Siemens Upgrades Bar Mill at Caparo Merchant Bar, U.K.

Erlangen, Aug 14, 2006 - The U.K.-based long-product producer Caparo Merchant Bar Plc placed an order with the Siemens Group Industrial Solutions and Services (I&S), for the upgrading of their bar mill in Scunthorpe. The project, which will be carried out by the I&S company VAI Pomini, comprises mill modifications and equipment installations to improve the mill’s performance. Completion of this upgrading project is scheduled for the third quarter of 2007.

With a manufacturing capacity in excess of 400,000 tons per annum Caparo Merchant Bar (CMB) is largest producer of merchant bar in the United Kingdom. At the Scunthorpe site two fully automated steel rolling mills are employed to roll over 40 qualities of steel—including low- and medium-carbon grades, boron steels and other low-alloy grades—to produce a wide range of products such as flats, rounds, squares, angles and channels. Over 40% of CMB’s products are special, either by virtue of the steel grade, product size, finish conditions or tolerance values.

With the goal of increasing the mill’s production flexibility and product range, VAI Pomini will replace the five existing mill stands of the roughing mill, install a so-called joker stand and pendulum shear and also supply standby equipment. Project completion is scheduled for August 2007.

The I&S company VAI Pomini specializes in the design, manufacture and supply of billet-casting plants, dedusting systems and hot-rolling mills for the production of bars, sections and wire rod for all grades of steel.

The VAI group, a division of the Siemens Group Industrial Solutions and Services (I&S), is one of the world’s leading engineering and plant-building companies for the iron and steel industry as well as for the flat-product-rolling sector of the aluminum industry. VAI, derived from the company VOEST-ALPINE Industrieanlagenbau, Linz/Austria, provides a comprehensive range of supplies and services for all related technological processes and integrated automation solutions for the entire life-cycle of metallurgical plants.

The Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S) is the integrator of systems and solutions for industrial and infrastructure facilities and global service provider for the plant and projects business covering planning, installation, operation and the entire life cycle. I&S uses its own products and systems and process technologies in order to enhance productivity and improve competitiveness of companies in the sectors of metallurgy, water treatment, pulp and paper, oil and gas, marine engineering, open-cast mining, airport logistics, postal automation, intelligent traffic systems and industrial services. In fiscal 2005 (to September 30) I&S employed a total of 31,700 people worldwide and achieved total sales of EUR 5.390 billion.

Further information and downloads under: http://www.industry.siemens.com or http://www.siemens-vai.com

Reference number: I&S 0606.5332 e

Contact Information

Wieland Simon

Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group

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