For more than half a century, Dross Engineering has stood at the forefront of furnace innovation and turnkey recycling solutions, embodying the strength and ingenuity of French industrial engineering.
The company’s origins trace back to 1973, when Jean Armabessaire, then president of THERMCO, transformed the sector with the first transportable, fully assembled iron‑removal furnace. At a time when furnaces were built on site and energy efficiency was an emerging concern, this breakthrough marked the beginning of a long tradition of disruptive thinking.
That spirit of innovation accelerated in 1990 with the development of the TRF (Tilting Rotary Furnace), a design that revived and modernised an older melting technique. By combining the advantages of basin, hearth and fixed‑shaft rotary furnaces – while drastically reducing or eliminating salt use – the TRF set new global standards. Today, it melts almost any aluminium scrap with or without salt, achieving record energy consumption of just 350–400kWh per tonne and melting speeds three times faster than those of the 1970s. It has also become a benchmark technology for lead melting. By 2024, more than 150 TRF units were operating in 40 countries.
The company’s evolution reflects its growing ambition: THERMCO became Dross Engineering in 2001, and in 2023 it joined the Aura Métal group, strengthening its industrial base while remaining firmly rooted in France. Every furnace and recycling line is manufactured entirely in‑house, with full control over boiler making, machining, mechanical assembly, refractory work, electrical systems and automation. This integrated approach ensures robust, reliable equipment built to withstand decades of intensive use. Before shipment, all systems are fully tested and validated in the company’s workshops, guaranteeing seamless commissioning on site.
Dross Engineering’s expertise extends far beyond furnace design. For more than 60 years, it has delivered complete, turnkey solutions for both lead and aluminium recycling. Its lead systems cover the entire process – from battery breaking and desulfurisation to melting, refining, casting, and ingot stacking – providing efficient, environmentally responsible recovery of metallic lead, lead oxide and plastics.
For aluminium, the company offers end‑to‑end scrap‑to‑ingot solutions, including TRF melting, holding furnaces, casting lines, chip dryers, dross presses and advanced filtration.
Whether supplying a single mixer for a kettle furnace or a full recycling plant, Dross continues to embody the precision, durability and innovation that define French industrial excellence.
