The two 600-tonne and 175-tonne overhead cranes
that TAIM WESER supplied as part of the enlargement of the
ArcelorMittal steelworks in Le Creusot (France) are
operating. The cranes are unusual due to their tonnage
and their design, which has been adapted to space
requirements and work conditions in the steelworks.
TAIM WESER was chosen just over a year ago to supply,
assemble and start up two large-tonnage overhead cranes
for the Industeel steelworks, an ArcelorMittal subsidiary, in
Le Creusot (Burgundy-France).
The project consisted of two unusual cranes due to their
size and features. They were supplied in a record time of 13
months. Final start-up took place just before 1 February,
when the new enlarged steelworks were opened. This plant will
produce special steel ingots to meet the needs of Creusot Forge,
an Areva subsidiary, which specializes in forging large components
for the nuclear industry and is one of TAIM WESER’s longstanding
clients.
TAIM WESER’s supply consists of an overhead crane with a
600/150-tonne capacity and 19.4m span between rails. This crane
will be used for the mould release and maintenance of forged
ingots weighing between 50 and 500 tonnes. The crane has two
separate trolleys running along three main girders.
An overhead casting crane with a 175/50/20-tonne capacity,
19.4m span was also supplied. The crane’s design is unusual due
to space limits in the facilities in question. TAIM WESER’s
solution consisted of a crane in which the main trolley runs along
the top of the main crane girders, while the auxiliary trolley runs
along the bottom of these main crane girders. It also has a third
girder with a 20-tonne lifting capacity hoist to perform
maintenance work in the steelworks.
Both cranes are highly sophisticated. They are designed to
work at a high level of precision with large-tonnage loads in a
heavy duty aggressive environment, and they are supplied with
the necessary protection and control equipment for the work
area and procedures. Safety features include redundant
mechanisms and their corresponding electrical equipment.
 
STRATEGIC AGREEMENT BETWEEN TWO MAJOR COMPANIES
These enlarged facilities are the result of a strategic agreement
between ArcelorMittal and Areva, which was signed in 2008 in Le
Creusot to increase the output capacity of Industeel, an
ArcelorMittal subsidiary, to be able to supply steel bars to
Creusot Forge, an Areva subsidiary, which manufactures cast
parts for the nuclear industry. With a €70 million investment, the
new production facilities in the steelworks measure 3,500m2 and
120m long and have the necessary equipment to increase the
plant’s output from 30,000 to 50,000 tonnes of 250-tonne steel
bars.
 
TAIM WESER: INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
TAIM WESER is a Spanish company operating on a worldwide
scale, specializing in high-technology turnkey projects. With
factories in 58 countries and over one hundred years of
experience, TAIM WESER provides solutions oriented towards
streamlining industrial processes in a sustainable, environmentally
friendly approach in the following sectors: bulk materials handling,
lifting, waste treatment and renewable energy.
The company’s corporate headquarters are located in
Zaragoza (Spain), where the facilities occupy a surface area of
64,000m2, 23,500 of which are covered and assigned to
production processes. In Germany, the company has a head
office in Bad Oeynhausen and a branch office in Saarlouis. In
Brazil it has a plant in Curitiba.
Thanks to its proprietary technology and patents, TAIM
WESER has become an international reference, present in all
major markets throughout the world, where it is distinguished by
its excellent management resources. TAIM WESER is committed
to innovation and technology; to people, total quality and
competitiveness.
These values, along with the extensive experience acquired,
afford the company a perfect understanding of the sectors in
which it operates, preparing it to meet all of its customers’
needs.