Swedish steelmaker Ovako has inaugurated a new research and visitor centre in Hofors.
The Ovako Science & Visitor Centre is designed to work together with customers in the development of new and innovative steel solutions that enable the production of high-performance components adapted to customer needs.
According to Ovako, the new centre gives customers the opportunity to be inspired and, together with Ovako’s specialists, develop innovative steel solutions adapted to customer needs. It will be directly connected to Ovako’s Research and Development Unit, which plans to move into adjacent premises during the autumn of 2019.
“We want the centre to give visitors an overview of Ovako’s products and their applications in an interactive and inspiring way. It will provide opportunities for collaboration to identify and develop products that are optimally adapted for customer needs. Visitors to the centre will also be able to take a virtual mill tour through Ovako’s production flow in an exciting way,” says Göran Nyström, EVP group marketing and technology at Ovako.
Ovako’s research and development work is conducted by specialists focusing on steel manufacturing, metal working and product characteristics. Ovako claims that it produces steel with minimal impurities. Because of this, the company says, it has a higher fatigue strength than conventional engineering steel. This means that customers can create lighter and stronger end products. Components can be made smaller while retaining the same properties, which also means reduced climate impact for the company’s customers.