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About Us
Making bright ideas brilliant. Harper International is a global leader in complete thermal processing solutions, as well as technical services essential for the production of advanced materials. From concept to commercialization, from research scale to full production line operations, Harper is perpetually on the cutting edge. Since our founding in 1924, we have pioneered some of the world’s most innovative, customized systems, with a focus on processing materials at high temperatures and in non-ambient atmospheres. Harper’s value proposition is unequaled — decades of industry experience, a highly specialized, multi-talented group of employees, and a passion for partnership. We don’t shoehorn a standard line of products to fit our customers’ requirements. We specialize in first-of-a-kind solutions using our exceptional depth and breadth of knowledge. Harper’s culture is one of genuine ingenuity and creativity, which ensures we are constantly challenging ourselves to craft the best-engineered technology solution for our customers’ unique thermal processing needs. Our Brand “Spark the Future”. Harper has a unique ability to turn our customers’ spark of an idea into reality. We do this through exceptional partnerships and a forward-thinking philosophy to deliver the most innovative thermal processing system possible. Our logo, tagline and accompanying imagery help to visually…
News and Events
Careers
At Harper, our core strength is the combined knowledge and effort of our unique and multi-talented employees, creating an authentic environment of innovation and collaboration. From engineering to accounting, marketing to manufacturing, Harper’s employees are challenged to think differently every day. This culture has enabled us to evolve into one of the world’s leading providers of cutting-edge thermal processing solutions for advanced material development. As an ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) company, Harper truly puts the future of the business in the hands of our employees, as every employee is a part owner. Our ESOP is essentially a company funded retirement plan that is uniquely tailored to motivate and reward employees for meeting strategic goals and objectives. Being part of an ESOP is a distinctive opportunity to truly see the fruits of your labor as the company achieves higher productivity and growth, and, in turn, greater employee satisfaction and compensation. Harper International believes strongly in the value of a diverse workforce. We have made a commitment to equal employment opportunity through a positive and continuing Affirmative Action Program. We recruit, hire, train and promote without regard race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally…
Harper Happenings
January 11, 2012 Industrial Processing GlobalSpec Online Exhibitor January 24-25, 2012 ICACC Daytona Beach, FL Booth #103 February 26-March 1, 2012 MCARE Clearwater, FL Gold Sponsor November 7-9, 2012 JEC AmericasBoston, MAStand A14
History of Harper
Harper traces its history back to John L. Harper, who patented and built the first electric kilns and furnaces in 1906 and established Harper Electric Furnace Company in 1924. At that time, Harper saw an opportunity with materials processing companies who operated combustion-heated furnaces that were incapable of providing the controlled atmosphere required to process advanced new materials. Determined to find a solution, a young engineer and an electric company executive conceived a better heating method – an electric-resistance-heated furnace capable of meeting the stringent new process requirements. The Harper Electric Furnace Corporation was born. Offering precise control of atmosphere and temperature, Harper furnaces quickly became a quality standard among materials processors and the forerunner of many innovations to come. Over the years, Harper has been a continued innovator of thermal processing solutions for the materials industry, including the first furnace to process nuclear fuels in the 1940s and the first commercial graphite-element furnace-equipment capable of operating at far higher temperatures under precise atmospheric control. Harper was a early partner to the carbon fiber industry, providing systems in the 1970s at its inception. Today, Harper is a trusted leader in thermal processing solutions for the growing carbon fiber market, and is the only thermal systems provider in the…
Industry Partnerships
Contact Us
Harper International Corp. 100 West Drullard Ave Lancaster, NY 14086-1698 Phone: 716-684-7400 Fax: 716-684-7405 info@harperintl.com Sales Inquiries: Harper is focused on comprehensive thermal processing technologies and services for your unique needs, applying our innovative solutions for your success. To contact us directly, please complete the below information as an initial scope of your request. For customers outside of the USA, you may contact one of our international sales offices. A representative will be in touch shortly to discuss your requirements in more detail. [contact-form 1 "Contact form 1"]
