News in Briefs

Qatar Steel order

Siemens VAI Metals Technologies has won an order to modernise the Qatar Steel Company’s steelworks in Mesaieed, Qatar.

The project’s objectives are to expand billet production capacity by up to 30% while at the same time reducing specific consumption and waste gas emissions.

The modernised plant is scheduled to start production in the middle of 2012.

Siemens is supplying a 95t EAF, a 95t ladle furnace, a five-strand continuous billet casting plant and the associated equipment for the steelworks in Mesaieed Industrial City, 50km south of Doha.

Orissa plea

A group of university professors has called on the Orissa, India regional government to scrap Posco’s $12bn steel plant.

Around 40 professors who analysed various reports on the Paradip project, said the Orissa government was trying to take over large tracts of forest land and hand it over to Posco, while displacing communities that have lived there for years.

The project has already been delayed by five years due to land acquisition problems. It is set to go ahead in 2016 – if it receives approval from the Indian government.

Shandong pipe supply

The Shandong Shengli Steel Pipe Co, China, has placed an order with PWS – part of SMS Meer – for the supply of a complete two-stage (off-line) spiral pipe welding plant.

PWS is to supply an integrated plant solution consisting of spiral pipe forming and tack welding machine for forming and pre-welding of the hot-rolled steel strip and the downline finish-welding stands.

It means Shengli can produce pipes from 24 to 64 inches in diameter from high-alloy steels.