Celsa France is partnering with Van Merksteijn International, part of Netherlands-based VMI group, to scale up their presence in the French wire rod and rebar in coil market, a VMI representative confirms to Kallanish. The firms signed a collaboration agreement via VMI subsidiary Intersig France.
Celsa France currently produces billet at its French facility in Bayonne and is investing in a new production line for wire rod. This will be launched in approximately four months with a yearly capacity of 500,000 tonnes. At the same time, VMI group, under VMI Atlantic, will install on Celsa’s site cold stretching equipment for the production of rebar in coil.
In France there is currently a shortage of rebar in coil. VMI will produce the flex wire quality that corresponds to the French standard 500B, the VMI representative confirms. Production for this product should start in a couple of weeks. At present, rebar in coil is produced in France only by Riva France.
VMI Atlantic has another wire plant in Saint Pourçain-sur-Sioule. It produces wire on coil, reinforcement mesh, ECO and ECO+ mesh, lattice girders, spacers and fencing products.
Natalia Capra France
