core sector communique

Most modern SMS Meer CONTIROD^® plant in China successfully started up at Amer Tongling

 

In autumn 2009, the Chinese copper wire rod producer, Amer Copper Technology (Tongling) Co. Ltd., a company belonging to Amer Inter­national Group (AMER), commissioned its CONTIROD^® CR 3500 continuous copper wire rod plant. The plant, supplied by SMS Meer, Germany, is designed for an annual capacity of 225,000 t of rolled wire rod

 

SMS Meer supplied the entire technological equipment for the most modern and largest CONTIROD^® plant in China. It has a casting capacity of 35 t/h, a casting cross-section of 93 by 70 mm (6,500 mm²) and a casting speed of 11 m/min. The standard finished size is rolled wire rod of 8.0 mm diameter.

 

This wire rod mill forms part of AMER’s strategy of safeguarding cable production by integrating the upstream production processes and of expanding its production capacities in order to increase its market shares on the booming copper wire rod market. The wire rod is intended for both the domestic market and for export.

 

The CONTIROD^® plant consists of an SMS Meer shaft melting furnace followed by a 20-t holding furnace. The line is equipped with a Hazelett twin-belt caster and an SMS Meer continuous rolling mill. This rolling mill comprises twelve stands with individual drives, as well as the latest electrical equipment for automated process control. This altogether ensures high wire rod qualities.

 

This line is one of the most cost-effective of its kind in the world as it uses energy-saving variable-frequency three-phase AC motors for the main drives of the fans and of the mill.