2.

08

IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY page 4 | CRANE MAKERS PRUNE AWAY KILOS page 6

RIGHT PLATE MAKES MONEY FOR MINES page 9 | GOOD BENDABILITY SAVES TIME page 16
FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT: hardox lasts longer…21 | THE WORLD AROUND US: China after the Olympics …23

SSAB is working on contributing

towards better productivity of its
customers - by improving its plate and
also by developing calculation tools
for simplifying the choice of wear
plate. WearCalc is just such a tool.

Plate208 eng.indd 1 08-12-10 11.46.52

 Focus on the business of customers
AT SSAB, WE FOCUS our attention on the
business of our customers. We take active
interest in a customer’s business and develop
long-term relations. We create value together
by exchanging knowledge.
When we present our total product range, we dis-
tinguish between the basic properties of the plate and
the added values that are a part of our offer to
the customer. The basic properties are hardness,
strength, toughness and other physical properties
that determine how and where the products can be
used in various applications and segments. Another
very important part of the basic properties are the
workshop attributes of the plate, where we focus
on optimizing properties such as weldability,
bendability and machinability.
In addition to the basic properties, our
product range includes added values
that reflect our collective knowledge and
experience of everything related to how
our products perform in various situ-
ations. This applies to the entire chain
from the production of a component in
a workshop to how the finished prod-
uct performs in operation at our cus-
tomer’s customer. The strong brand names
of our products that basically guarantee
development is to focus on developing and manufactur-
ing products that are designed for rational handling in
the workshop. Close tolerances on thickness and accurate
processing ensure consistent properties within one plate
and from one plate to the next. All plates behave in the
same way. Good weldability, easy machinability and good
formability are other examples of properties to which we
give high priority.
Productivity is a main theme in this issue of Plate.
Our niche products contribute towards improved pro-
ductivity and thus also reduced environmental impact
at all stages of the value chain. This extends all the
way from steelmaking, where every tonne of hardened
and tempered steel replaces around two tonnes
of ordinary steel, right up to transport to the
customer’s plant, where only half the weight
needs to be transported for a given duty. Thin-
ner plate requires less workshop time, while
higher hardness or strength offers a longer
useful life or a higher lifting capacity.
Development is forging ahead. We con-
tinue our product development work in
close cooperation with our customers. We
gain greatest satisfaction from developing
products for a given segment and applica-
tion, thus making our customers stronger
and more competitive.
AH L

high quality and that can also support the

KD

marketing work of our customers represent P-O STARK

BO BJ ÖR

another added value. Vice President Marketing,

An important guiding light in our product Sales and Product Development

Plate 2 2008
SSAB Oxelösund, which is a member of the SSAB Swedish Steel Group, is a world leader in the specialist field
of quenched and tempered steels and produces well-known brand names such as HARDOX wear plate and
WELDOX structural steel. Typical applications include excavator buckets, tipper truck bodies and mobile cranes.
PLATE is a publication destined for our customers, prospective customers and other interested parties.

EDITOR: Åke Jerräng, tel +46 155 25 47 73, e-mail: ake.jerrang@ssabox.com

PUBLISHER RESPONSIBLE UNDER SWEDISH LAW: Per-Olof Stark, tel +46 155 25 40 00
ADDRESS: SSAB Oxelösund, SE-613 80 Oxelösund, Sweden
PRODUCTION: Citat Journalistgruppen AB, tel +46 8 610 20 00
PROJECT LEADER: Maria Nilsson
GRAPHIC DESIGN: Citat Journalistgruppen
REPRO AND PRINTING: Österbergs & Sörmlandstryck
COVER: Jenny Jansrudvangen, photo, Åke Jerräng, AD.

2 | Plate 2–08

Plate208 eng.indd 2 08-12-10 11.46.54

 CONTENTS

Improve productivity 4

GERMANY: Use less to make more 8

CHILE: Copper mine

specifies HARDOX 10
SWEDEN

TURKEY: Özünlü cuts

18
the weight of trucks 12
BELGIUM GERMANY
16 7, 8,
14
BELGIUM: Saves time in bending 16 17 12
23
ITALY: Technical support ITALY TURKEY
strengthens Zendrini 17 CHINA

SWEDEN: Nothing can beat TOOLOX 18

CHILE
Focus on the environment 21
10 13

Research and Development 22 SOUTH AFRICA

THE WORLD AROUND US:

