Spain-based welded steel pipe producer Tuflesa, part of the Bornay Group, has commissioned Germany-based plantmaker SMS Group to modernize the sizing section of its ERW-RD-240 pipe welding line at Las Torres de Cotillas near Murcia.
New sizing stands to improve accuracy and productivity
Under the project, SMS Group will replace four worn sizing stands and the associated changeover equipment, while retaining the existing main drive, base frames and automatic stand-change cars to limit investment costs, labor requirements and downtime. The new stands, which will be delivered fully assembled, wired and piped, are expected to restore dimensional accuracy, improve productivity and enable Tuflesa to manufacture new products while meeting tighter tolerance requirements.
Supplied by SMS Group in 1998, the ERW-RD-240 line produces structural tubes with maximum dimensions of 240 mm for round products and 200 x 200 mm for square products, including tolerance-critical tubular solutions for the solar energy sector.
Installation scheduled for summer 2027
The equipment replacement is scheduled to take place during Tuflesa's planned summer shutdown in 2027, with SMS Group also supervising commissioning and supporting the subsequent production ramp-up.
This will be the second modernization carried out by SMS Group on the line following the upgrade of its forming and welding sections in 2024. The latest order included the commissioning of a new RD 40 high-frequency tube welding line in 2021.
