TPT January 2014

Industry News

Bulgarian tube maker HUS chooses EFD Induction Weldacs

EFD Induction Austria, who was one of the team that secured the order. “It shows how we can supply complete induction welding solutions that are customised to specific customer needs.” HUS’s new factory in Lom, together with the four new Weldac welders, makes the company one of Bulgaria’s largest tube and pipe companies. “We already export, particularly to customers in the Balkans and Eastern Europe,” said Mr Milenkov. “However, we aim to export much more to other markets, especially after our acquisition of Kloeckner Bulgaria earlier this year. In fact, all the tube and pipe welded by the new EFD Induction Weldacs will be sold to customers in Central and Western Europe.” Two of the four Weldacs have already been shipped to HUS. “The schedule is for the remaining two to be completed at an EFD Induction production facility in Norway and shipped to us by the end of October,” said Mr Milenkov. “So we’re very busy preparing our factory and setting up the lines. I mean, the arrival SRB 315/30 stretch reducing block as essential components of the hot rolling mill. BSR opted for rolling blocks with a modular design, which are equipped with both non-adjustable and adjustable roll stands. The stands are operated with individually driven rolls, which are interchangeable so they can be used in the EXB as well as in the SRB on every stand position. The specification of this design, including pass remote control for the adjustable stands, and quick- changing systems for stands and rolls, minimises the number of changing stands required for optimum production. The automation system enables the visualisation of the measured data of the rolling mill, while

HUS, the Bulgaria-based steel and tube maker, has ordered four complete Weldac induction welding systems from EFD Induction. The systems will be installed in HUS’s new manufacturing facility in the city of Lom in northern Bulgaria, which has a planned monthly output of 12,000 metric tons. “After carefully examining various suppliers we were finally convinced by the proven ability of the Weldac to reduce operating costs while delivering outstanding throughput,” said HUS export director Dimitar Milenkov. “Also, the fact that EFD Induction is present throughout Europe, including having a major factory in Romania, means we have considerable after-sales support on our doorstep.” The four Weldac systems ordered by HUS range in power from 125 to 450kW. Each welder features impeders from Electronic Heating Equipment (EHE), the US impeder specialist acquired by EFD Induction in 2012. “The inclusion of the EHE impeders is important,” said Matthias Gruber, managing director of IN the course of implementing its growth strategy, Germany company Benteler Stahl/Rohr (BSR) has concluded a contract with Danieli & C, Italy, for a new turnkey 4½" seamless tube mill. The mill will be built in Shreveport, in the north-western part of Louisiana, USA, and will be one of the largest production plants in the history of this region. The mill is designed for an annual capacity of 320,000t and will produce high-quality seamless tubes with excellent tolerances and material properties according to API and ASTM standards. Within the framework of its cooperation with Danieli Centro Tube, Friedrich Kocks GmbH & Co KG will supply an EXB 315/3 extracting block and an

Mr Milenkov signing the EFD order

of one brand new Weldac is an event, but four in the space of a few weeks is certainly a major turning point, not just for HUS, but for the entire Bulgarian tube and pipe industry.” EFD Induction has to date installed thousands of heating solutions for a wide range of industrial applications – bringing the benefits of induction technology to many of the world’s leading manufacturing and service companies. EFD Induction has manufacturing plants, workshops and service centres in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Corporate headquarters are in Skien, Norway.

EFD Induction as – Norway Website: www.efd-induction.com Benteler enters North American seamless tube market

allowing the operator to control the operation, minimising heavy ends and wall thickness variation. Production of the mill is scheduled for the second half of 2015. Friedrich Kocks GmbH & Co KG – Germany Fax: +49 2103 512 49 Email: marketing@kocks.de Website: www.kocks.de

Danieli & C – Italy Fax: +39 0432 1958289 Email: info@danieli.it Website: www.danieli.com

Benteler Stahl/Rohr – Germany Website: www.benteler.com

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J anuary 2014