wiredinUSA August 2018

Established manufacturers change hands

Fine finish for rod producers

Lapo Vivarelli Colonna

Two wire rod producers, Arlenico SpA and Feralpi Siderurgica SpA, have ordered four-stand MEERdrive ® Plus finishing blocks from the SMS group. A press release said that both finishing blocks will be integrated in the companies’ existing plants. The technology, which includes a thermomechanical rolling process and a sophisticated water cooling line, will enable the production of wire rod to “the tightest tolerances ever produced”. MEERdrivePlus is a variant of SMS MEERdrive technology that uses individual drives with small, low voltage motors for each stand. All finished sizes are rolled in the block, reducing the otherwise required mill downtimes for size and ring changing. For both contracts, the finishing blocks (oval-round-round-round) will be installed beyond an existing ten-pass block. They are designed to roll wire rod from4.55mm to 27mm at speeds up to 120m per second, at a temperature as low as 750ºC. Tolerances down to 0.05mm and 50 percent ovality can be achieved. From left: Marco Giacomuzzi, SMS group vice president bar & wire rod mills; Nicola Redolfi, SMS group general manager sales; Maurizio Fusato, Feralpi plant manager; and Filippo Verlezza, SMS group sales manager.

Sampsistemi has acquired the French manufacturers Setic and Pourtier, and the C2S service division, previously companies of the Gauder Group. “Setic and Pourtier are an exciting opportunity for our group. We are confident that our joined forces will greatly strengthen and expand our product range in the wire and cable machinery industry,” said Lapo Vivarelli Colonna, CEO of Sampsistemi. “The acquisition supports our strategy aiming at leading the market and meeting the ongoing demand for a single-source provider capable of managing the clients’ process with cutting edge solutions.” He added that customers worldwide will benefit fromamore focused approach and a new technological boost inmachines and services, while a stronger organizational structure will bring the company “closer to its clients”. The existing Setic and Pourtier product portfolio will be maintained and enhanced, as well as the supply of original spare parts, updated technical drawings, and machine software.

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wiredInUSA - August 2018