Finland-based stainless steel producer Outokumpu has announced that it will invest around €108 million in total to enhance the production capabilities of ferritic materials with new facilities for hood annealing, pickling, cold rolling, bright annealing and temper rolling processes within the scope of the investment program to expand its plant in Krefeld, Germany. The investment, Outokumpu’s biggest ongoing investment, was initiated two years ago and aims to strengthen the company’s long-term competitiveness in one of its most important markets.
Outokumpu expects to have transferred its current production from its Benrath plant to Krefeld and to have prepared it for manufacturing with the very latest process technologies by the end of 2016. With its state-of-the-art process and equipment technology, Outokumpu will significantly increase efficiency and synergy effects in the production of stainless steel products, while at the same time reducing energy consumption and emissions. The installation of the batch-annealing equipment will be done during the coming months and the production ramp-up is planned for mid-2016.