In a statement, Salzgitter said the No. 3 hot-dip line will be its single largest investment in the mill over the last decade. It will be capable of producing 500,000 tons annually. 

“This project is a key component in the strategy of Salzgitter Group that focuses on qualitative growth in the steel strip business and will help us strengthen our market position as a producer of premium products for national and international customers in the automotive industry,” said Salzgitter chief executive Heinz Jörg Fuhrmann.

Scheduled for start-up in 2022, the line will produce third-generation advanced high-strength steel grades for chassis and body applications. 

Salzgitter and SMS group said the line will be able to process sheet in thicknesses ranging from 0.7 mm to 2.5 mm and in widths ranging from 800 mm to 1,700 mm. It will be able to wind up coils weighing up to 32 tons. 

“The production of high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel grades will be ensured by the integration of a high-performance furnace from Drever International, a member of SMS group, which achieves very high cooling rates with the innovative UFCplus rapid gas cooling system and features an oxidation/reduction process thanks to PrOBOx® technology,” SMS group said. 

“A DUMA-BANDZINK JetPro air knife system with integrated eMASS® strip stabilization will be used to precisely adjust the zinc coat thickness,” it added.