Völklingen, September 26, 2014 – Saarstahl AG is further advancing the development of its products in the highest quality sector and is investing 30 million euro in the complete modernisation of wire rod train 32 in Neunkirchen. The latest rolling and cooling technologies will be used in the process. “With this investment, we are securing our market share in the premium quality sectors for our customers in the automotive industry and mechanical engineering and are consistently pursuing our forward-looking strategy”, Chief Executive Officer Dr. Karlheinz Blessing comments. “Naturally, this also means that the Neunkirchen location is strengthened“.

In a meeting which took place on 25th September, the Supervisory Board of Saarstahl AG approved the investment amounting to 30 million euro. After the investments which have already been decided in the rolling mills in Völklingen and in Saarbrücken/Burbach, in this year alone, the company has now initiated investments of around 80 million euro for the modernisation of its facilities.

On the very high-performance mill train 32, which has an annual capacity of almost 600,000 tonnes and which celebrated the 50th anniversary of its existence last year, cold heading grades, spring steel and free cutting steels are rolled - the best steel quality for screws, joining elements, turned parts and axle springs.

One planned part of the measure is the complete reconstruction of the high-speed section. This will lead to a rise in productivity by increasing the final speed of rolling but will lead, above all, to further improvements in the quality characteristics such as strength and uniformity of the microstructure. Furthermore, it will mean that wire can be rolled with the greatest precision. “With this comprehensive modernisation of wire rod train 32, we are consistently pursuing our customers' requirements with regard to new qualitative possibilities and better economic efficiency. By improving the mechanical characteristics, a further reduction in material usage is possible with the ultimate result that a reduction in the weight of the steel used and in the vehicles made from it is achieved“, explains Martin Baues, Chief Technical Officer at Saarstahl. The construction work will begin at the end of 2015 and will take place while production is running. Commissioning of the new rolling mill train is planned for the middle of 2016.

• [Editor:Phillip.Feng]