Volkan Steels Powders Metal San. Tic ve Ltd. Şti. (V’Steels), a leading Turkish tool steels supplier based in Istanbul, has boosted its production capabilities with the installation of a new Nitrex nitriding/nitrocarburizing system. This addition aligns with V’Steels’ commitment to expanding its value-added heat treatment services, ensuring top-quality tool and stainless steels for customers seeking to enhance the performance and durability of their tooling.

The new Nitrex turnkey system, model NX-1015, features a 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) capacity, enabling V’Steels to perform advanced nitriding, nitrocarburizing, and post-oxidation treatments using Nitreg®, Nitreg®-C, and ONC® technologies. These advanced processes are essential for improving the wear resistance, fatigue strength, and overall durability of various tooling, including aluminum extrusion dies, die-casting dies, forging dies, and plastic injection molding dies, across diverse industries such as energy, petrochemistry, defense, and maritime.

As a first-time Nitrex customer, V’Steels selected the large-capacity batch furnace, NX series, for its proven performance and the expertise of Nitrex’s metallurgical and engineering teams. The NX-1015 not only matches V’Steels’ current production capacity but also offers room for future expansion, enabling the company to efficiently meet growing demands and enhance its service offerings. The system’s accelerated cooling feature reduces process times, leading to faster turnaround, increased productivity, and consistent, high-quality results.

“The decision to integrate a Nitrex system was influenced by the expertise of the V’Steels team, several members of whom have prior experience with Nitrex from their previous roles. Our strong relationship and the team’s deep understanding of Nitreg® technologies made this an easy choice,” said Utku Inan of BDI Metal, Nitrex Sales Representative in Türkiye. “We managed the installation and startup seamlessly, ensuring optimal performance from the start. V’Steels’ positive feedback underscores their satisfaction with both the Nitrex system and our comprehensive support.”

Marcin Stoklosa, Technical Sales Manager – EMEA region at Nitrex, added, “The integration of the Nitrex system will significantly enhance the performance and reliability of tool steels, resulting in longer-lasting and more efficient tooling for V’Steels’ customers. By utilizing Nitreg® technologies, V’Steels is set to offer finished tooling that endures longer under operational stress, translating into increased throughput and reduced downtime for their clients. This advanced treatment not only boosts tool durability but also improves operational value, giving V’Steels’ customer a competitive edge through superior tool steel quality and consistency.”

“Our heat treatment services, which began in 2023, have been strengthened by our recent investment in a Nitrex furnace. This enhancement allows us to comprehensively meet the heat treatment needs of our long-standing business partners in the tool steel industry, enabling them to achieve higher performance. We are grateful to the Nitrex team and BDI Metal for their support at every stage throughout this process,” said Belgin Mert, General Manager of V’Steels.

The order for the NX-1015 system was placed in October 2023, and production commenced in April 2024.