The steel specialists Rubiera Special Steel

THE STEEL SPECIALISTS

Under a new name and new management, Rubiera Special Steel, the former Acciaieria di Rubiera, has taken on the business started in 1965 by Mr Testi and Mr Cima. Eugenia Fiusco spoke with Mr Federico Galperti, the new Sales Director of Rubiera Special Steel, to discuss the transition and new developments of the Italian steel company.

Acciaieria di Rubiera was the first Italian company to use DC arc furnaces at the start of the 1990s, a technology which improved product quality and reduced power, electrode and refractory consumption compared to the existing technology, and is to date the only steel plant in the Emilia Romagna region.

In November 2013, Acciaieria di Rubiera was taken over by Ring Mill, a worldwide supplier of rolled rings, open and closed die forgings owned by Mr Nicola Galperti. “We are carrying on the old tradition and have not made significant changes to the production lines. We are still manufacturing and selling the same products, but on the other hand we have invested in the maintenance of equipment to improve health and safety measures and our impact on the environment,” explained Mr Galperti. “However, in 2016 we introduced a new product: the VOD line is dedicated to the production of stainless steel and has thus widened our range of products.”

In particular, Rubiera Special Steel’s production profile falls into three main categories: remelted ingots for the most demanding applications (VAR+ESR from 5 tonnes to 100 tonnes), ingots for rolling and forging (round, square and polygonal ingots from 1 to 130 tonnes) and continuous casting billets (round bars with cross sections of 100, 120, 145, 160, 180 and 200mm).

“The main applications of our products are in the power generation and the oil and gas markets, along with nuclear and automotive,” explained Mr Galperti. “The main thing to keep in mind is that we supply special products for niche markets. Our focus is on the quality of our lines rather than mass production, and our lines find application in all industries.”

A forward-looking approach

Despite the commitment of Rubiera Special Steel to honour the tradition and the success that its production lines have achieved in the past 40 years, it is very much focused on the future. “Sometimes it is believed that what has worked in the past will continue to serve us well in the future. We disagree with that view and believe that it is vital to keep up-to-date with the needs and trends of the industry and keep developing new products that are current,” stated the owner of Rubiera Special Steel.

The relationship between the Italian company and its clients is at the core of such an ambitious and forward thinking approach, as is the relationship between Rubiera and its suppliers.

“Our business philosophy is simple: we want to create collaborations and partnerships. We do not want to be mere suppliers for our clients,

but rather work with them to develop new products and innovative solutions and improve quality as a result. By the same token, we expect our suppliers to work in the same way with Rubiera Special Steel.”

Geographical presence and future goals

Rubiera Special Steel operates mainly on the Italian market, although the search for new markets is always ongoing. “We are slightly more active on the European market compared to the old management, with 85 per cent of production sold to the Italian market and the remaining 15 per cent to Europe. At the moment, we are not operating on an global level,” commented Mr Galperti.

As for the Italian company’s future plans, it intends to carry on with the production of highly specialised steel. “We have no interest in expanding the volumes; we want to operate in this niche market and specialise more and more in challenging and special products. In other words, we want to stay a boutique and not become a supermarket.”

Amongst Rubiera Special Steel’s biggest achievements to date is the manufacture of the biggest 15.5ph ESR ingot ever produced, with a weight of 70 tonnes. “Rubiera is a flexible partner that can deliver steel products for the newest applications requested by the market. We are equipped with an excellent internal quality management team that keeps costs and efficiency in check,” concluded the Sales Director.