To say Midco International has evolved over the decades would be an understatement.

When the company first opened its doors in 1941 — as Mid-Continent Metal Products — its focus was on stamping and machining small parts for American naval vessels. Back then, it made products ranging from onion peelers to air heaters. But today, over 70 years after its inception, Midco is a global manufacturer of a variety of power gas burners ranging from 50,000 to 6,000,000 BTU/hr. With 60 employees, this IHEA member serves the industrial heating and processing, commercial and residential markets.

In the 1940s, Midco’s Economite line of gas-fired burners changed the industry. A blower using forced air was placed behind the burner’s flame to create a steady, reliable flame. This design was superior to traditional burners that relied on ambient drafts. This product line soon became an industry standard and set Midco up for future successes. 

Throughout the 1950s, the Chicago-based company developed burners for incinerator applications and for the food industry. The high demand from the food industry eventually prompted the creation of Midco’s EmberGlo Division. The 1970s saw an expansion of operations to meet the demands of gas-fired equipment and a name change. The company officially became Midco International in 1979 to reflect the global interest in its products.

From 1980 till the present, Midco has diversified its market (mainly into OEM sales and custom-designed burners), expanded production, moved to a larger facility — where it remains today — and earned ISO certification in 1999. Midco currently has several core burners, including its Economite, HMA, Unipower, Incinomite and LNB lines.

• Economite: The compact designed Economite burners meet a range of applications and OEM specifications. The RE series in the Economite family was developed for the changes needed in the curing industry and meets the needs of many more customers.
• HMA Series: HMA (heat, makeup, air) burners are designed for process and kitchen ventilation ovens. The two-stage combustion process improves control of the flame process and exceeds ANSI standards. By having two separate flames within the burner combustion zone, the flame is more stable, shorter and cleaner, permitting the reduction of emissions levels and allowing for higher temperature rise and higher tolerance to varying conditions when placed in the profile opening.
• Unipower (VA Series): Developed for temperature control and efficiency, the VA Series takes Midco direct-fired burner technology and modulates a gas blower to promote better control over the combustion process, allowing a linkageless, modulating gas and air high turndown gas burner. There is less time required for burner setup while maintaining a true high turndown firing rate that controls precise temperature needs and reduces fuel consumption.
• Unipower (MPG Series): Features for the standard burner include an assembled main valve train, stainless steel nozzle and retention plate, and a microprocessor flame safeguard with LED indicating lights. 
• Incinomite: Accepted as the benchmark in the incinerator industry, the Incinomite burner is engineered with a simple direct spark ignition system and patented automatic burner cooling system.
• LNB Series: The low-NOX gas burner was developed to meet changing emission requirements by reducing the overall carbon footprint. Once the air and gas are premixed through a modulating premix gas blower and distributed into a high efficiency metal fiber burner head, the direct-spark ignition system ignites the premixed air. No additional pilot burner is required. Premixing the fuel and air before ignition ensures complete combustion with minimal levels of CO and NOX. 

Midco, which has remained a -family-owned and operated business for four generations, is constantly looking for ways to improve and grow. In the past year, the company installed a new phone and ERP system to better serve its customers. Midco constantly works with its clients to optimize the use of the product in their particular applications.

As for the future, Midco will continue to seek new markets for its burners. The company sees a growing demand for “green” burners with higher efficiency and lower emissions. While it is already in a great position to offer those products thanks to its LNB and VA series, both will continue to be developed and refined for higher capacity to meet a wider range of commercial and industrial requirements.

For more information on Midco Inter-national, visit www.midcointernational.com or call 866-705-0514.