On January 19, German plantmaker SMS Siemag of SMS Group announced that it has received an order from Chinese flat steel producer Yichang Three Gorges for the supply of two continuous annealing lines. Both lines will process ultra-thin sheet, which will then be electroplated and used as packaging material.
The commissioning of the first line is envisaged for May 2011, while the second line will follow a month later.
The lines are designed for strips with a thickness of 0.14 to 0.4 mm and widths ranging from 1,000 to 1,250 mm. Each line will have an annual capacity of 350,000 metric tons and will be capable of producing in grades CQ, T3, T4 and T5.
Yichang Three Gorges is currently building a complete steel plant in the vicinity of the Three Gorges Dam in Hubei Province in the central part of southern China. The plant will process hot strip into coated ultra-thin sheet for the packaging industry.