Elbe-Stahlwerke Feralpi GmbH, Germany, recently started up its Riesa bar and wire rod mill, which had been modernized by SMS Meer GmbH, Germany. The mill achieved an output of 1,600 tonnes per day in its first week of production following the brief plant shutdown of only four weeks.

The primary goals of the modernization of the mill, originally erected in 1995, were greater flexibility and an increase in rolling speed to a maximum 105 meters per second. The mill will produce rebar up to 32 mm and wire rod sizes upward of 5.5 mm.

SMS Meer’s scope of supply comprised delivery of two cantilever roll stands, four-stand wire rod block and a six-stand wire rod block. SMS Meer also supplied the water cooling section, pinch-roll units and loop laying head upline of the existing loop cooling conveyor, as well as training and supervision of erection and commissioning.

SMS Meer GmbH forms part of the Tube, Long Product and Forging Technology Business Area of the SMS group, which is 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 2003 around 9,500 employees worldwide generated a turnover of around EUR 2.20 billion.