Linz, Austria-based plantmaker Siemens VAI has announced in a press release that it has received an order from ArcelorMittal Bremen GmbH, German subsidiary of the Luxembourg-based steel giant, for the supply of mechanical equipment required to couple the pickling line to the tandem mill at the plant. The project is scheduled to be completed in November 2012.
Connecting the pickling and cold-rolling sections to create one continuous process will considerably increase the output of the whole plant. Throughput times will be shortened by the elimination of the need to thread strips through the rolling stands, for coil handling, and for intermediate storage of the pickled strip. The continuous strip flow will also minimize surface defects and produce cold strip with more uniform properties. Although operation of the two plants will be coupled, it will still be possible to provide suppliers with pickled coils.