Expanite invited to speak at Schraubtec Stuttgart February 19, 2025
The SchraubTec conference is all about screw connections in industry. In practical lectures and the exhibition, you will strengthen your specialist knowledge and skills on this important topic.
Meet experts for screw connections, screw technology, screw tools as well as procurement, purchasing and management of C-parts. Get advice on current products and solutions for your screwing tasks.
We are proud to conclude that Expanite once again grew the business by a healthy two-digit figure – thanks to existing loyal customers and a solid portion of newcomers. We have expanded our presence in the market by attracting new colleagues, installing new equipment to increase capacity, and increase our product offering within more classic heat treatments.
Throughout the year, we ran more than 20 webinars with an astonishing +500 participants and exhibited at 5 tradeshows in Asia, Europe, and North America – while doing what we enjoy the most; servicing existing and new customers.
Looking ahead: Exciting plans for 2024
One of the biggest events for Expanite in 2024 will be further expansion of our production capacity – within our chain of Expanite service centers. More details will follow during the first months of 2024. We are planning to launch new products – with focus on surface hardening of stainless steel and more classic heat treatment products – all to extend the range of solutions that we offer to our customers.
Moreover, our work to document Expanite’s carbon and chemical footprint in accordance with international guidelines on sustainability is progressing, and we are planning to share our data during the first half of 2024. All with the purpose of staying transparent, and thereby build closer relationships and work together on today’s sustainability agenda.
Discover Expanite’s Surface Hardening Revolutionizing Medical Device Materials
Expanite’s nitrocarburizing process enhances the hardness and corrosion resistance of stainless steel, extending the lifespan of medical applications while ensuring patient safety and cost-effectiveness.
Stainless steel’s unique properties make it indispensable for devices exposed to liquids and tissues, but wear and corrosion have been persistent challenges. Expanite’s FDA-compliant process offers a breakthrough solution by deeply hardening both surface and underlying material, avoiding the pitfalls of traditional methods.
Read the full article to learn how we’re enhancing stainless steel performance improving wear and corrosion resistence.
Eco Friendly Surface Hardening Replaces Hard Chrome Coatings
In general, coating methods that can prevent corrosion tend to add material and are often inconsistent in terms of the thickness of the applied layer. This can result in material accumulations on flat structures or material thinning at corners and edges where protection is reduced.
A solution to the above-mentioned problems involving stainless steels is surface hardening. This is not a coating process but a diffusion-based surface hardening process. Expanite’s patented technology not only harden the outermost layer, but also hardens in the underlying material to a greater depth. In many cases, this also results in improved corrosion resistance.
Welcome to this summer edition of Expanite’s quarterly newsletter. With summer vacation closing in for many people – maybe it already started – it feels like a good time to recap on what has happened in the Expanite-sphere during the first six months of 2023.
As announced in the beginning of the year, we strengthened our finances significantly towards the end of 2022. Part of the reason for doing this was to create the fundament for expanding our geographical market reach and product offerings. So, we added new team members within product development incl. heat treatment and within sales – the latest additions, are introduced below. The effects of these investments will be visible in the coming months.
Another major initiative launched is relating to Expanite and sustainability. Since the foundation of our company, topics such removing aggressive chemicals in pre- and post-treatments, removing unnecessary transportation of parts, and offering clean & fast processing have been integrated parts of Expanite’s DNA. In the recent months we launched our new corporate identity and website, all to support these elements, and in the coming period we will intensify our communication and document how far Expanite is in supporting the global agenda of documenting and reducing our environmental impact.
If you haven’t already visited our new website, please do so at www.expanite.com where one of featured stories is how Expanite supports our customer Raméns Valves in converting to more sustainable solutions by replacing hard-chrome plating. Download the case story here.
Finally, just as a reminder – like previous years – Expanite is not closing treatment centers during the summer vacation period, so don’t hesitate to contact our customer service or sales staff in the coming weeks and months!
After months of hard work, we are excited to share with you that Expanite’s new website has been launched in English and German – check out www.expanite.com. We have redesigned the site to make it even easier for you to learn more about Expanite’s offerings within surface hardening and heat treatment of nickel-based alloys, stainless steel and titanium.
The aim has been to create a clean, modern design, making it easier for readers to navigate and find exactly what they are looking for – and thereby better present what Expanite stands for.
