Castings Technology, a leading supplier of complex titanium castings based in the United Kingdom, has chosen a VAR Consumable Caster by Retech, a SECO/WARWICK Group company. The furnace will be utilized for the casting of titanium ingots into ceramic molds, further improving the lead time of finished components.
Castings Technology is expanding its titanium casting capacity by partnering with SECO/WARWICK to install a new VAR-CC furnace at their upcoming 18,000 m² facility. Key project highlights:
/ Castings Technology is the UK’s only commercial titanium casting specialist.
/ A new VAR-CC furnace will boost production for the aerospace sector.
/ Titanium is valued for its high strength-to-weight ratio and durability.
/ The partnership builds on a long-standing technical relationship.
/ Castings Technology is relocating to a larger facility to meet demand.
Castings Technology is well acquainted with and appreciates SECO/WARWICK Group technology. It is the only commercial facility in the United Kingdom specializing in titanium castings and one of the few manufacturers in the world to melt and pour this specialist material for near net shape components.
“This is the second such machine specified by the team at Castings Technology whose technicians have worked for years on our equipment, including a similar Vacuum Consumable Caster furnace procured in 2014. This familiarity and previous technical cooperation have created a solid foundation for a formal partnership,” said Earl Good, Managing Director of RETECH, a SECO/WARWICK Group company, and Vice President of the Vacuum Metallurgy segment.
Titanium Titans
The delivery of the VAR-CC furnace to Castings Technology is linked to a significant increase in demand for titanium, especially from the aerospace sector, where backlogs have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Titanium offers designers a unique opportunity to create strong yet lightweight components, without compromise. The strength-to-weight ratio of titanium castings is impressive—comparable to steel, but with 45% less weight.
“Our innovative VAR-CC furnace will enhance production capacity and further complement their considerable experience in a demanding and reactive alloy. Near-net-shape titanium casting technology provides mechanical properties comparable to forged or wrought material, whilst increasing fatigue resistance. We are pleased that our Group can support Castings Technology’s rapid growth, and that solutions from the Retech and SECO/WARWICK brands will form the backbone of their newly established facility,” comments Sławomir Tomaszewski, Head of the Vacuum Melting Furnace Team, SECO/WARWICK.
Titanium, a transition metal with unique properties, is prized across many sectors for its strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance, including aerospace, motorsport, medical prosthetics, restorative dentistry and high-duty rotating equipment. For all these applications, SECO/WARWICK Group—an expert in titanium melting—also delivers world-leading vacuum heat treatment equipment.
“The delivery of the new VAR furnace will help us fulfil the growing needs of our exacting client base. Due to dynamic growth and significant constraints within our current facility, we are in the process of relocating to a new site of about 18,000 m² just a short distance away. The relocation is on plan, with a period of parallel operation continuing throughout 2026 to fully mitigate any risk to our clients’ programs. Full transition is expected prior to year-end, after the installation of all equipment, including Retech’s technologically advanced VAR furnace from the SECO/WARWICK Group,” says Richard Cook, Managing Director of Castings Technology.
