Siemens has won an order to replace the existing DC main drives of the finishing mill at Aperam's stainless steel plant in Châtelet, Belgium with more powerful AC systems.
This project is part of comprehensive modernization plans within Aperam's Leadership JourneyTM to reduce costs and improve profitability. The drives will be modernized in seven stages during scheduled annual maintenance stoppages, completion is expected by the end of 2019. The first conversion work is planned for mid-2013.
A total of seven stands are to be modernized at the finishing mill of Aperam's hot rolling mill. Siemens will supply the motors, converters and transformers for this and will handle installation supervision, commissioning and training. All seven stands of the finishing mill in Châtelet will be equipped with identical compact twelve-megawatt machines which will be used for the first time. Adapting the existing structural environment presents an exceptional challenge, especially with regard to the existing different motor foundations. The modernization project will be carried out jointly by the Siemens Competence Center for electrical and automation engineering in the steel industry in Erlangen, Germany, and by Siemens Belgium.
Aperam has six production sites in Europe and Brazil with an annual capacity of 2.5 million tons of flat stainless steel products for a wide range of applications. The company is quoted on the stock markets of Amsterdam, Paris and Luxembourg. Its main European stainless steel plants are located in Châtelet and Genk, Belgium, and Gueugnon and Isbergues, France.