International Partners
Capabilities & Services
With Harper, you will find a partner uniquely qualified to make your thermal process challenge a success. No one else offers an end-to-end service approach with an all-encompassing range of technology solutions, delivered by a passionate and exceptionally skilled staff. That’s why world-leading material technology companies, as well as cutting edge start-ups, depend on Harper for ingenious, first-of-a-kind systems. Harper’s philosophy is not only to deliver comprehensive systems with the latest technologies, resulting in distinctive solutions, but also to design features that ensure the most efficient and effective operations. Whether it’s optimized waste gas treatment, control systems with predictive maintenance, or energy efficiency techniques, Harper always has the complete solution in mind. Of course, saying we’re the partner for you doesn’t get the job done — we’re eager to prove it. Learn more… Ignite™ with Harper Check out our patents Meet some of Harper’s innovators Research Center & Piloting facilities Customer testimonials Customer support
Ignite® – Process Development Program
From Spark to Finish. Get to market faster and more efficiently with Harper’s Ignite™ process. Harper enables companies in the development of advanced materials, from the lab to full commercialization, helping make their innovations a reality. Utilizing our depth and breadth of experience in thermal processing, we partner with our customer to ensure success as they scale up their process operations. Feasibility and Testing Optimization of process parameters is critical prior to investment in thermal processing equipment to ensure capacity and quality requirements are achieved. At our Technology Research Center, customers utilize Harper’s systems and expertise in their process development and process optimization for use in commercial scale-up and for those systems with unique specifications. Harper also provides a variety of additional analytical services such as gas analysis (critical to ensuring compliance with environmental regulations) electron microscopy, XRD, BET, and other thermal and elemental analysis. Learn more – Research Center & Pilot Facility Engineering Studies Count on our extraordinarily experienced engineering staff to conduct in-depth studies to determine equipment requirements and help define process parameters for optimal plant design to assist with technical and business strategy and financial planning. Our vast capabilities in thermal processing engineering studies include, but are…
Pulse® – Service & Technical Support
Pulse® Service Programs
Pulse® Frequently Asked Questions
Beacon® – Energy Efficiency Program
Research & Pilot Facilities
Technology Research Center Let Harper help bring your next material innovation from spark to reality. Hundreds of companies have used our Technology Research Center for process development and process optimization as they work toward commercial scale-up or with systems requiring unique process specifications. Customers can utilize numerous on site thermal systems to gather data and fine tune their processes, with a focus on varying production rates, temperature regimes, processing times, atmosphere compositions, and flow rates, resulting in savings on the investment ultimately required for new thermal processing systems. Harper has a wide variety of thermal systems that can handle your process conditions. Additionally, we have the ability to make modifications to tailor the existing pilot equipment to specific customer process requirements. Our range of equipment on site includes – Batch or continuous furnaces Sizes from small kilns to large furnaces, with 3 temperature zones Furnace conditions from atmospheric to nitrogen or specialty gases, with temperatures up to 2000°C Harper also provides a variety of analytical services to help you monitor and better optimize your process. These include on-site facilities such as gas analysis (critical to ensuring compliance with environmental regulations) as well as off-site facilities such as electron microscopy, thermal…
Innovation – Patents in action