China after the Olympics 23

FAIRS IN 2009

SSAB Singapore in new premises

Since it was founded in 1994, SSAB Singapore
has developed from purely a plate sales company
to a development centre for HARDOX wear plate.
The new premises are almost three times big-
ger than the original ones and are better suited
for the operations. The premises offer better
opportunities for effective plate handling. More
space, with separate bays for incoming and out-
going goods, have long been sorely needed and
are also a condition for being able to handle the
growing volumes of products. Since plates are
becoming thinner, increasing numbers of plates
are loaded onto and off the trucks, and into and
out of containers.
The existing cutting machine has been
equipped with a new 12-metre water table and
extended rails, and also a new high-definition
plasma system, so that the overall length is
now 21 metres. The new system ensures higher
quality with closer tolerances.
The operations in Singapore also serve as
a distribution centre for Indonesia, Malaysia,
Thailand and the Philippines. • 20-24 Intermat, Paris, France
FEBRUARY:
• 26-28 ACE Construction, Melbourne,
Australia
MARCH:
• 4-6 NTEA Truck, Chicago, USA
• 19-21 Mid America Truck, Louisville, USA
• 20-23 Metec Construction, Athens,
Greece
APRIL:
MAY:
• 14-17 Brisbane Truck Show, Brisbane,
Australia
• 26-29 Tokyo Truck Show, Tokyo, Japan
• 29-31 Vintec Mining, Melbourne, Australia
• 29-31 Tip-Ex Transport, Great Britain
JUNE:
• 23-25 Hillhead Mining, Great Britain

Plate 2–08 | 3

Plate208 eng.indd 3 08-12-10 11.46.54

 PRODUCTIVITY
TEXT: Claes Löwgren

HARDOX WEAR PLATE AND SYSTEMATIZED EVALUATION OF THE

WEAR CONDITIONS ENABLE MANY MINES TO IMPROVE PRODUC-
TIVITY IN TERMS OF ”COST PER TONNE OF ORE PRODUCED”. THIS
QUICKLY COMPENSATES FOR THE HIGHER COST OF WEAR PARTS.

SMALL INPUT FOR

GREAT RESULTS
T
he unparalleled growth in demand for raw materials
in recent years has forced the mining industry to
increase its production rate. Increased production
capacity and general productivity improvements often
demand significant investments and take time to imple-
ment. However, certain improvements can be achieved
with minor “investments” and in a much shorter time, such
as by design changes and better wear plate.
In the past three decades, ssab Oxelösund has been
actively engaged on extending the useful life of wear
parts, increasing the efficiency of buckets and rais-
ing the payload of mine tipper trucks. New, harder
hardox grades have been developed and improved.
In parallel with this, calculation tools for selecting
wear plate materials have been developed and continu-
ally upgraded. The calculation tools are based on experi-
ence gained from joint testing by ssab Oxelösund and
users of hardox plate. The results have then been gener-
alized and adapted to calculation models for selecting wear
plate for abrasive applications. The program, code-named
WearCalc, contributes to shortening the evaluation process
when selecting wear plate. This in itself is a productivity
improvement.
The process of redesigning a wear part and selecting a
more durable steel grade usually leads to a more expen-
sive wear part. However, this additional cost should be re-
garded as an “investment”, since the benefit is yielded later,
when fewer stoppages provide additional production time
for handling and processing the ore.
THE PRODUCTIVITY CAN BE
IMPROVED BY SWITCHING TO
MORE WEAR-RESISTANT PLATE.
WHAT IS THE collective value of more production time and
higher ore tonnage due to fewer maintenance stoppages?
The answer to this question depends on local circumstanc-
es and conditions. In the example shown here, the invest-
ments in more wear-resistant material contributes towards
eliminating at least one or perhaps two stoppages, or at

4 | Plate 2–08

Plate208 eng.indd 4 08-12-10 11.46.54

 PRODUCTIVITY

Would you be interested in receiving the

WearCalc calculation program?
If so, get in touch with Lena Olofsson at
lena.olofsson@ssab.com