We invite you to visit the new site and explore all of its features and keep an eye out for more languages and improvements in the coming months. We would love to hear your feedback and suggestions, so please feel free to reach out to us with any comments or questions.
Year 2022 is coming to an end, yet another year where reality was beating fiction. Where 2021 was affected by the pandemic and its consequences, 2022 will without doubt for many of us be the year where two uninvited/unwanted guests returned: war on European soil and global inflation.
Albeit, for Expanite, 2022 was also the year where we and our partners installed new furnaces and thereby increased capacity in Germany, China, and the US. Expanite exhibited at more trade shows that ever before with CFIA in France, Anuga, Drinktec and Valve World in Germany, and Pack-Expo in the US – and thereby meeting many existing and new customers. Our organization grew with new highly skilled colleagues in Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and the US, and finally our popular webinars attracted more than 410 participants!
We’re proud to announce that Expanite has achieved the ISO 14001 certification.
ISO 14001 has become the international standard for designing and implementing an environmental management system. Companies that achieve the certification have proper procedures in place to measure, reduce and manage their environmental impact. Audited by TÜV Nord, one the world’s largest inspection, certification and testing organization, Expanite demonstrated that our environmental management system meets the requirements of ISO 14001.
Improving wear and galling on stainless steel components in hydrogen applications
Hydrogen – whether applied in shipping, steel production, refineries or power-to-x application – it has become the energy source of the future, yet already used in many sectors.
Due to its special properties, the hydrogen gas poses several technical challenges for the respective components with which it comes into contact, so that the use of corrosion-resistant stainless steel is essential. This in turn is susceptible to wear and galling and this is exactly where the technology of the Danish pioneer for surface hardening of stainless steel and titanium comes into play.
Welcome to Expanite’s first newsletter of 2022.
In our last newsletter from Q4 2021, we presented a story on how Expanite treatments are used for replacing or reinforcing DLC coatings, in this newsletter we will be talking about how our treatments are replacing fluoroplastic coatings such as Teflon® and Halar® – an underlining of the versatility of Expanite’s solutions.
We’re also happy to present yet another innovative product, where Expanite’s hardening technology for titanium made a difference and added significant value. Check-out the story on the world’s first solid-titanium fountain pen from Capillaris.
Finally, if you – or any of your colleagues, friends, or associates – haven’t already participated in an Expanite webinar, please don’t hesitate to join, new dates are now available. But also, for the first time in several years, Expanite is now exhibiting in the “real” world during 2022, starting out in France, then Germany, moving to the US, and returning to Germany towards the end of the year – we are so much looking forward to each of these events!!
From relocating to Denmark as a child to building a career without formal education but with endless curiosity and persistence, Pityu’s path is anything but ordinary.
Interview
First of all:What is your educational background, and how did you end up at Expanite?
I was born in Hungary, and my parents moved to Denmark when I was a kid. Moving to another country has strengthened my resilience and curiosity. As is probably true for many people, I have worked my way up. What may be different compared to others is that I have no formal education. All my life, I have been curious and wanted to learn new things. This has given me a tremendous insight not only in technologies, processes and people, but I have been fortunate to supplement my “on the job” training with many relevant courses. Looking back, I can safely say that I have always responded to new challenges with the view “I don’t know anything about it, so I am sure I can work it out”. I applied for and got the job as Production Operator at Expanite in 2018. I had been following Expanite for several years because I had worked with the CEO at Expanite, Thomas Sandholdt, when I was head of production at another company. During my first week here at Expanite, the head of production unexpectedly left for another opportunity, and I was asked to take over. We had one week to cover the handover process. This was a bit of a deep-water exercise for me, but I just looked at it and thought, “How difficult can it be?”
Even though I was completely new in the job, Expanite sent me to Germany to help the team there. This experience started a long relationship with our German colleagues. This is a part of my job I enjoy tremendously. And you may ask, why am I still at Expanite? It is the people, the team and the challenges. And the fact that no two days are the same. We have achieved a lot, we have developed a lot, and we continue to optimize, which I truly enjoy.
How would someone who knows you well describe you?
I am more temperamental at home than at Expanite. I hope my family says that I am easy to live with. I am the loyal type. And I am a family man. Even at 4 o’clock in the morning. I hope my colleagues think of me as a person seeking good compromises and involving others.
