Outokumpu has announced an EUR 550 million investment, over the next three years, in stainless steel special grades capacity in its Avesta Works in Sweden. The investment will increase the finished products capacity of Avesta from the current 250,000tns to some 650,000tns with mainly duplex grades, starting in 2010. The investment in Avesta includes a new AOD converter, increase of the melt size from 100 to 125tns and a new slab grinding line, increasing the melt shop capacity to some 750,000tns from the current 500,000tns. The investment further includes a new 400,000tn 2m wide annealing and pickling line with integrated edge trimming. The Avesta hot rolling is well suited to roll duplex grades and has the capacity to treat the expanded melt shop capacity. The finished product is annealed and pickled white-hot strip and will be sold mainly to direct end-user and project customers.