A Brief History of Carolina Commercial Heat Treating, Inc.

The first of six Carolina Commercial Heat Treating, Inc. (CCHT) plants was opened in Fountain Inn, SC in 1968. The former parent, Hendershot & Smith, Inc. of Wickliffe, Ohio, started CCHT to address the growing demand for heat treating services in the Southeast. A second plant was opened in Reidsville, NC in 1971. Since then, four more divisions have either been built or purchased in the Southeast: Morristown, TN (1978), Conyers, GA (1994), Athens, AL (1997) and Arden, NC (1999).

CCHT has been a market leader in innovation and technology. In 1966 Gibraltar Steel Corporation of Buffalo, NY purchased the family-owned business. At the time Gibraltar was primarily a steel processor, slitting and rolling steel. After four more acquisitions of Midwest heat treaters, Gibraltar is currently the number two provider of heat treating services in the country, says a company spokesman.

CCHT currently operates more than 110 heat treating furnaces and continues to be an industry leader in the purchase and implementation of new equipment and technology. CCHT has been approved for QS 9000/ISO 9002, Q-101, Gulfstream and Boeing as well as many other industry and military certifications.

"Although all six CCHT plants offer a full range of heat treating services, each of our facilities has evolved as a leader in certain processes as a result of requirements within their respective marketing areas," said the company spokesman. The Athens, AL plant recently installed a 10-bar vacuum furnace, one of the largest of its kind south of Chicago. Called a "tool-treater", this furnace is designed to handle the fast quench of H13 and high-speed tool steels, primarily for the aerospace and die casting industry.

At the Arden, NC plant, a pair of automatic salt austempering lines greatly reduce distortion in high-carbon and spring steels parts, such as lawnmower blades. The Reidsville, NC plant operates four pit furnaces for nitriding and ferritic nitro-carburizing. The Fountain Inn, SC plant operates three continuous brazing furnaces, one of the largest commercial operations in the Southeast. The Conyers, GA facility excels in vacuum and induction hardening.

CCHT recently began installing and operating equipment and heat treat departments within its customers facilities. "Our first five-year contract for in-house heat treating was recently implemented and several more are being negotiated," said the company spokesman.

      For more information contact:
      Jeff White
      Carolina Commercial Heat Treating, Inc.
      PO Box 1049
      Reidsville, NC 27320
      800-627-8103
      Fax 336-342-5749
      www.ccht.com