Posted on 24 Oct 2013
TATA Steel announced that it will build a Vacuum Induction Melting furnace at its Stocksbridge site in South Yorkshire, UK, to enable it to tap into new market opportunities and develop innovative new products for the aerospace and oil & gas industries.
The cutting-edge VIM furnace will allow TATA Steel’s Speciality Steels business, which already supplies steel to aircraft engine and airframe makers, to further develop relationships with its customers and expand its product portfolio.
For TATA Steel it is an important step towards consolidating its position as a leading supplier of high-purity steels to the global aerospace market.
The company’s Speciality Steels business will work with German metallurgical technology company SMS Mevac, a major supplier of vacuum steelmaking equipment, to build a VIM facility at Stocksbridge.
Mr Henrik Adam chief commercial officer of TATA Steel said that “The addition of a VIM furnace to our asset base for aerospace steel production is an exciting prospect. It means we will be able to make more ultra pure steel for fail safe, safety-critical applications such as aircraft engines.”
He said that “This initiative enhances our role as a partner for key customers who require highly specialised products. Our ability to support them is an important aspect of our role in the aerospace steels supply chain.”
Mr Henrik Adam added that “This investment is a clear demonstration of the contribution foundation industries like steel make towards rebalancing the British economy. We are supporting high-skilled manufacturing jobs and developing innovative new products and services for customers around the world.”
The GBP 15 million furnace is expected to be commissioned early in 2015.
Source - Strategic Research Institute
