Erdemir, Turkey, recently awarded contracts to Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau (VAI) for the major upgrade of their existing Steckel Mill and a second Hand Plate Mill.

VAI’s scope of supply and services for the Plate Mill comprises new hot and cold divide shears, hot leveler, cooling beds and automation. For the Steckel Mill, VAI will supply a new edger and new heat retention covers (worldwide first installation of the VAI-Encopanel-System on a Steckel Mill), as well as a complete new hydraulic system. VAI will also upgrade the Steckel coiler furnace, downcoiler and coil handling system.

With the relocated and upgraded Plate Mill, Erdemir will be in a position to produce 500,000 tons per year of plates ranging from 5 to 180 mm in thickness and from 1,520 to 3,800 mm in width. With the upgraded Steckel Mill, the production will increase from 650,000 tons per year up to one million tons per year.

VAI’s contract includes supervision of erection and commissioning for both plants, scheduled for the end of the year 2005.

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 3,400 people worldwide.