VAI was recently awarded a contract for the turn-key delivery of a high capacity long rolling mill for Qatar Steel Co. Ltd. (Qasco), Qatar.

The new rolling mill, supplied by VAI daughter company VAI Pomini, will be installed in Qasco’s existing steel complex. The mill is specially designed to cope with the high quality requirements of the Gulf market.

After commissioning, which is planned 17 months after contract signature, the new VAI Pomini rolling mill will expand Qasco’s present capacity by an additional 700,000 tonnes per year of 8 to 40 mm diameter rebars.

Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau (VAI), a company of the listed VA Technologie AG, is one of the world’s leading engineering and plant-building companies for the iron, steel and aluminum industries with a multinational company structure and special focus on technology, automation and services. VAI achieved total sales of 1,160 millions EUR in 2004 and employs approximately 3,400 people worldwide.

Following the announcement on December 10, 2004, by Siemens AG Österreich of a takeover bid for VA Tech, the general period of acceptance terminated on February 9, 2005. Over 90% of VA Tech stock was sold to Siemens at a price of EUR 65. Consequently, one precondition for a takeover by Siemens has been fulfilled. However, until the anti-trust authorities in the EU, USA and Canada approve the takeover, both VA Tech and Siemens are subject to a prohibition on the concentration process.