A History of Innovation in Metal Melting
In 1973, Jean Armabessaire, President of THERMCO, revolutionized the industry by delivering the first transportable, fully assembled, and ready-to-use iron removal furnace. This was a major innovation at a time when furnaces were built directly on site.
Faced with the first oil crisis, manufacturers had to rethink their technologies to reduce energy consumption. At the time, a furnace consuming 150 liters of fuel oil or the equivalent in gas was considered efficient.
Dross Engineering embraced this dynamic by developing ever more efficient furnaces, both in terms of consumption and melting speed. In 1990, the company revived an old technique to create an innovative prototype : the TRF (Tilting Rotary Furnace). This model combines the advantages of basin, hearth, and fixed-shaft rotary furnaces, while reducing—or even eliminating—the use of salt.
It was a resounding success. Today, the TRF has become a global standard, capable of melting almost any aluminum scrap, with or without salt, at a record energy consumption of 350 to 400 kWh per ton, four times less than in 1970, and with a melting speed three times higher.
This furnace has also established itself as the benchmark solution for lead melting.
By 2024, Dross Engineering had more than 150 TRF furnaces installed in 40 countries, confirming its role as a pioneer and leader in the innovative industrial furnace sector.
1973 : Creation of Thermco
2001 : Thermco becomes Dross Engineering
2023 : Dross Engineering joins the Aura Métal group
