This investment is needed because the currently used annealing unit constructed in 1977 is meanwhile feeling the effects of age and no longer corresponds to the state-of-the-art. "We decided in favor of this investment to maintain our position as a world market leader for nickel alloys", states Dr Niclas Müller, CEO of VDM Metals. "The new unit will allow us to meet the highest quality standards from all fields of application, so as to offer our customers an extended product spectrum."

Construction of the new bright annealing line will enable the company to boost its production capacity by 30 percent, while extending its portfolio in the area of strips at the same time. Strips with a width from 350 to 830 mm (13.7 to 32.7 in) and a thickness from 0.40 to 4 mm (0.016 to 0,16 in) will then be produced. The coil weight will also be increased. Amongst other things, the annealing of metallic materials sets their mechanical properties.

The new hall with the prominent furnace tower will be 73 meters long (240 ft), 14 meters wide (46 ft) and 50 meters high (164 ft). The annealing furnace and two loop accumulators will be housed in this tower, in order to ensure that the strip can be annealed without interruption. Further system components will be housed in the new hall.

Construction work on the hall including tower is set to commence in the middle of 2017. Completion and commissioning of the entire plant are earmarked for the start of 2019.

The strip plant in Werdohl primarily manufactures strips made from high alloyed materials for further processing in the automotive industry, electrical and electronics engineering as well as for the chemicals or oil and gas industry.

Please find our press release here.

Further information

Silke van Os
Telephone: +49 2392 55 2588
eMail: Silke.vanOs@vdm-metals.com

About VDM Metals

The VDM Metals Group headquartered in Werdohl (Germany) develops and manufactures nickel, cobalt and zirconium alloys as well as high alloyed special stainless steels. For over 85 years, the company has been supplying sheet metal, strips, rods, wires and welding consumables to customers in the chemical process industry, plant engineering, energy, oil and gas, electrical engineering and electronics, automotive and aerospace industries. Worldwide, VDM Metals employs around 1,900 people.