Sidenor SA, Spain, has placed an order with consortium leader SMS Demag, Germany, for the expansion of its existing electric meltshop. With the upgrade, the Sidenor will be able to expand its current production of high-quality steel to include the production of stainless steel.

Sidenor operates a 130-tonne AC electric arc furnace, two ladle furnaces, a vacuum degassing facility and a continuous billet caster. Annually, the facility produces approximately 600,000 tonnes of structural steel, high-grade structural steel and tool steel. With the meltshop upgrade, Sidenor will be capable of reacting to future market requirements in a highly flexible manner.

SMS Demag’s scope of supply includes an oxygen lance for the existing vacuum degassing facility. SMS Demag will also supply new copper moulds, an emergency torch cutter, and an exhaust system for the torch cutter. The cutter, which is located at the machine exit, is capable of cutting with gas and powder.

Production of the first stainless melt is scheduled for the beginning of 2006.

SMS Demag AG forms part of the Metallurgical Plant and Rolling Mill Technology Business Area of the SMS group. SMS GmbH is the holding for a group of companies internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering relating to the processing of steel, non-ferrous metals and plastics. The group is divided into the Business Areas of Metallurgical Plant and Rolling Mill Technology, Tube, Long Product and Forging Technology and Plastics Technology. In the year 2004 some 9,500 employees worldwide generated a turnover of about EUR 2.20 billion.