Concast AG, Switzerland, and its subsidiary Concast Metalurgia Ltda., Brazil, have been awarded a major contract from Gerdau Açominas to supply a 230-tonne ladle furnace and auxiliaries for the company’s Ouro Branco facility in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Concast’s scope of supply comprises Concast minimized furnace draft roof, power conductive arms, carbon injection lance, and multi-function measuring and sampling lance. Auxiliaries will include a deslagging stand and complete material handling system.

Concast will also supply the electrical substation, and medium- and low-voltage distribution. Full automation will be provided via the Concast Systems group including Concast electrode regulation, and Level 2 system (Concast Controlware).

Concast AG, Zurich, Switzerland, through its subsidiary Concast Metalurgia Ltda., 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.