Rolling steel technology forward Beltrame Group

RoLLIng sTEEL TEChnoLogy foRWARD

The Beltrame Group is a market leader in the manufacture of steel bars and coils for the construction, mining and shipbuilding industries. The company’s Swiss steel rolling mills recently reached their target of producing five million tonnes of stretched steel coils. Today the Beltrame Group continues to invest heavily in new plant and technology. Recently it installed the latest recuperative burners for the heating and drying of ladles, resulting in a dramatic reduction in fuel consumption. Philip Yorke reports.

The Italian steel conglomerate, ADFV Beltrame, was founded in Vicenza, Italy in 1896 and today is Europe’s leading manufacturer of merchant steel bars. Used throughout the construction industry, they form the core of the company’s broad product portfolio.

Beltrame operates four steelworks and ten state-of-the-art steel rolling mills, which are spread throughout mainland Europe.

Today the company employs more than 2000 people and in 2017 recorded revenues of more than two billion euros.

optimising the supply chain

Beltrame has always placed a high priority on its manufacturing facilities being strategically located in order to be close to its clients and its raw material suppliers. These carefully selected geographical locations enable the company to optimise its supply chain, which in turn offers considerable benefits for its customers. The increasing global distribution of its manufacturing bases makes it possible to produce its entire portfolio of products whilst enhancing the lines of distribution and supporting its strict sustainability goals, especially in terms of transportation.

Beltrame has always been a customer-focused company and is geared to delivering high quality solutions that precisely meet its customers’ needs. The company’s continuous programme of investment and improvement helps to guarantee its on-going competitive advantage. As a recent example of a major investment in energy saving and efficiency, the company installed two new recuperative burners at its Vicenza plant for heating and drying the steel ladles needed for the delivery of molten steel. Based upon the performance of earlier recuperative burners installed by the company, a saving of up to 60 per cent on fuel and energy can be achieved.

leading the field

The Beltrame Group is the undisputed leader in the manufacture of commercial laminates, which is in addition to its domination in many other product category markets, such as merchant bars and stretched steel coils. The company’s modern facilities are capable of producing more than five million tonnes of rolled steel products achieved by the employment of its 11 rolling mills and four modern electric furnace mills.

The geographic distribution of the group provides another reason why Beltrame leads the field. The company’s various locations are strategically placed and particularly advantageous in relation to the location of product components and raw materials. Today around 3000 employees are working for the group worldwide.

Continuous research programmes and the development of innovative solutions help to maintain Beltrame’s pole position in the global steel marketplace. This enviable position is enhanced by its commitment to energy conservation, which is at the centre of its strategy.

Focus on sustainability

For many years the AFV Beltrame Group has been committed to the protection of the environment and has strived to achieve greater sustainability. This was evident long before it became a global issue. Operating in the steel market for well over a century and the leading manufacturer of merchant bars, the group has made a consistent commitment to the environment and sustainability, whilst counting on the EDP certification as its primary informational tool.

The EDP covers the entire product life cycle, allowing commercial and industrial consumers alike to understand how Beltrame’s products interact with the environment by means of a specific set of indicators.

Strong growth

The on-going success of the AFV Beltrame Group is underscored by its positive financial situation. The group recently presented itself to the ‘Made in Steel’ institute with the solidity of a compact shareholder and focused on the company’s development.

“The group is solid and we want to continue with this direction of growth,” said Ricardo Garre, CEO of the AFV Beltrame Group.

“We have achieved positive results, but above all higher expectations, in particular as a result of our determination to be more efficient in all our disciplines. This covers the rationalisation of our production structure and the integration between industrial centres in Italy and abroad. We are aiming at the greater efficiency of our production lines and we want to continue to satisfy our customers through a constant improvement in production, organisation and services,” concluded Garre.

For further details of the AFV Beltrame Group’s innovative steel products and processes visit: www.beltramegroup.com