What’s a day in the life like for you at Expanite?
I arrive at Expanite early in the morning and meet with the production team. I quickly get an overview of what is going on thanks to Fenris, our digital production management platform. Following this, I met with Timo, our German Head of Production. All my days are different, but one thing is sure: I am always curious, and I am always “hands-on” if we have an issue.
What are some of the key technologies and tools you work with at Expanite?
My two main tools are Fenris and our ERP platform, E-conomic. As a member of the management team, I am constantly looking at how to optimise production costs, including reducing handling costs.
Have you noticed any interesting trends or projects within a specific industry?
The biggest achievement is that the production teams in Denmark and Germany are now one entity. We have a common view (thanks to Fenris), and it increases our utilization. Without a structure and a common understanding, you can’t manage, and you can’t optimize. Thanks to the structure, we can help our customers, we can deliver faster, and we ensure a consistent quality.
What are the latest trends or technologies either helping or disrupting our industry?
The future is digital. I know I have mentioned Fenris several times, but it is truly unique that we can manage everything through this platform. For the future, I am pretty sure new and improved analytics tools will emerge. Another opportunity is Heat Treatment with an even shorter turnaround time.
How does the production team at Expanite help our customers?
There is, of course, the actual surface hardening that ultimately makes our customers’ parts more durable and competitive. We in the production team make sure that all parts we receive are handled and processed correctly, and we often advise on protective packaging, ensuring that the parts are transported without scratches or other damage.
How does your work at Expanite impact the company’s overall goals and objectives?
I sincerely hope that what I do contributes to achieving our common goals. My main tasks are to deliver on time, on spec, on quality, using the right processes and the right resources. We are a growth company, and I appreciate that we are working towards a common goal.
What trends do you see in the industry, and how is Expanite preparing for the future?
Sustainability is a mega trend affecting us all. At home and at our jobs, we optimize the use of all resources (electricity, water, etc) and we, of course, sort all our waste (paper, packing, cardboard, etc). Our ISO 14001 is a natural part of this development and a part of our daily work life.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in a technical role at a company like Expanite?
First of all, I would wish them good luck and all the best. I would advise them to be honest, correct and polite. Share your experiences and be helpful. Be ready for changes and support the team. Then it can’t go wrong.
Can you share a memorable experience or accomplishment during your time at Expanite that stands out to you?
Working together and achieving something together is a great feeling. I truly feel that the German and Danish operational team is exactly that: one team. This makes me proud. Another thing that makes me proud is the number of times we reach our goals and deliver on time. That’s a great feeling.
About Expanite
Expanite offers state-of-the-art solutions for surface hardening treatment of stainless steels and titanium. With Expanite’s processes, it is possible to increase the material’s surface hardness tenfold while at the same time maintaining and even increasing its corrosion resistance. Expanite is a global organization with a combined development and production facility near Copenhagen, Denmark, and hardening capacity in both US, Germany, Korea and China. Expanite’s solutions are flexible and can be introduced directly into a customer’s own production line as part of a licensing arrangement. Learn more on www.expanite.com.
Thomas Strabo Hummelshøj, Co-founder and CTO of Expanite, innovator, and the driving force behind the company’s groundbreaking technologies and digital solutions.
Interview
Get to learn the man behind the Expanite technologies and learn how Expanite was born. Read Thomas’ take on why digitalization will play an even bigger role – also when it comes to surface hardening.
Why did you become an engineer?
I guess it is in my DNA. My grandmother worked with the Danish physicist and Nobel prize winner Niels Bohr. Both my parents were physicists. At the university, I studied mathematics and physics, but I quickly changed to DTU (the Technical University of Denmark) and studied technical physics. I wanted to do a PhD, and I met Professor Somers, who for ten years had been working with stainless steel. Professor Somers guided me to a PhD on how stainless steel performs when subjected to carbon. In this way, we discovered, how you can surface harden stainless steel. We founded Expanite as a spin-off from DTU, and like all start-ups, our first office was in the basement, where we had our desks and the oven for surface treatment in the same room. That says something about our low impact treatment solutions. Besides physics, I have studied Sports and taught at high schools for 10 years. I had not planned to start a company – it just happened to be a logical next step.
What is your current role and what are your main responsibilities?