percent. Although the initial plate costs were 2 500 and

15 000 dollars respectively higher than standard plate, they
yielded cost reductions per tonne of 0.6 and 1.5 percent
least towards shorter stoppages and savings in mainte- respectively.
nance resources. These seemingly small improvements jointly yielded a
Newer and more durable hardox grades, such as total annual cost reduction of 280 000 and 680 000 dollars
hardox 600 and hardox Extreme, make it increasing- respectively for the whole of the transport operations.
ly important to take up and discuss material and applica- The combination of wear resistance, toughness and im-
tion matters between mining companies and the Technical pact resistance properties of hardox steels has continu-
Support Team at ssab Oxelösund. The initially higher cost ally been improved. Systematized mineral analysis and the
of the more wear-resistant material can often be recovered WearCalc software have made it easier to estimate the use-
fairly quickly by savings in the number of maintenance ful life of wear parts. In total, this gives better grounds for
hours or by fewer maintenance stoppages. But some ques- ssab and mining companies to jointly find ways of lower-
tions regarding other material properties and special appli- ing further the “production cost per tonne of ore”.
cation conditions may sometimes have to be sorted out.
Certain wear parts require properties beyond merely a
long useful life. Wear plate for large mining trucks, for ex- Relative useful life
ample, must be not only wear resistant, but must also be
able to withstand heavy blows and shocks, and have the
ability to deform elastically. Useful lives of two wear plates
The productivity in ore and waste rock transport can
often be improved by switching to a more wear-resistant
plate and a modified design. The choice lies either in us-
ing thinner and more wear-resistant plate to achieve higher
payload capacity, or using better steel grades of unchanged
thickness for extending the operating periods.
Relative expected useful
life of a HARDOX 550
A STUDY OF wear plate in Canadian mining trucks with (3.2) wear plate compa-
capacities of around 240 tonnes revealed significant dif- red to a 400 HB wear
ferences in terms of volumes transported and the cost of plate (1.0). Copper mine
with seven different rock
body maintenance. Two new alternative wear plate solu-
types. Source: Petro-
tions with different weights and useful lives were com- 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 graphic investigation and
pared with wear plate of standard type. The two new wear Brinell hardness WearCalc calculation.
plate alternatives yielded a payload increase of 0.8 and 2.7

Plate 2–08 | 5

Plate208 eng.indd 5 08-12-10 11.46.54

 Half of the large
Liebherr mobile
cranes are used
for erection work
in wind farms.

6 | Plate 2–08

Plate208 eng.indd 6 08-12-10 11.46.55


A MOBILE CRANE CAN HARDLY BE REGARDED AS A LIGHT-
WEIGHT MACHINE. FOR A LEADING CRANE MANUFACTURER,
SUCH AS THE GERMAN LIEBHERR GROUP, SEVERAL YEARS
OF IMPROVED PERFORMANCE AND REDUCED WEIGHT HAVE
LED TO SUCCESS.
LIEBHERR CHASES
EVERY KILO
W
e try to prune away a kilo wherever we can, says
Wolfgang Beringer, Marketing Manager at the
Liebherr factory in Ehingen, Germany.
Laws in most of the world's countries specify that mo-
bile cranes, i.e. those that are allowed to travel on public
roads, must not have a higher axle load than 12 tonnes
per axle.
This means that mobile cranes have a predetermined
highest permissible weight that depends on the number of
axles that carry the crane. At the same time, cranes have
increasing capacities and longer outreach.
In September 2008, Liebherr launched its ltm 11200-
9.1 mobile crane that holds the world record for its 100
metre long boom.
“We have achieved this by using the new high quality
steel grades available on the market today. It is
vital for us to use steels that can withstand higher
loads without affecting the total crane weight,”
says Wolfgang Beringer.
SSAB OXELÖSUND HAS served as an important
partner to Liebherr for over 20 years. Wolfgang
Beringer and his colleagues appreciate the pro-
active way in which ssab Oxelösund introduces
new products and how it follows up Liebherr
tests of its products. Wolfgang Beringer.
Plate208 eng.indd 7
TEXT: Alexander Farnsworth
“This is an excellent way of cooperating. We need a
good and stable high quality steel with superior properties
in terms of weldability and bendability. One reason is that
all of our machines, such as laser cutting machines, are set
for standard steel grades. An even more important reason
is that safety considerations make it impossible for us to
accept any variations.”
Liebherr currently uses weldox 700, 960 and 1100
steels from ssab Oxelösund.
EXPLOSIVE GROWTH in the wind power industry in recent
years has been good news for Liebherr. According to Wolf-
gang Beringer, half of his company's larger mobile cranes
are used for erection work in wind farms, where they lift
gigantic turbines and propeller blades up to 80 metres in
diameter into their intended place.
Although cranes have undergone dynamic de-
velopment in the past 20 years, developments in
design, manufacture and materials used are un-
likely to level off.
“The industry is toying with thoughts of using
materials other than steel for the crane booms.
But in my personal opinion, steel will dominate
in the immediate future. Above all, the more re-
cent steels."
Plate 2–08 | 7
08-12-10 11.46.56
 TEXT: Alexander Farnsworth
Manitowoc does more with less
Just like most other crane
manufacturers, Manitowoc is
building cranes of increasing
capacity and decreasing
weight.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF high strength
steels now enables Manitowoc to use
thinner plate in the design of mobile
cranes than it did 20 years ago.
“We do more with less. The thin-
ner plates also enable us to increase
Michael Hünecke at Manitowoc is pleased with the support he receives from SSAB Oxelösund.
8 | Plate 2–08
Plate208 eng.indd 8
the margins to the legally specified
axle load of 12 tonnes,” says Michael
Hünecke, head of design and produc-
tion at the Manitowoc factory in Wil-
helmshaven, Germany.
Manitowoc uses weldox 1100
steel for the crane booms and
weldox 960 steel for the frames,
crane booms and fifth wheels.
BUT THE WEIGHTS of the crane booms
must be reduced further. According
to Michael Hünecke, a possible de-
velopment is to increase the use of
weldox 1100 in the crane chassis.
Michael Hünecke is particularly ap-
preciative of the high quality of steels
from ssab.
“Viewed globally, ssab Oxelösund
is an excellent plate supplier. The
flatness and the consistent finish are
very important to us when we cut
the plates by laser and when we bend
them. We work to very close toler-
ances.
“We also receive excellent support
from ssab if and when we need
it.”
MANITOWOC
Manitowoc was founded in the port city
of Manitowoc in Wisconsin in 1902 as a
shipbuilding and shipyard company.
In 1925, the company built its first
latticework crane (on rails). After this, the
company came to symbolize crawler
cranes, and the company’s machines
are now in service in all corners of the
world.
In addition to crawler cranes, the
company also manufactures tower
cranes and mobile cranes with capaci-
ties between 45 and 907 tonnes.
National Crane and Potain are two
other crane brands in the Manitowoc
portfolio.
08-12-10 11.46.56
 PRODUCTION ECONOMY
TEXT: Michael Masoliver

SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/IBL

Mining companies around the world have long
been using HARDOX for the wear parts of machines
and components that must be capable of with-
standing the extreme stresses imposed by opera-
tion in mines. A recent study of platinum mines in
South Africa now confirms the considerable gains
attainable.

Platinum mines benefit

from using the right plate
I
t is well known that hardox 550
is usually much more wear resis-
tant than conventional steels such
as ar 500. This fact is already put to
WearCalc calculation software de-
veloped by ssab Oxelösund. The
result? Theory and prac-
tice agreed very well in en-
predicting wear. They also show the
useful life improvements that can
be achieved by using the
newer and more advanced
JOHAN DALHÄLL

use around the world for mining
equipment and contracting machines.
Last year, the ssab Oxelösund
Wear Technology Group participated
in a test in which hardox 550 and
ar 500 were compared in one of the
toughest conceivable mining environ-
ments – that at the Impala Platinum
mine in Rustenburg, South Africa.
THE TEST INVOLVED comparing the
useful life of hardox 550 and ar 500
that were subjected to sliding wear
by ore lumps in a transport chute. In
order to find out the mineral compo-
sition of the rocks, which is an impor-
tant factor in this context, samples of
the rock were sent to the Geological
Survey of Sweden (sgu).
The results of the experiment were
compared with the results from the
gineering terms, according
to Claes Löwgren, Market
Development Engineer at
ssab Oxelösund.
“The WearCalc model
could predict, for example,
that hardox 550 could be
serviceable three times lon-
ger than ar 500. In actual Claes Löwgren.
fact, the improvement was
2.6 times. This is a valuable result for can often plan one less costly stop-
Impala Platinum and enables them to
save on maintenance time and possi-
bly skip one repair stoppage.”
THE BENEFIT OF a harder hardox
varies with the mineral content or
hardness of the abrasive bulk mate-
rial. The results of the experiment at
Impala Platinum demonstrate the op-
portunities offered by WearCalc for
wear plate grades such as
hardox 550.
This is valuable infor-
mation for customers who
want to take active mea-
sures to avoid major rev-
enue losses caused by the
need for equipment repairs.
Customers who specify
hardox 550, for example,
page, declares Claes Löwgren.
“We can talk as much as we like
about hardness and wear resistance,
but this must be put into the context
of production economy, since it is
ultimately money that is involved.
WearCalc provides us with a calcula-
ting tool that can assist us in assessing
the scope available for better produc-
tion economy for customers.”

Plate 2–08 | 9

Plate208 eng.indd 9 08-12-10 11.46.57

 TEXT: David Francisco

PRODUCTIVITY IN CHILEAN COPPER MINES INVOLVES

FINDING THE CORRECT BALANCE BETWEEN WEIGHT AND
USEFUL LIFE. A MIXTURE OF DIFFERENT HARDOX GRADES
HAS HELPED MINETEC TO FIND THE RIGHT MIX.

