The Mechel Steel Group, Russia, has placed an order with SMS Meer SpA, Italy, for the supply of a complete cooling bed and finishing line for bars for its mill in Chelyabinsk (OAO Chelyabinsk Integrated Iron & Steel Works).

SMS Meer’s scope of supply includes a finishing block, water cooling sections with equalizing zones for quenching and self-tempering, and a high-speed delivery system (patented HSD^®) with rake-type cooling bed, cold cut-to-length and automatic bundle forming facilities. SMS Meer will also supply the complete power and automation system for the finishing line.

The 400,000 tonne/year line will be used to produce plain rounds and rebars with diameters from 10 to 20 mm. It will operate on the principle of single-strand high speed rolling. The high cooling bed entry speed — 36 meters/second for bars — combines the high demands for surface finish and geometry with a high production output.

The new mill is scheduled to go into operation at the end of 2005.

The Mechel Steel Group manufactures bar steel and wire rod.

SMS Meer SpA forms part of the Tube, Long Product and Forging 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.