SMS group GmbH (Düsseldorf, Germany):

L. Fischer, Head of project management, Continuous casting dept., e-mail: lothar.fischer@sms-group.com
J. Bausch, Sales manager, Continuous casting dept.
I. Hüllen, Dr., Head of the Process, Continuous casting dept.
Ch. Fröhling, Dr., Vice President, Continuous casting dept.
M. Rzepcyk, Executive Vice president, Metallurgical plants and environmental technology division

thyssenkrupp Steel Europe (Duisburg, Germany):
T. Brand, CEO BU Steel production
I. Knopp, Head of slab production Beeckerwerth
H.-G. Brass, Head of slab production Beeckerwerth

Following comprehensive modernization by SMS group, the continuous caster No 1 at the works of thyssenkrupp Steel Europe in Duisburg-Beeckerwerth, Germany, was successfully put into operation again in October 2014. The two-strand casting plant had been built in 1974 by SMS group as bow type designed for a production of originally 1.2 million t/a of slabs at that time. The modernized plant will enable thyssenkrupp to provide the market and particularly the automotive industry with high-quality products for a long time. The new caster is a significant contribution to the production of TWIP, TRIP, higher-strain and crack-sensitive grades as well as pipes and plates. With the acceptance test completed in July 2015, the challenging goals set for the conversion have been achieved. The production could be increased to more than 2.6 million t/a offering slabs with an enlarged width range of 1000 up to 2150 mm at a thickness of 257 mm. For many years SMS group has been modernizing various continuous casters and equipping them with future-oriented technology. The scope ranges from small optimizations right up to far-reaching changes of the continuous casters like particularly the recent modernization of thyssenkrupp Steel Europe’s caster No. 1 in Duisburg-Beeckerwerth. The concrete measures have been defined according to the thyssenkrupp’s objectives: the improvement of the slab quality, the introduction of value-added products, the increase of plant yield and plant capacity, the reduction of operational costs and the promotion of digitization of the steel plant.

1. Moderne Kühltechnologie verbessert Brammenqualität, stahl u. eisen 134 (2014) No 8, p. 21/22.
2. Newsletter SMS group (2016) No 2.