voestalpine BÖHLER Edelstahl, located in Kapfenberg, Austria, has placed an order with SMS group to supply an electric arc furnace, an AOD converter and secondary metallurgical facilities for the construction of a high-tech stainless steel plant.
The new stainless steel plant is intended to replace the existing plant of voestalpine BÖHLER Edelstahl GmbH & Co KG at the Kapfenberg location and will produce 205,000 tons of high-performance steels per year for application in the aerospace and automotive industries as well as for the oil and gas sector.
On a site of approximately 50,000 square meters, the most advanced plant for the production of stainless steel will be established within the next three years. Hot commissioning is scheduled to take place in the middle of 2021.
The centerpiece of the plant will be a 55-ton electric arc furnace, able to melt high-purity scrap and alloys into liquid steel on the basis of electrical power that is completely generated by renewable energy sources. In addition, the exhaust heat generated during the process will be used to dry the ultra-pure scrap in a separate plant before it is fed to the electric arc furnace.
The scope of supply furthermore includes three ladle furnaces, two vacuum degassers, one vacuum oxygen degasser and one ladle treatment stand. The VOD system will be used for the production of special high-quality stainless steel grades of highest purity.
All components of the stainless steel plant will be equipped with X-Pact® electrical and automation systems.
