Surface Combustion

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 14, 2005

Maumee, Ohio... Surface Combustion plays pivotal role in the global effort to control international weapons of mass destruction.

Surface Combustion has recently received a second contract to manufacture and deliver a metal parts furnace (MPF) system, as part of a second munitions destruction facility at the Shchuch’ye Chemical Weapons Destruction Facility (CWDF) in Western Siberia, Russia. The system will destroy thousands of tons of deadly chemical munitions from an old Soviet era Arsenal and complement a system which was delivered this past summer.

Acting on their government’s behalf, the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, Counter Proliferation And Arms Control Secretariat (CPAC) is the client. The United Kingdom and the Government of the Netherlands will provide funding for this project.

According to an October, 2002 article in the USA TODAY, “The facility is designed to wipe out one of the world’s most worrisome stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction: nearly 2 million artillery shells and missile warheads filled with deadly nerve gasses.” The plant will be located in Shchuch’ye (Southern Urals), just north of Kazakhstan. According to USA TODAY, “they are among the most portable, ready-made weapons of mass destruction a terrorist could obtain. Even the smallest shells, which fit in a briefcase, can kill 100,000 or more if set-off in a crowded city.”

This project is one of the largest undertakings, among a range of efforts by the United Kingdom, the United States, and many allies to help reduce the international risk posed by Russia’s chemical arsenal.

UK Government Minister Baroness Symons commented; "The international community faces immense challenges in tackling the legacy of cold war weapons of mass destruction left in the Former Soviet Union. The cold war WMD programs in the Former Soviet Union have created a significant non-proliferation and environmental threat to us all." The UK pledged $750m to the Global Partnership at the Kananaskis G8 Summit in 2002. Since then a wide portfolio of programs has been developed in Former Soviet Union countries. As President of the G8 in 2005, the UK intends to take forward the work of the Global Partnership under the theme of "Pledges to Progress", focusing on effective project implementation.

Surface Combustion completed the “engineering phase” of the project in early 2003 for the multiple units to be installed at the facility. The equipment consists of a sealed multi-chamber oscillating roller hearth furnace, automated conveyor system, and rich fume type afterburner and residence chamber for complete thermal destruction of system off gasses. To achieve this, gasses must reach temperatures over 2000ºF and be held for at least a half-second as they pass through the chamber. The system is fully automated and housed in an unmanned building where the entire process of decommissioning the chemical weapons takes place. Trays loaded one row wide and fixtured with 6,700 lbs of munitions bodies/warheads enter the furnace through an air lock chamber and the load is elevated to 1650ºF. The thermal process heats and volatilizes residual chemical agents on the metal munitions bodies and other bulk metal items.

In the completed engineering phase, a key requirement was that the project be executed in dual language. Surface was able to provide bilingual staff and support the requirement that all deliverables be provided in both Russian and English. Such capability coupled with Surface’s long history of work in waste disposal and significant engineering resources led to our selection for this critical project. Surface’s scope of work on the project includes all project management, procurement, fabrication, assembly, testing, shipment and commissioning of the systems.

As a proven leader in the heat treat furnace and associated equipment industry, Surface Combustion has 90 years of experience in designing and manufacturing of furnace and companion equipment for its customers’ processing needs.

Contact: Daniel E. Goodman; Vice President, Sales
Phone: (419) 891-7150; Fax: (419) 891-7151