Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH, Germany, has awarded SMS Demag AG a contract for a new ultra-fast cooling line and cold plate leveler with finishing facilities. The contract is worth 22 million €.

With this largest single investment since its commissioning in 1981, Ilsenburger Grobblech will complement their SMS Demag-supplied heavy-plate rolling mill with the intention of strengthening their position as one of Europe's leading suppliers of high-quality heavy plates.

The new ultra-fast cooling line will be installed just past the heavy-plate stand and has a cooling capacity that is up to three times higher than the existing cooling system. It will serve to provide selective cooling of the plates in order to keep mechanical properties within close tolerances. In addition, the cooling line will be used for interstand cooling during the two- or three-stage thermomechanical rolling process, thereby reducing mill idle times.

The new cold plate leveler, including all ancillary equipment, will be integrated in the existing finishing shop. It will serve for leveling either hot rolled heavy plates that have been cooled from their rolling temperature or heat-treated heavy plates. The leveler is capable of leveling plates that are up to 50 mm thick.

SMS Demag’s scope of supply includes mechanical equipment, automation systems and process models. Commissioning of the new cooling line is scheduled for the end of 2006, while the new cold plate leveler will start operating at the beginning of 2007.

Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH of Ilsenburg, Germany, is a member of the Salzgitter Group.

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.