Siemens iron and steel deal

Siemens Metals Technologies has signed a contract with Wuyang Iron and Steel for a roughing mill stand and cooling bed for Phase Two of their plate mill expansion project.

The design of the new roughing mill will be very similar to the existing finishing mill stand, enabling rationalisation of many parts between them. It will have a rolling load of 8,600 tonnes and will incorporate hydraulic gauge control cylinders and a Mae West work roll balance system.

As well as the new roughing mill stand, a new walking beam cooling bed will be installed in parallel with the existing cooling bed. The addition of this equipment will enable an increase in production from 1.0 million to 1.8 million tonnes per annum.

Production will focus on plate for the shipbuilding, pipeline, boiler and high-strength construction industries in China. The Siemens scope of supply includes the design of the mechanical equipment, the supply of key mechanical components and the quality supervision of Chinese manufactured equipment.

Siemens will also supply the Level One and Level Two automation for the new roughing mill stand and will be responsible for supervision of equipment installation and commissioning. All the new equipment will be integrated into the mechanical and automation systems which Siemens supplied in Phase One.

The Phase Two expansion project is planned to be completed by January 2009.