Alleima strengthens U.S. presence with new service center for high-temperature electrification applications

CONCORD, N.C., March 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Alleima's division Kanthal, a world-leading brand in industrial heating technology and resistance material, has inaugurated its new service center located in Concord, North Carolina. Producers of electronics, glass and steel are increasing their demand for new high-temperature heating solutions. To meet this increased demand, Kanthal has expanded its Globar® silicon carbide heating element manufacturing capacity in Concord. The heating elements enable electrification of heating processes of up to 2,950°F and can replace fossil fuel heating solutions. This enables customers to reduce CO2 emissions in their production and to make it more energy efficient, clean, safe and improve process control. The aim is to capture market growth with a local production footprint in the U.S. and support long-term product and application development.

Combustion emissions from the manufacturing sector accounts for 573 MMT (million metric ton), or 75 percent of the sectors' total emissions, according to the Congressional Budget Office (Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the Manufacturing Sector | Congressional Budget Office). By electrifying the heating processes, these emissions could be reduced significantly.

Kanthal, a global leader in sustainable industrial heating technology, is experiencing increasing demand for its Globar® silicon carbide heating elements, driven by a need for new high-temperature heating solutions and customers aiming to reduce their carbon emissions. These elements can replace fossil fuel solutions, making production more energy-efficient, cleaner, and safer. This transition also ensures better process control while reducing CO2 emissions. To meet the increased demand, Kanthal has a new service center that will improve service and enhance lead times for its customers in the U.S.

"We have served the U.S. market since the 1930s.  We are already supporting our customers from Concord with a broad portfolio, and adding Globar® to the mix allows us to leverage existing infrastructure. The opening of our Concord service center is the next step in strengthening our local presence in the region which is experiencing a surge in advanced manufacturing," says Robert Stål, President of Kanthal.

The service center is part of an investment of approximately 11 M USD that also includes expanding the company's main site for production of Globar® silicon carbide heating elements in Perth, Scotland, with an additional 19,000 square feet manufacturing area, as well as new equipment, a new layout, and additional warehouse. Both locations are now fully operational and will increase production capacity by approximately 40%.

The facility in Concord produces products like Metallic Heating Elements, Tubothal® Heating Elements, High-temperature Tubes and Fibrothal® Heating Elements. Until now, U.S. customers have been supplied Globar® Heating Elements from the main production site in Perth, Scotland.

"This is not just a new service center. We have implemented technology improvements in Concord that allow us to adapt product configurations based on customer furnace setups and order cycles. The result is a more responsive operation, faster to quote, faster to ship, and better aligned with U.S. customer needs," says Simon Lile, President Business Unit Heating Systems.

In 2022, Kanthal consolidated production from three U.S. locations into one large state-of-the-art manufacturing and distribution center in Concord, North Carolina, equipped with the latest technology to improve efficiency and lead times.

Kanthal's history in the U.S. 
In 1916, Hans von Kantzow discovered that iron with high aluminum content could withstand higher temperatures and provide greater resistance. During a 1925 business trip to the U.S., he visited Hoskins Manufacturing Company, which produced nichrome, and recognized the potential of his discovery. The patent for the iron-chrome-aluminum alloy, Kanthal®, was approved in 1926, and the company was founded in 1931. 

In 1935, sales manager Alfred Rapp went to the U.S. to market Kanthal® material, forming an agreement with Jelliff as their agent. Jelliff sold Kanthal's products for industrial applications and appliances, including car cigarette lighters for Ford.  

In the 1950s, Kanthal opened its first U.S. subsidiary and today the company sells its products both through direct sales and through agents. 

In 1994, Kanthal expanded its product portfolio by acquiring the Globar® trademark for silicon carbide (SiC) heating elements, from Carborundum, that began operations in Niagara Falls in 1895. Originally introduced in the 1930s, the Globar® brand has a long-standing reputation for high-performance solutions in extreme industrial environments. This acquisition significantly enhanced Kanthal's high-temperature heating capabilities, particularly for applications in glass, ceramics, and metal industries. 

In 1996, Kanthal acquired the Driver-Harris range from Harrison Alloys Inc., gaining essential knowledge in thermocouple alloy production and allowing Kanthal to expand its portfolio of resistance alloys. By the early 2000s, Kanthal had moved thermocouple alloy melting and hot rolling to Hallstahammar, Sweden, and established wire drawing and testing labs in Bethel, Connecticut. The expertise gained enabled Kanthal to produce alloys suitable for high-demand applications, including nuclear reactors, submarines, and jet engines. 

In 1997, Kanthal acquired H.P. Reid, a Palm Coast, Florida-based company renowned for its ultra-fine wire production capabilities. This acquisition enabled the production of wires as fine as 10 microns and allowed for specialized wire coatings, opening new opportunities in the medical, electronics, and automotive sectors. 

In 1998, Sandvik AB (Kanthal owner at the time) acquired California-based MRL Industries, a leading manufacturer of heating elements for diffusion and LPCVD furnaces for the electronics industry. It was later marketed as Sandvik Thermal Process and organized and rebranded under the Kanthal name in 2021.

In 2018, Custom Electric Manufacturing, a North American manufacturer of heating elements, was acquired. It was part of the Kanthal business unit, and in 2021 it was merged into the Kanthal brand. 

In 2020, Thermaltek, a manufacturer of high-temperature furnace systems and metallic heating elements headquartered in North Carolina, was acquired, and in 2021 it was merged into the Kanthal brand. 

Concord NC, North Carolina, U.S., March 19, 2026

Alleima AB (publ)

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About Alleima 
Alleima, is a global manufacturer of high value-added products in advanced stainless steels and special alloys as well as solutions for industrial heating. Based on long-term customer partnerships and leading materials technology, we develop products for the most demanding applications and industries. Our offering includes products like seamless steel tubes for the energy, chemical and aerospace industries, precision strip steel for white goods compressors, air conditioners and knife applications, based on more than 900 active alloy recipes. It also includes ultra-fine wires for medical and micro-electronic devices, industrial electric heating technology and coated strip steel for fuel cell technology for cars, trucks, and hydrogen production. Our fully integrated value chain, from R&D to end-product, ensures industry-leading technology, quality, sustainability, and circularity. Alleima, with headquarter in Sandviken, Sweden, had approximately 6,800 employees and revenues of about 19 billion SEK in about 80 countries in 2025. Alleima is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm under the ticker 'ALLEI'. Learn more at www.alleima.com

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