Sig Acroni has set up a new alternative production line, by means of a EUR 4.5M investment, which makes use of sandblasting instead of acid treatment. This means that the oxide is removed from steel strips mechanically without the use of chemical agents. The procedure was started five years ago by the Head of Technology Janez Katnik and engineer Bojan Finc. They have also developed a brushing technology for the cleaning of steel strips after sandblasting. The new sandblasting machine was designed by the company Siapro from Most na SoÄ?i and the construction was managed by the German SMS Group. The operating costs of the new line are 15% lower compared to the old treatment procedure. The results are better than expected and the procedure is being tested with other types of sheet metal.