French stainless steel producer Aperam is upgrading its facility in Genk, Belgium. It has ordered a new argon oxygen decarburisation (AOD) production line supplied by Primetals Technologies.
The new line will start operating in mid-2023. With this investment, Genk will reduce environmental impact and operating costs using a dedusting system with provisions for heat recovery. “The project will be carried out in a consortium with Austrian erection company SGS Industrial Services,” Primetals says in a note and adds that the existing AOD line no.1 will also be revamped.
At Genk, Aperam produces stainless hot and cold rolled coil of up to 45 tonnes on one production line, the AOD 1, supplied by Primetals in 2002. It owns another plant in Belgium in the city of Châtelet, Kallanish notes.
AOD 1 will be upgraded with a new trunnion ring and process gas valve station, as well as a revamp of the level 2 process model. The AOD 2 production line will be equipped with primary and secondary dedusting system, transfer cars, electrical equipment, level 1 and level 2 automation including advanced process model, Primetals explains.
In September, Aperam commissioned a new annealing and pickling line for cold strip at Genk supplied by SMS Group to secure an enlarged product range. The line processes both austenitic and ferritic grades (see Kallanish 9 September).
Natalia Capra France
