Chinese Furnaces is the sole UK distribution agent for Saftherm Furnaces, supplying everything from 1-litre benchtop units to fully automated production furnaces, alongside purchasing, warranty, and heat-treatment advisory support. The company works with universities and research labs developing new materials, as well as manufacturers scaling those processes into production, offering equipment roughly 50% cheaper than European alternatives without compromising quality.
We spoke with Rob Wilcox, Director of Chinese Furnaces Ltd, about rising demand from UK aerospace and energy sectors, and how the company matches furnace design to each customer’s process rather than the other way around.
A brief description of the company and its activities.
Rob Wilcox: Chinese Furnaces Ltd are a sole distribution agent for Saftherm Furnaces of China, currently in the UK only. We don’t simply sell furnaces, we take care of the purchasing, delivery, warranty and service. We also provide advice on heat treatment and atmospheres.
What are the main areas of activity of the company?
R.W: We work with universities and material research facilities to supply the equipment for their trials and development. We also work with manufacturers to upscale the process into production.
What’s the news about new products/services?
R.W: We enable UK companies and institutions to access the new technology and incredible value from China. Unlike other companies, we assist in choosing the right furnace from the beginning and continue that support through to day-to-day processing. Furnaces are now running at higher temperatures and collecting more data than ever before to enable the development of the exciting range of new materials.
What are the ranges of products/services?
R.W: We supply small 1 litre capacity bench top furnaces to fully automatic production facilities. We work with Saftherm to modify and manufacture a furnace for specific requirements beyond our range of standard equipment. We are approximately 50% less expensive than any European furnace manufacturer, but without compromising quality or service.
What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
R.W: We have seen a huge shift in the manufacturing sector in Europe over the last 5-10 years. Large companies have moved their manufacturing sites to low-cost bases to compete and take advantage of new emerging technology. Like it or not, having the same government for the last 70 years has enabled China to develop an amazing growth strategy, that the West simply cannot compete with at this time.
European universities and research laboratories are at the forefront of innovation, continuing to develop energy technology and materials that can withstand incredible applications. It is crucial that we support this work with the equipment required for advancement.
What can you tell us about market trends?
R.W: Global conflict has woken many governments up to the fact that in order for individual countries to be self-sufficient, massive investment is needed to ensure that energy, food and infrastructure is under their control. So, we see that the trend will be that the West will continue to spend, sadly, on defense, but also on more local facilities.
What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
R.W: Historically, furnace manufacturers made a range of standard products and their customers would try and process their heat treatment to maximise the throughput using those furnaces. We approach this from the other way; we look at what our customers are trying to do and manufacture a furnace to suit the needs of the process! It’s all about efficiency and having a furnace that is flexible enough to allow experimentation in a controlled environment.
What estimations do you have for the second half of 2026?
R.W: As a new company, we have reacted to what we are seeing. What we are seeing in the UK is moving away from mass engineering production to Aerospace, energy and technical innovation. Our services and products have to reflect the requirements of these industries. Project budgets are under real strain, but taking advantage of Chinese technology and price while getting local support, is a real win-win situation and we are ready to take up the challenge.
