In a move to further strengthen its position among automotive market suppliers over the coming years, Tata Steel Europe has announced plans for a major revamp of its Hot Dip Galvanising Line 2 at Ijmuiden in the Netherlands.

The steelmaker has taken on Italian plant builder Danieli to perform a ''multi-phase revamp'' that will boost a new production capacity of 460kt/yr for coated steel and a new product mix focused on higher-value steel grades.

The contract includes design, equipment manufacturing, installation and commissioning activities for a major furnace upgrade, new automation and optimisation of the entry and exit sections.

The furnace section of the line will be extended by installing an additional free-flame zone and radiant tubes, in order to add extra thermal power capability for the increased in production capacity.

According to Danieli, a completely rebuilt gas jet cooling section will mean ''extremely high cooling rates and improved uniformity for strip temperature at the exit of the section''. It will also optimise the dynamic response of the furnace during transitions between different coils, both in terms of steel grades and strip sizes.

Electrical and automation systems will be replaced and redeveloped by Danieli Automation based on advanced automation system controllers designed to integrate existing and new equipment in a uniform automation platform.

Danieli claims that this investment will ''further strengthen Tata’s leading position among automotive market suppliers in the years ahead.''

-The 19th China(Guangzhou)Int’l Metal &Metallurgy Exhibition