Concast AG, Switzerland, and its subsidiary Concast Metalurgia Ltda., São Paulo, Brazil, have been awarded a major contract by Gerdau Açominas to supply a 230 tonne ladle furnace and its auxiliaries in Ouro Branco, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Auxiliaries will include a deslagging stand, material handling system, electrical substation and distribution.

Concast’s full scope of supply comprises a Concast minimized furnace draft roof, power conductive arms, carbon injection lance, a multi-function measuring and sampling lance, electrical substation, and medium- and low-voltage distribution. Concast will also supply full automation via the Concast Systems group including Concast electrode regulation, and the Level 2 system (Concast CONTROLWARE).

Concast AG, Zurich, Switzerland, through its subsidiary Concast Metalurgia Ltda., São Paulo, Brazil, serves long-product steelmakers throughout South America and Brazil, providing comprehensive engineering services, supply of full melt shop and billet caster equipment, services, automation and process control.

Concast AG forms part of the Metallurgical Plant and Rolling Mill Technology Business Area of the SMS group. SMS GmbH is the holding for a group of companies internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering relating to the processing of steel, non-ferrous metals and plastics. The group is divided into the Business Areas of Metallurgical Plant and Rolling Mill Technology, Tube, Long Product and Forging Technology and Plastics Technology. In the year 2004, some 9,500 employees worldwide generated a turnover of about EUR 2.20 billion.