VAI has successfully upgraded and restarted the thin-slab caster of the existing Arvedi Steel Technology line (AST line) of Acciaieria Arvedi in Cremona, Italy.

The revamp, which was executed together with VAI’s Italian based subsidiary VA Impianti and Acciaieria Arvedi, was undertaken in order to increase the productivity by 20%.

The thin-slab caster now is capable of reaching a yearly capacity of 1 million tonnes of 1250 mm wide thin slabs comprising a special mix of steel. This was achieved with an increase in slab thickness from 50 to 55 mm and by higher casting speeds, up to 5.5 meters per minute.

Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau (VAI), a company of the listed VA Technologie AG, 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 3400 people worldwide.