Strengthening presence Erasteel

STRENGTHENING PRESENCE

Erasteel is a subsidiary of the ERAMET Group of France and a global leader in the production of ultraclean, high-performance high speed and tool steels. Philip Yorke talked to Pierre Blanchard, Erasteel Kloster AB’s managing director, about its advanced, high-speed steels and recent investments designed to strengthen its presence in key markets.

Erasteel is part of the ERAMET Group, which is a rapidly growing French mining and metallurgical conglomerate that employs over 14,000 people in 20 countries worldwide, and holds front-ranking positions in each of its activities. The group is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and in 2010 recorded sales of around €3.6 billion. Erasteel together with Aubert & Duval makes up the Alloys division of the company. Erasteel is the world’s leading producer of high-speed steels, while Aubert & Duval is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of high-performance speciality alloys and closed-die forgings for the aerospace and energy industries.

Erasteel is also the world number one in the manufacture of gas atomised powder metallurgy (PM) steels and high-speed steels. The company employs over 1000 people and has an international sales presence, with eight manufacturing sites located in Europe, America and Asia.

Pioneering powder metallurgy

Erasteel pioneered and developed a specific gas atomisation process and continues to refine its production and expand its number of industrial applications. The company has more than 40 years’ experience in the production of

ultra-clean PM (powder metal) steels by gas atomisation at its key production site in Sweden. The DvalinTM and DurinTM units are both located in Söderfors and together form the world’s largest gas atomisers. The key benefits of Erasteel’s PM high performance steels and alloys are their isotropic properties and fine microstructure that achieves an unparalleled, even distribution of carbide particles in the matrix phase.

This is in sharp contrast to ingot-cast steels and alloys where carbide stringers are formed during the manufacturing process. Other key product benefits include greater hardness and wear resistance, due to the higher carbideforming elements, as well as increased toughness due to the material being free from carbide segregation. It is thanks to these special properties that Erasteel ASP® grades are widely used and are the materials of choice for many high-performance applications, such as tooling for metal, plastics, wood and paper processing, in addition to their use in heavyduty mechanical components.

Pierre Blanchard said. “Our high-speed steels offer optimum performance and are used extensively for the manufacture of cutting tools, for tooling for gears and other demanding automotive components. In addition they are also used extensively for the household

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market, for example for sanitary fittings and taps, for knives, band saws as well as for tooling for plastic injection moulding. Our gas atomised powder process results in ultra-clean steels and demand is continuing to grow for these advanced, high-performance steels.

“In fact, demand is growing in all our key geographical markets. Over 40 per cent of our sales are generated in Europe with a further 40 per cent going to Asia. The remaining 20 per cent are destined for the American market. However, China is now our fastest-growing market where we have established new manufacturing and storage facilities in Tianjin.”

Mr Blanchard added, “We are at the forefront of technology concerning metallurgy, forging, rolling, drawing and heat treatment processes. Furthermore, our unique skills and competence in the production of gas atomised powder steels has opened up new markets for us, in particular for our stainless steel products and special nickel alloys. We are now targeting a new range of applications in the aerospace and nuclear energy sectors and have recently invested in an entirely new atomisation plant in Sweden that will more than double our manufactur-

ing capacity in high-performance PM steels. The opening ceremony for this state-ofthe-art plant was held at the beginning of October 2011. The new facility represents an investment of around €20 million and the new ‘atomisation tower’ will be by far the biggest single capacity unit for high-speed steels in the world. We are proud of the fact that all the research and development for the manufacture of our advanced, atomised gas process products has been initiated and conducted here in Sweden at Söderfors.”

Expanding global presence

Erasteel continues to invest in its manufacturing facilities across the world with special focus on China and North America. Recently the company strengthened its presence in North America with the acquisition of a steel service centre in Illinois. This facility complements the company’s sales and its drawing facility located in New Jersey. In the USA, Erasteel distributes cold drawn coil and bars and ground, high-speed steel bars, whereas in China, conversion services are provided in the main hot and cold transformation and shaping activities for special grades. Furthermore, the company has invested in new storage and manufacturing facilities in Mumbai, India, as well as in Tianjin in China.

While the company continues to invest in its industry’s future, it has not lost site of the importance of sustainable development. As a key member of the ERAMET Group, Erasteel strongly values environmental, societal and economical matters. In 2002 the ERAMET Group established an environmental charter as part of its global pursuit of sustainable development. This has enabled the company to build on its successful relationships with investors and employees as well as its clients. Erasteel is clearly committed to preserving the environment and encouraging safety as well as innovation. n

To learn more about Erasteel, visit: www.erasteel.com