Innovation comes standard at Harper. With every first-of-a-kind system we provide to our customers, we apply our years of experience, breadth of expertise, and expansive toolset in thermal processing, as demonstrated with our numerous technology patents. Learn below about just a few of the inventive solutions we have patented to bring the most precisely engineered designs to the market. Ideal Back-Mixed Flow – Riffle-Flights™ for Rotary Furnaces enable increased throughput by providing axial mixing for processing at a fixed average composition (continuous or batch), moderating exothermic reactions or, simply, continuous in-line mixing. Superior Sealing for Rotary Tubes – Provides lowest achievable atmosphere consumption. Seal purge rates reduced by 10-100X, ensuring purity of atmospheres and substantially improving product purity. Multi-flow Oxidation Ovens (Patent Pending) – Advanced Ovens with unique airflow distribution system with parallel, cross, and down airflow directions in a single oven. Uniformity specifications meet or exceed best-in-class for each flow regime. Multi-Axis Rotary Seal – Facilitates a gas-tight seal for atmospheric purity and separation, preventing interruption in production due to downtime and maintenance and helping ensure product quality. Specialized Purge Chamber – Devised for Slot Furnaces where ends are open, this design keeps atmospheric conditions inside the furnace pure,…
Innovation – People in action
At Harper, our core strength is the combined knowledge and effort of our unique and multi-talented employees, creating an authentic environment of innovation and collaboration. From engineering to accounting, marketing to manufacturing, Harper’s employees are challenged to think differently every day. Below are some of Harper’s own who are truly living our brand – passionate about the customer and pioneering new thermal technology solutions every day. “We’re exceptionally responsive to customers’ needs. In a moment’s notice, we’ve got people going out to all parts of the world, solving problems and addressing concerns.” Ronald Vacek Director of Project Management Learn more about Ron’s passion – Customer Support “We’re in markets for new materials, and you cannot assume that you can process them with the standard methods – you have to look for new ways to do it; you have to look for the next innovation.” Dr. Peter Witting Chief Engineer Read about how Peter’s idea turn into real Patents “You can know how something works. But to understand how it works is completely different. Not a lot of companies give you the opportunity to do that, and Harper is one of them.” Dr. Renee Bagwell Process and Technology Engineer Learn about what…
Client Testimonials
To be a trusted expert to our customers – this is a core element of Harper’s vision statement. The relationships that we form with our customers, based on confidence, collaboration, and mutual success, are what have made us one of the world’s foremost providers of thermal processing solutions for advanced materials. But don’t just take our word for it – read what real customers have to say about Harper… “Harper is very innovative. They have provided excellent, intuitive service, looking ahead into the future as to what we might need.” Timothy A. Dye Engineering Manager Toho Tenax America “Precise temperature controls, precise atmosphere controls and precise dwell times were mission critical. We knew there was only one company that we wanted to deal with, and that was Harper.” David Kautz CEO US Demil “The quality of the major equipment and design solutions reveal a very accurate care and a systematic approach to boost performance.” Jose Miguel Contreiras Commercial Manager / Board Member FISIPE
Customer Support
Furnace Technologies
Harper offers a variety of thermal processing solutions for customers in advanced materials markets, with thousands of installations worldwide from lab scale to complete production lines. Harper’s range of experience across different techniques, process methodologies and applications allows us to deliver unique solutions for every customer. Our experience in developing distinctive systems for every application covers calcination, graphitization, carburization, controlled oxidation, oxide reduction, purification, pyrolysis, drying, reduction, solid-solid reaction, gas-solid reaction, metalizing, debinding, and waste remediation. One thing you won’t see at Harper is a cookie cutter line of products that we work to fit into your requirements. We specialize in first-of-a-kind solutions using our exceptional depth and breadth of knowledge. Harper’s culture is one of real ingenuity and creativity – we are constantly challenging ourselves to craft the best-engineered technology solutions for our customers’ needs. Learn more… Furnace Technologies Oxidation Oven Technologies Complete Process Line Solutions
Which Furnace is Right for Me?
Microwave Heated Systems
Rotary Tube Furnaces
Rotary Furnace Solutions
HC Series™ Configurable Rotary
Pusher Tunnel Furnaces
Belt Conveyor Furnaces
Vertical Conveyor Furnaces
Fluid Bed Furnaces
Other Furnace Technologies
Pre-Owned Furnaces For Sale
Carbon Fiber Solutions
Slot Furnaces
Oxidation Ovens
Harper offers advanced Oxidation Oven technology to complement its industry-leading furnaces for carbon fiber processing. Our state-of-the-art oven designs available for tow-bands from 300mm to greater than 4000mm. Harper’s designs incorporate a multitude of improvements beyond what’s available on the market today. Some of these designs impr
