VAI Industries Ltd. will implement VAI’s patented Grate-Width Extension Technology in partnership with Corus Strip Products. The contract, valued at approximately 10 million Euro, will raise Corus’ average weekly sinter production from 78,000 to 95,000 tonnes, an increase of more than 20%.

With this investment, Corus will widen their single-strand sinter plant instead of elongating the length of the sinter machine at its Port Talbot Works in the UK. By utilizing Grate-Width Extension Technology, the strand-surface area will be increased from a net 4 meters to 4.55 meters.

This technical solution compares favorably with other more cost-intensive approaches for increasing the sinter output, because it does not require major modification of any other systems (e.g., waste-gas system with waste-gas fans, ducts, and electrostatic precipitator, etc.). The duration of installation is also shorter, which results in less production shortfall of sinter material.

Installation is scheduled for April 2005.

VAI Industries Ltd. is the British subsidiary of the Austrian Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau (VAI), a company of the listed VA Technologie AG. VAI is one of the world’s leading engineering and plant-building companies for the iron, steel and aluminum industries with a multinational company structure and special focus on technology, automation and services. VAI achieved total sales of 976 million EUR in 2003 and employs approximately 3,400 people worldwide.