WCA September 2014

Industry news

65-day China trip is a logistics success

POSSIBLY one of the most spectacular heavy component transports began on the premises of Siempelkamp Maschinen- und Anlagenbau in Krefeld, Germany, in May. The components for a closed-die forging press which, with a press force of 50,000 tonnes, is the largest press built to date in Germany, and the components of a smaller 12,500t press, started on the journey to China. As part of the first partial delivery, 25 parts with weights between 89t and 287t left the Siempelkamp premises to be transported to the port of Longkou, China, in 65 days. In December 2012 the Chinese Nanshan Group commissioned Siempelkamp with the design, construction and installation of a 50,000t closed-die forging press. A few weeks later, the company received another order, this time for a 12,500t closed-die forging press. Both presses are the heart of a newly designed forging mill which will manufacture forged parts made of aluminium and titanium alloys for the Chinese aircraft industry. Siempelkamp supplies both presses from a single source including the design, the casting and the machining of the parts all the way to their installation and start-up at the customer’s site. The 50,000t press for Nanshan is the largest press ever built by Siempelkamp, as well as in Germany. Not only are the pressing forces of both presses gigantic, the larger press features dimensions that are immense, including a lower press beam with a

weight of 287t and a movable beam with an 11m long centrepiece. Such figures put great challenges on the transport of the parts. The first lot of 25 heavy parts with weights between 89 and 287t is now on its way to China. This transport includes the foundation beams, the upper and bottom press beam, the vertical frame components, the bottom tables as well as the movable beam. Two additional transport units with a similar volume will follow so that a total of 20,000t of cargo in 150 containers will be transported from Krefeld to the customer’s construction site in China. All components with a weight above 200t are initially positioned by a self-propelled modular transporter in such a way that the loading of the actual transporter and the transport out of Siempelkamp’s production facility becomes possible. Each component is loaded individually onto a heavy goods transporter. The ❍ The lower press beam weighs 287 tonnes

towing and push-back vehicles, each powered by 680 horsepower, together weigh 70t. On top of that is the trailer (50t) and the press component part (maximum 287t), adding up to a maximum total weight of 400t. For comparison, an empty A380 type 800 weighs 275t. From the Siempelkamp premises in Krefeld all press parts are transported to the container terminal in the port of Krefeld-Uerdingen. From there the parts are loaded via a 400t crawler crane onto three different inland going vessels. In Antwerp, the cargo was reloaded onto a seagoing vessel. To do so, onboard cranes were used. Parts from sub-suppliers and press component parts already delivered to the sea port were then loaded for the journey to the port of Longkou, China. Once they arrive they have to be loaded onto heavy goods transporters and transported to the customer’s premises 20km from the port. The parts will have to be stored here, according to their order of installation, until they are needed. Altogether three lots of similar sizes will be shipped in the following months. Additionally, approximately 150 sea containers with press supplies, tools and assembly equipment will be shipped. The transport expenses amount to approximately €3.5m. Both closed-die forging presses are expected to start operation in early summer of 2015. Siempelkamp Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH & Co KG – Germany Website : www.siempelkamp.com

❍ The towing and push-back vehicles together weigh 70 tonnes. On top of that, the trailer (50t) and the press component part (maximum 287t) add up to a total weight of more than 400 tonnes

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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2014