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130 million Euro investment in Böhler Edelstahl, Kapfenberg

17 September 2010 | 

The new ProForge hall, the largest ever investment project at the Böhler site in Kapfenberg, was officially opened on Wednesday, 22nd September.

  • New ProForge hall houses largest longitudinal forging machine in the world
  • Most substantial investment in history acknowledges the company’s commitment to the site and to its strategy of "quality, technology, innovation and service"
  • Production of steel bars up to 15 metres long and 550 mm in diameter

The production facility now houses the world’s largest longitudinal forging machine and will give the site a significant advantage over its competitors in terms of quality, dimensions, delivery times and areas of application. Following the 130 million Euro investment, other major projects are planned for the future, which will drive growth forwards in the direction of innovation, quality and service.

voestalpine has advanced to a new level in the world of forged steel bars with the opening of the new forging plant at Böhler Edelstahl in Kapfenberg. This step was possible due to the 130 Euro investment package “ProForge” and highlights the company’s commitment to the site and its globally recognised strategy of manufacturing top quality products.

“We approved the 2008 project during an extremely difficult economic situation because we were and still are convinced that only investments in technology, quality and service will secure the long-term success of our company. Today, at the beginning of the economic recovery, we know that we took the right approach. We are now ideally prepared to meet our clients’ new requirements and handle their orders”, explains CEO Dr. Wolfgang Eder at the opening.

The new forging plant will enable Böhler Edelstahl in Kapfenberg to produce steel bars up 15 metres long, with a diameter of up to around 550 mm and a unit weight of up to 8 tonnes. The centrepiece of the new forging plant is the world’s largest GFM longitudinal forging machine RF100 with a forging force of 2,000 tonnes.

It was also necessary to adjust the steel plant and finishing capacity to handle the increased forging and heat handling capacity. A new gag press, peeling machine, grinder and cold-cutting unit will be housed in the existing hall 2 of the finishing area and a combined inner and outer surface checking facility has been installed in a new parallel hall. The products are temporarily, systematically stored in an automatic high-bay warehouse. The capacity of the mechanical workshop was also extended with a new heavy-duty lathe and a vertical turret lathe to also make use of the new forging opportunities for freeform products.

“Böhler Edelstahl is not only sending an important signal to the global market by opening the ProForge hall. The comprehensive investments undertaken to improve quality and quantity also represent a strong commitment to the Kapfenberg site and its staff", said Dr. Claus Raidl, Chairman of the Management Board at Böhler Uddeholm AG.

This year will see a continuation of this strategy in Kapfenberg, with further projects planned with a total investment volume of around 21 million Euros. Highlights are two projects planned for the roll forming line with a total budget of approximately 10 million Euros, the completion of which is scheduled for the 2013 business year.