STEELS FOR EXTREME

ENVIRONMENTS
T
he copper mines in the Atacama Desert in Chile are
in some of the world's most extreme environments.
At ground surface, it is 50 times drier than in Death
Valley in California, and equipment here is put to a truly
tough test. The weight of the equipment is the key to suc-
cessful mining operations.
The Santiago-based Minetec, which is a member of the
Tehmcorp Group, is one of the leading suppliers of mining
equipment in South America. The company manufactures
truck bodies, excavator buckets, liner plates and scrapers
for mining operations. The products are used in the Es-
condida and Chuquicamata mines in the Atacama Desert,
which are among the world's biggest copper mines.
MINETEC – WHICH has around 300 employees in Chile and
Brazil - has been using hardox wear plate since 2007 for
improving the useful life and efficiency of its mining ma-
chinery.
Magnus Hasselgren, Area Sales Manager for South
America at ssab Oxelösund in Chile, says that he and his
colleagues know which hardox grades are best suited
for the Minetec operations, because of their close contacts
with the people working in the mines.
“It is a competitive benefit for us to talk to customers
about their operations and how materials can be used in
the best possible way,” says Magnus Hasselgren.
According to him, it is important to understand the
extreme conditions to which Minetec buckets and tipper
trucks are subjected in mining, crushing and transporting
hard minerals. This is why the choice of material is such
an important issue for companies that work with mining
equipment. More durable equipment cuts the time needed
for welding and repairs, which leaves more time over for
actual mining operations.
“The machines must be able to withstand heavy wear.”
IN ADDITION TO being durable, mining buckets must also
weigh as little as possible. Minetec specified ssab Oxelösund
steels, since ssab has a comprehensive product range, but
also because the company works in close contact with cus-
tomers and assists them in finding the optimum balance
between useful life and weight.
Minetec uses a mixture of hardox grades, such as
hardox 400, 450, 500 and 550, and is now testing
hardox 600, which is one of the hardest wear plates
available on the market.
“If the same thickness of steel is used for the whole of
the bucket, certain parts will wear out more quickly than

10 | Plate 2–08

Plate208 eng.indd 10 08-12-10 11.46.58

 Minetec has been
using HARDOX
wear plate since
2007 for improving
the useful life and
efficiency of its
mining machinery.

others. So it is sensible to use the right material for differ-

ent parts of the bucket,” says Magnus Hasselgren.
Alberto Opazo, Business and Project Leader at Minetec,
says that ssab Oxelösund products have helped his com-
pany to improve its productivity. ssab Oxelösund prod-
ucts are of very high quality and offer a durable solution,
being more resistant to impact and wear and being more
lightweight.

IT IS NO EASY matter to cut the weight of the buckets. Al-

though the trend is towards lighter buckets, mining ma-
chines must still be extremely durable.
“The harder the material, the more liable it is to crack-
ing, and the thicker the material, the higher the weight of
the bucket. So it is beneficial that we can offer a compre-
hensive product range and have a close dialogue about
how each of the materials should be used in the best pos-
sible way,” says Magnus Hasselgren.
At several plants, ssab Oxelösund has Area Technical
Managers who work on site with the customers’ engi-
neers.
Alberto Opazo says that teamwork and the use of the
very latest in technology are two of the most important
success factors for achieving high productivity. 

