Siemens Receives Multi-Million Dollar Contract from SSAB for Vacuum Tank Degassing Facility

Siemens is scheduled to complete the VTD project in May 2010. This VTD project is part of a major investment program announced by SSAB in August 2008 with the aim to further develop the company’s production base in Sweden and the United States.

The investment will result in a major increase of the volume of quenched and tempered steels. The installation of the VTD facility will enable SSAB to provide more value-added products to its customers.

Siemens’ experience as a market leader in the metals industry enables the company to provide a complete solution for the project. Siemens will provide two tanks, two cover lifting devices and one vacuum pump system for the VTD facility. Additionally, Siemens will supply a primary de-dusting system, an automatic alloy and flux feeding system, condenser and machine cooling water system.

Level 1 and Level 2 automation packages are also included in the scope of supply. The Level 1 automation package consists of all necessary hardware and software for basic control of the degassing equipment: human-machine interface (HMI) system, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), panels for the control rooms and operation stations for motors and pumps. The Level 2 automation package provides the industry-specific hardware and software used to optimize the actual steel production of the degassing unit. The metallurgical data stored within the Level 2 system is used to calculate the requirements necessary for the successful degassing of ladles of liquid steel.

SSAB is a global niche producer of high strength steels with a leading market position in quenched and tempered steels. SSAB North American Division is the number one supplier of plate in North America. The Mobile steelworks has an annual capacity of 1.25 million tons and has expanded SSAB’s value-added product lines to include blast and painted products, as well as quench and tempered and normalized plate products.

“Siemens is pleased to have been selected for this important project and is committed to exceeding SSAB’s expectations for delivery and performance,” says David Blunden, U.S. Vice-President for Siemens Metals Technologies. “The company is proud of its longstanding and successful business relationship with the SSAB.”

Further information on solutions for steelworks, rolling mills and processing lines at: http://www.siemens.com/metals

Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. is one of Siemens' operating companies in the U.S. Headquartered in the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta, Ga., Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. manufactures and markets one of the world's broadest ranges of electrical and electronic products, systems and services to industrial and construction market customers. Its technologies range from circuit protection and energy management systems to process control, industrial software and totally integrated automation solutions. The company also has expertise in systems integration, technical services and turnkey industrial systems.

The Siemens Industry Sector (Erlangen, Germany) is the world's leading supplier of production, transportation, building and lighting technologies. With integrated automation technologies as well as comprehensive industry-specific solutions, Siemens increases the productivity, efficiency and flexibility of its customers in the fields of industry and infrastructure.

The Sector consists of six Divisions: Building Technologies, Drive Technologies, Industry Automation, Industry Solutions, Mobility and Osram. With around 222,000 employees worldwide Siemens Industry posted a profit of EUR3.86 billion with revenues totalling EUR38 billion.

With the business activities of Siemens VAI Metal Technologies, (Linz, Austria), Siemens Water Technologies (Warrendale, Pa., U.S.A.), and Industry Technologies, (Erlangen, Germany), the Siemens Industry Solutions Division (Erlangen, Germany) is one of the world's leading solution and service providers for industrial and infrastructure facilities. Using its own products, systems and process technologies, Industry Solutions develops and builds plants for end customers, commissions them and provides support during their entire life cycle. With around 31,000 employees worldwide Siemens Industry Solutions achieved an order intake of EUR 8.4 billon in fiscal year 2008 (preliminary and unaudited).

Further information and downloads at: http://www.siemens.com/industry-solutions