OREANDA-NEWS. May 31, 2012. ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe has comprehensively modernized the facilities at its Bochum site with numerous measures to increase equipment efficiency and further improve the quality of its steel products. Some of the investment went into optimizing the rolling process. The improvements will enable the company to meet customers’ exacting requirements for flat products. The cooling section has been upgraded to a laminar-flow system. The aim is to expand production capacities for high-strength and ultrahigh-strength steels. In the cold rolling mill the continuous pickling line has been upgraded to improve product surface quality.

The latest investments are part of an extensive modernization program begun in 2007. Since then, among other things a new walking-beam furnace and new edger have been installed and the roll cooling system in the finishing mill as well as the zinc kettle and laser welding machine in the hot-dip galvanizing line have been replaced. In addition, work is being carried out constantly to improve the stock management system and automate the hot-dip coating line. In total, more than 140 million euros has been invested to strengthen ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe’s Bochum mill with its approximately 2,100 employees.