Plate 2–08 | 11

Plate208 eng.indd 11 08-12-10 11.46.58

 TEXT: Alexander Farnsworth
The name of the Istanbul-based company Özünlü Damper
Karoser is not exactly on everyone’s lips, unless you happen
to have a truck fleet with channel-shaped tipper bodies in
Turkey. That’s when the name is really well known.
”
We are now able to cut
the weights of trucks”
ÖZÜNLÜ TIPPER BODY, tanker and
trailer range with various hydraulic
accessories – especially built for new
trucks or retrofitted to existing trucks
– are synonymous with quality and
durability.
During the past four years,
Özünlü has been using exclusively
hardox 450 steels, which has re-
sulted in low weight and extremely
high wear resistance.
ÖZÜNLÜ HAS 165 employees at its
factory in the Habibler district of Is-
tanbul, and is planning to double its
workforce by 2010.
“Our products are designed for
transporting bulk materials - rock
and sand – and hardox 450 gives
us a longer useful life compared to or-
dinary steel. The special grades have
enabled us to cut the truck weights,
while also improving their durability
and payload capacity. This is reflected
in the economic results of the opera-
tors. hardox is the world’s foremost
wear-resistant steel,” says Managing
Director Ufuk Özünlü who runs the
family company that was founded in
1977.
ÖZÜNLÜ DAMPER KAROSER IS A mem-
ber of hardox In My BodyTM brand
12 | Plate 2–08
Plate208 eng.indd 12
programme, and proudly displays the As a result, Özünlü is now building
logotype on all of its bodies. This a new production plant with a total
synergy with ssab Oxelösund has floor area of 26 500 square metres
contributed to growth of the opera- adjacent to its Head Office. When the
tions in the past four years. plant has been completed, the com-
“ssab Oxelösund personnel pay us pany will have a production capacity
regular visits and share with us their of 550 bodies monthly, compared to
in-depth knowledge of production 300 today.
engineering and productivity-raising The Özünlü family has always fol-
measures. This gives us better insight
and assists us in solving production
problems,” says Ufuk Özünlü.
“We have asked them for assistance
four or five times, but I never expect-
ed to get such quick response. We are
very pleased to be working with a
company that is as customer-focused
as ssab Oxelösund.”
THE ÖZÜNLÜ CUSTOMER portfolio in-
cludes the country’s largest structural,
mining and transport companies in
both the private and the public sec-
tors. The company exports to eleven ”HARDOX gives us a longer useful life than ordinary
countries in cooperation with the steel,” says Ufuk Özünlü.
Ford-Otosan truck manufacturer. Fur-
ther proof of quality came in the sum- lowed the motto “If you want to be
mer of 2008 when Özünlü became an strong, be the strongest of them all...”.
authorised subcontractor to Daimler They are living up to this motto
(Mercedes-Benz). in their continued investment and
“We have now achieved good vol- growth strategy.
umes in the Turkish market and are in
a good position for further growth.”
08-12-10 11.46.59
 TEXT: David Callahan

Vibrating screen with side

plates of HARDOX 600.
HARDOX 550 is used for
other parts.

Platinum mines
specify HARDOX
Platinum mining in South Africa
is thriving – and HARDOX 600
plays a key role.
THE KROONDAL PLATINUM mining
company in South Africa has cut its
operating costs by increasing the effec-
tive production time by using hardox
wear plate from ssab Oxelösund. Ac-
cording to Daniel Els, Area
Sales Manager at ssab in
South Africa, hardox has
proved to be the leading
wear plate in an area where
the market is thriving.
The discovery of plati-
num five years ago in the
Steelpoort region of the
Limpopo province will Daniel Els.
make South Africa experi-
ence yet another growth explosion.
“We have seen Rustenburg grow
from a small town to one of South
Africa’s most robustly growing towns.
This gives a clear indication of what
we can expect in Steelpoort,” says
Daniel Els.
HARDOX 600 IS widely used for scrap-
er blades, coarse dressing grilles, silos
and chutes in mining, in a region that
looks like a saucer-shaped indentation
in the earth’s surface, with the world’s
biggest finds of metals in
the platinum group.
Kroondal Platinum is
one of the largest mines in
the region and a big user of
hardox 600.
“We have very success-
fully run extensive tests on
products and development
at this mine.”
bic consists of a layer of
volcanic bedrock known as the Me-
rensky Reef and an underlying stra-
tum known as Upper Group 2 Reef
(ug2). According to Daniel Els, ug2
is also rich in chromium ore, which is
very abrasive.
Kroondal uses hardox 600 in its
plant as liner in chutes that transport
520 tonnes of ore per hour. hardox
plates have a useful life of six months,
which is about three times longer
than the life of the material used in
the past.
OTHER APPLICATIONS for hardox 600
include 800-tonne silo chutes and 30
mm thick scraper blades. hardox
extends the useful life of the scrap-
er blades by between five and six
months, which halves the scheduled
operating stoppages.
“The hardox product range
enables us to provide superior solu-
tions for all mining applications in
which the equipment is subjected to
anything from sliding wear to impact
loads,” says Daniel Els.
“By specifying the right product for
each application, we can always make
cost-saving solutions available to our
customers.”

