Winter 1999 Flexibility and Efficiency Make CuproBraze Process a Good Investment W hen evaluating a new manufacturing technology, it is important to weigh the capital investment cost against its potential benefits. With increasingly stringent standards for return on capital set by today's analysts and investors, the case for a new technology should include compelling financials.
First costs are important when evaluating whether to change from one technology to another.
If the new technology requires complete scrapping of the existing facility, the financial case can be less compelling than when only certain components need to be upgraded. The case for the new CuproBraze process, a new technology developed by the International Copper Association for manufacturing automotive radiators, provides a compelling business case. For either a new or retrofit installation, initial investment is substantially lower for a CuproBraze line than it would be for a comparable Nocolok line. And CuproBraze radiators are an enhanced product that can be produced more economically than aluminum radiators. A CuproBraze furnace has nearly double the output capacity of a Nocolok line.