Fives designs cutting-edge technologies to meet the new needs and applications of the steel market, in particular high value-added steel grade production: mechanical and thermal equipment, including induction heating solutions - services which rely on significant expertise in metallurgical processes. The Group also supplies tube mill lines and finishing equipment.
In the glass sector, Fives supplies flat glass and specialty glass production lines.
Fives has acquired a part of several activities from RDI-Met (Spain), a subsidiary of the Fagor Arrasate group.
The activities and expertise acquired will supplement the Group’s offer, notably with mechanical equipment for strip processing lines, color coating lines, and degreasing and pickling equipment.
Fives’ activity in the induction sector has developed considerably over the past two years to meet an increase in demand for high added-value steel production.
Fives was approached by several clients in China, Europe and the United States to supply CELES induction heaters with conventional longitudinal or transverse flux technology. The Group has developed its range of conventional equipment to reach record power levels (4 MW). The transverse flux induction technology also offers excellent prospects, particularly for silicon steel used in the electric vehicle market to offer more efficient engines.
Fives is cooperating with Marcegaglia Carbon Steel to develop a “smart line” solution to automatically control its continuous galvanization lines in Italy.
This digital innovation is the first automatic process control system which acts intelligently and simultaneously on all process operations on the same line. It allows steel producers to optimize their productivity and improve quality.
Fives has won several new contracts to design and supply DMS 20Hi cold rolling mills and coil preparation lines for Fuxin Special Steel for stainless steel production and a unique cold rolling mill for Xinyu to produce silicon steel for electric vehicles.
The Steel activity teams have also successfully commissioned the first DMS 20Hi EcoMill, which is able to produce ultra-thin steel strips on the full width at Shanghai Stal Precision Stainless Steel.
Fives has received several orders for OTO tube lines: as part of a long-term partnership, the Group will provide PEASA (Productos Especializados de Acero) with a complete welded tube line for the new mechanical electrical tubing plant in San Luis Potosi (Mexico).
Another complete line ordered by Aceros Arequipa for its plant in Peru includes an Abbey slitting system, a complete OTO tube line and a Robopack packaging machine. Finally, amongst several European projects, SSAB has awarded Fives a contract for two complete OTO tube lines as part of a modernization project for its Hämeenlinna plant in Finland.
Baoshan Iron and Steel Co., a subsidiary of the Chinese group Baowu Steel, has asked Fives to deliver a Bronx straightener for its seamless tube production line in Shanghai.
It is the thirteenth straightener ordered by Baoshan from the Group over a near thirty-year business relationship. Zhejiang Jiuli Hi-Tech Metals has also renewed its confidence in Fives by ordering two Bronx straighteners to process high-yield seamless tube products with thick walls and large diameters.
Fives has secured final acceptance for two annealing furnaces at Baotou Iron and Steel and two furnaces for continuous annealing lines and a furnace for the galvanizing line at the Zhanjiang plant at Baosteel.
The Group also helped Guangxi Iron & Steel to restart its annealing line and its two galvanizing lines at its Fangchenggang plant.
To improve the efficiency and the production capacity of its Borlänge plant in Sweden, SSAB has awarded a contract to Fives to modernize the thermal part of its existing continuous annealing line (CAL).
The project notably includes replacement of the preheating furnace and installation of four CELES MP induction heaters in cascade to increase furnace efficiency. The objective of this project is to increase the line’s capacity from 500,000 to 650,000 tons to produce advanced high-strength steel in order to meet the growing demands of the automotive industry.
A dynamic steel market in the United States
For nearly two years, the US steel industry support policy has stimulated investments to modernize and increase steel production capacity in the United States.
Fives is taking full advantage of this situation. The Group has signed several contracts with the fast-growing Steel Dynamics. Following an order to modernize the second continuous galvanizing line (CGL2)
at the Colombus plant, the Group was chosen to design and
supply a new continuous galvanizing line (CGL3) at the same site in Mississippi.
This new line is intended to produce 400,000 tons of steel per year for various markets, including the automotive industry. Fives also signed its first contract for a highly innovative ceramic coating line aimed at the construction and mass consumption markets.