Plate 2–08 | 13

Plate208 eng.indd 13 08-12-10 11.47.00

 TEXT: Jonas Rehnberg
FERRO UMFORMTECHNIK, THE GERMAN PLATE-FORMING
COMPANY, ENABLES MOBILE CRANES TO REACH NEW
HEIGHTS DUE TO THE QUALITY OF WELDOX.
FERRO TAKES
MOBILE CRANES
TO NEW HEIGHTS
C
ertain applications, such as mobile cranes, are more
demanding than others. Safety and precision are
decisive, which is a reason why the Ferro
Umformtechnik company based in North-Western Ger-
many, has become one of the world's leading plate-forming
companies, with customers among vehicle manufacturers
and other industries. Booms for mobile cranes are one of
the products. In addition to bending, Ferro Umformtech-
nik also uses thermal cutting, laser cutting and fine laser-
beam cutting.
“Components for cranes and other construction and
plant vehicles demand precision to the nearest
millimetre. Moreover, our customers demand
components with a long useful life and low
costs, but without compromises on quality,” says
Heinz Dünne, Managing Director of Ferro Um-
formtechnik.
THE HIGH DEGREE of specialization is achieved
by having the right machine for every conceivable
material length. Long lengths are in keen demand
for mobile crane booms. By using weldox and a Heinz Dünne.
14 | Plate 2–08
Plate208 eng.indd 14
touch of ingenuity, Ferro Umformtechnik has been able to
deliver booms that have taken cranes to staggering heights,
without compromising on safety and performance.
“By applying forces of 4400 tonnes to plates up to 28.5
metres long, we can bend them in lengths that were ba-
sically inconceivable in the past,” says Heinz Dünne with
pride.
“The longer the components that can be bent, the fewer
the welded joints, and therefore the lower the production
costs. Advanced precision bending enables thinner plate to
be used, which reduces the weight of the telescopic booms
for the world's biggest mobile cranes, without
compromising on strength.”
Lighter booms of unchanged strength enable
the cranes to lift heavier loads without the risk
of tipping over. Heinz Dünne claims that this de-
velopment has been achieved by properties such
as close tolerances on thickness and the extreme-
ly high yield strength of weldox 1100.
In addition, many specialized construction and
plant vehicles, such as gigantic mobile cranes, are
transported over long distances between assign-
08-12-10 11.47.00

ments. Lighter vehicles result in improved fuel economy.
FERRO UMFORMTECHNIK also processes plate for metal
scrap recovery machines - an application that causes heavy
wear for which the homogeneous properties of hardox
are particularly well suited. Other applications for hardox
include plate for truck bodies and high-performance con-
tainers. The properties of hardox eliminate the need for
reinforcements, and the body can be bent directly to its fi-
nal form. According to Heinz Dünne, this means that the
useful life of the end products can be extended by two to
three times.
“Our customers are interested in lowering the costs and
Plate208 eng.indd 15
Ferro Umformtechnik undertakes bending, thermal cutting,
laser cutting and fine laser-beam cutting.
extending the useful life of their end products. As a devel-
opment partner, Ferro Umformtechnik is in the middle of
the processing chain between the steelmaker and the man-
ufacturer of the end products,” explains Heinz Dünne.
In cooperation with ssab Oxelösund, Ferro Um-
formtechnik is also investigating possible applications for
toolox and provides ssab Oxelösund with test data re-
lated to the demands on bendability and thickness toler-
ances.
“We are convinced that these joint efforts will open the
doors to other new markets.”
Plate 2–08 | 15
08-12-10 11.47.01
 TEXT: Jonas Rehnberg
WELDOX
simplifies bending
Ductility and the consistent quality of WELDOX
make it simpler for Vlassenroot to bend boom
sections for mobile cranes.
S
pecialization is often said to be the key to success on
today's competitive global market. Vlassenroot, the
Belgian metalworking company, represents an exam-
ple of successful specialization. The company has grown
quickly and has become one of the world's leading manu-
facturers of all-welded telescopic booms and chassis for
mobile cranes.
The company has four state-of-the-art production plants
in Europe, which specialize on a variety of metalworking
methods for various crane components. Bending is a spe-
ciality at the Brussels plant, which is also the home to one
of the world's biggest edge-bending presses with capacity
for bending sections up to 24 metres long with a force of
4000 tonnes.
VLASSENROOT HAS BEEN in close cooperation with
ssab Oxelösund since 1997. Eddy Buyst, Managing Di-
rector of Vlassenroot, explains why the company prefers
weldox steel to any other plate on the market.
“The high quality and bendability of weldox 1100 is
an obvious benefit to us, since the plates are flat and have little gloomier.
close tolerances, which other suppliers cannot
match. By using weldox, we save time, and our
production is more efficient.”
The reason that weldox improves productiv-
ity is that the edge-bending press need not be re-
set. This is because the material is homogeneous
and behaves consistently from one plate to the
next.
Vlassenroot currently produces booms for
4000 cranes annually. Every crane has an average
of five boom sections, each with two steel pro- Eddy Buyst.
16 | Plate 2–08
Plate208 eng.indd 16
files, which means that Vlassenroot bends and cuts 40 000
steel profiles annually. Every boom has between four and
six telescopic sections, and some cranes can reach heights
up to 90 metres.
WHEN THE MOBILE crane market took off in earnest in
2004, Vlassenroot decided to focus its Brussels plant ex-
clusively on bending. The bent boom profiles are then sent
to the company's plant in the Ruhr region of Germany for
welding and machining. The newly opened plant in Poland
processes weldox 960 plates into crane chassis.
Low weight and high strength are vital to end users.
“Cranes equipped with our boom sections can lift up to
500 tonnes, and we are working on prototypes that will
be able to lift even more. In addition, the road transport
of mobile cranes is simplified and uses less fuel if the crane
deadweight is minimized. The high yield strength and the
close thickness tolerances of weldox 1100 have therefore
paved the way to thinner booms with lower weight, but
without compromising on the lifting capacity,” says Eddy
Buyst.
TOMORROW’S WORLD market for mobile cranes is focused
on continued long-term growth, even though today's eco-
nomic turmoil and credit crisis have made the situation a
“But investments are continuing even in credit
crisis situations,” says Chris Van Beurden, head
of the North and West European Business Area
at ssab Oxelösund.
“The mobile crane market is very strong and
the demand for cranes is growing, partially as
a result of the increasing sizes of wind turbines
and the infrastructure expansion in parts of Asia
and in the Gulf states.”
08-12-10 11.47.01

