International steel managers visit

IISI delegates view steel production and the technical development center in Salzgitter

After the meetings and conventions at the IISI World Steel Conference in Berlin, it was time for the participants to get a taste of the practical. Guests from abroad had the chance to gain an insight into German steel production, and a high-powered delegation visited Salzgitter AG. After a few words of welcome from Hans Fischer, the head of the Steel Division, the Technical General Manager of Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH, Ulrich Grethe, explained the strategies and positioning of the steel division subsidiaries. His comments on the current investment program met with particular interest. Among other projects, Mr. Grethe listed the construction of two new power station units, the fourth continuous casting line and the expansion of Peiner Träger GmbH with the construction of a second electric furnace and the planned belt strip technology pilot plant.

The group then toured Blast Furnace B, the hot strip mill, the skin-pass mill and the technical development center at Salzgitter Mannesmann Forschung GmbH.

The annual conference organized by the International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) is a meeting place for the steel industry worldwide. This year the conference was held in Germany, with the German steel industry acting as host. The last time Germany hosted this event was in 1989. The 2008 meeting is due to take place in Washington, USA.