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Tata Steel to Invest £7 million in Hartlepool
08/05/2011 - Tata Steel plans to improve productivity and customer service at its Hartlepool site in the U.K. by investing in enhanced welding and material handling capability. Installation and commissioning of a new plant and equipment is scheduled for the first six months of 2012.
Tata Steel plans to improve productivity and customer service at its Hartlepool site in the U.K. by investing £7 million in enhanced welding and material handling capability.
The investment will improve the welding capabilities of two of the company’s Hartlepool mills—the 42-in submerged arc welding (SAW) mill and the 20-in high frequency induction (HFI) mill—as well as improving both mills’ handling equipment.
Tata Steel’s 42-in SAW mill supplies thick-wall, small-diameter line pipes used primarily in deepwater environments by the oil and gas industry. A new fifth welding line will increase the mill’s internal welding output by 25% and incorporates digital technology to enhance accuracy and control of the welding process.
The 20-in HFI mill produces a range of tubular products for the structural, mechanical, process plant and energy markets. A new 1.8-MW solid-state induction welder will be installed at the mill to enhance weld integrity and increase manufacturing output.
The £7m investment will also include new cranes, handling equipment, and storage at both mills, which is expected to improve the quality of the finished product as well as customer service.
The company says that the investment is a critical component of its five-year plan to increase the productivity and cost-effectiveness of the Hartlepool plants. Preparatory work has already begun at the mills, and the installation and commissioning of the new plant and equipment is scheduled for the first six months of 2012.
The European operations of Tata Steel (formerly known as Corus) comprise Europe's second-largest steel producer. With main steelmaking operations in the U.K. and the Netherlands, the company supplies steel and related services to the construction, automotive, packaging, material handling, and other demanding markets worldwide. Tata Steel is one of the world’s top 10 steel producers. The combined group has an aggregate crude steel capacity of more than 28 million tonnes and approximately 80,000 employees across four continents.