In our first years, some people would call me Mr. Expanite. With our new management structure, our new board, and our strong investors, this doesn’t happen anymore. I have two important roles now: ensure that our engineers and technical team know at least as much as I do. My second role is the continuous development of our digital production platform (Fenris). The fact that we have this platform, and we can manage everything that happens in the ovens, is not only unique but also very powerful.
What is your current role and what are your main responsibilities?
I am a process specialist. I know a thing or two about heat treatment, I understand the processes, and my knowledge about metals doesn’t harm. And over the years, I have developed a strong network, that is always ready to help. I help our customers find the right solutions giving their parts the properties they want. And here at Expanite, I am deeply involved in our technology development program working closely with our technical team
How would someone living with you describe you?
The expression they would use is probably “ultimate”. I believe things must be done right.
What’s a day in the life like for you at Expanite?
My favorite day starts with a bike ride from my home to Expanite north of Copenhagen. I enjoy working with our skilled tech team, and I see my role as being their coach. When I get home in the evening, I would like to think that I have made a difference for the team, and that the team has made a difference for our customers and colleagues.
What are some of the key technologies and tools you work with at Expanite?
These days I work mainly with our proprietary software Fenris. I believe that software is the key to the future. With our software, we can continue to optimize our processes both in terms of the performance of the treated material and in terms of the environmental impact of our processes. I am now much more a physicist and a software guy than a materials man!
Can you describe a recent project you’ve worked on and your contributions to it?
I don’t want to go into specific projects. I would like to stress the power of our digital production platform. Previously, I would travel a lot, managing tests, new developments etc. Now, with our production platform, I can supervise and manage the entire process. I know exactly what’s going on in the oven, what’s happening in the lab. We work and communicate through the same platform, and I am the proud founder of this platform.
What innovative technologies or solutions is Expanite currently developing?
Expanite is increasingly expanding its focus into the realm of traditional heat treatment—a natural progression for us. These advancements, along with several other exciting developments, will soon be launched, and I am eager to see the impact they will have on the industry.
What are some of the biggest technical challenges you face in your work, and how do you overcome them?
It is all about running a streamlined, high quality, low emission process that ensures the quality our customers have come to expect from Expanite. The fine tuning through our digital platform is the way to go.
How does the tech team at Expanite help your customers?
Embedded in our DNA is the willingness to help. Our technical team knows a lot about alloys, and we see ourselves as genuine partners, where transparency is one of our values. Our customers consult us on the use of materials. I believe we have saved our customers a lot of money when we have suggested cheaper alloys that do the job just as good – or better – than the more expensive material, that was originally chosen. The choice of material is sometimes a surprise – I would like to challenge the perception that more expensive materials offer better performance. This is not always the case and with our flexible treatment solutions, there is most often a smarter way. Product development is another area, where we help our customers or the consultancy companies they have hired. Finally, I would like to mention speaking at conferences. I enjoy standing in front of an audience and share our experiences.
What trends do you see in the industry, and how is Expanite preparing for the future?
I like to remove unnecessary steps. And I enjoy optimizing whatever we do. As mentioned, the future is digital. The winners will be those who can control everything digitally. At Expanite, we are at the forefront of this trend.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in a technical role at a company like Expanite?
Be ready to innovate. Be open and curious. When you encounter a challenge think: “I have never done this before, therefore I can do it”. Be ready to criticize what has already been established and be agile and ready to disrupt. I still see Expanite as the new boy in the classroom. Within our team there is a lot of trust. We will use that trust and our eagerness to spread our technologies and solutions to new applications and corners of the world.
Can you share a memorable experience or accomplishment during your time at Expanite that stands out?
The development of SuperExpanite was a milestone. I remember I spent my holiday writing the patent application. Another milestone is the development of our digital production platform enabling us to manage and communicate with the ovens. That was a breakthrough
About Expanite
Expanite offers state-of-the-art solutions for surface hardening treatment of stainless steels and titanium.
With Expanite’s processes, it is possible to increase the material’s surface hardness tenfold while at the same time maintaining and even increasing its corrosion resistance. Expanite is a global organization with a combined development and production facility near Copenhagen, Denmark, and hardening capacity in both US, Germany, Korea and China. Expanite’s solutions are flexible and can be introduced directly into a customer’s own production line as part of a licensing arrangement. Learn more on www.expanite.com.
