When that date finally arrives, Keighley, a town associated with many Cupola foundries in the past, will lose its last working Cupola iron furnace.