voestalpine New High-Tech Rail Rolling Mill on Track
05 July 2006
On June 29th 2006 the most modern rail rolling mill in the world was officially opened by Austrian Federal President, Dr. Heinz Fischer in Leoben, Austria. The ceremony was followed by an international show act and a plant tour to show the new line in full operation. At the concluding banquet, voestalpine management received congratulations and best wishes from their numerous VIP guests from around the world.
In his official speech, Dr. Fischer spoke of voestalpine as an internationally recognised,leading rail producer. voestalpine's success is based on a strict customer benefit orientation. He also addressed the pentagram of rail quality developed by voestalpine:
- Ultra-long: 120 metres - the longest weld-free rails in the world
- Ultra-precise: geometrically exact, physically and chemically perfect
- Ultra-durable: head hardened premium HSH® rails - the solution for high-performance railway tracks
- Ultra-flexible: in both word and deed the customer is king
- Ultra-economical: lowest life-cycle cost for highest customer benefit.
The production of the new mill had already started by the end of January 2006. The old rolling line was completely removed and replaced by the new one within a record time of only two months.
Featuring highly computerized processes and world-firsts like Ultra Flexible Production (UFP), the mill is unique. Investment amounted to €66 million and constituted the temporary culmination of a series of investments in the site during the past few years, which come to more than €350 million.
ABOUT VOESTALPPINE SCHIENEN GMBH
voestalpine Schienen GmbH, an affiliate company of the Railway Systems Division of the listed voestalpine AG, is the leading producer of rails in Europe. Thanks to the use of advanced technologies (including the largest available group of premium rail steel grades), the company's comprehensive system competence (for example, their life-cycle cost strategies) and its targeted service orientation, voestalpine Schienen has risen to a leading position in the worldwide market.