Cutting, bending and machining were major problems for Zendrini
Metaltecnica in the past. But since switching to HARDOX, the
Verona-based company has improved its productivity and is able
to deliver products of higher quality.
Technical support
strengthens Zendrini
ZENDRINI METALTECNICA uses
hardox wear plate in its production
of high-efficiency wear parts with a
long useful life for improved produc-
tivity of the company’s customers in
the mining, metallurgical and energy
sectors.
“The technical support offered by
ssab Oxelösund has provided us with
knowledge and competence in cutting,
”We benefit from the collective image of HARDOX,
above all in industries in which advice and service
are decisive,” says Manuel Zendrini.
Plate208 eng.indd 17
bending, machining and welding, so
that we can achieve the best possible
performance with hardox. We have
improved our productivity, above
all in the sectors in which the added
value is high,” says Manuel Zendrini,
Sales and Production Manager at the
company.
“As an example, due to the flat-
ness of hardox plates, our company
saves about 20 hours a month that
would otherwise have been used for
levelling the plates.”
MANUEL ZENDRINI ALSO praises the
superior quality of hardox wear
plate and weldox structural steel
plate. The company uses all hardox
grades, and also weldox 700e and
900e.
“hardox is very well suited for all
applications requiring wear resistance,
impact strength and hardness, in com-
bination with elasticity,” he says.
Zendrini Metaltecnica is one of the
hardox pioneers in Italy and manu-
factures products for the industrial,
engineering, building and plant sec-
tors. The company produces struc-
tures of special steels and ordinary
steels for applications requiring wear
TEXT: David Callahan
resistance and abrasion resistance,
and also for various other structures.
The 108-year-old family company
serves a number of industries such as
cement and concrete, stone quarries,
asphalt, demolition, power stations
and coking mills. Zendrini Metaltec-
nica also has a division that produces
crushers and mills for the recovery of
metallic materials.
THE QUALITY AND close tolerances of
hardox are decisive in the manufac-
turing process by having contributed
to shortening the production times at
Zendrini Metaltecnica.
“As a result, we also contribute to-
wards improving the productivity in
the systems and products of our cus-
tomers,” says Manuel Zendrini.
“Being a member of the hardox
WearParts network, Zendrini Met-
altecnica benefits from the collective
image, brand name and credibility
of hardox, above all in industries
in which advice and service are deci-
sive,” he says.
“Our customers are very satisfied.
hardox has enabled solutions to be
found whereby modern wear steels
replace cast steel and other alloys.”
Plate 2–08 | 17
08-12-10 11.47.02
 Moulded plastics
have many applications,
including the production
of beer glasses with
a TOOLOX mould.

18 | Plate 2–08

Plate208 eng.indd 18 08-12-10 11.47.02


IN THE MIDST OF THE CURRENT BUSINESS DOWNTURN,
THE SWEDISH COMPANY TOBE TEKNIK IS EXPANDING ITS
PLASTICS PRODUCTION PLANT IN OXELÖSUND.
”
NOTHING CAN BEAT
TOOLOX FOR MOULDS”
O
nly two years after moving, ToBe Teknik has out
grown its premises in the Bara industrial estate in
Oxelösund. But the company's turnover has also
increased from sek 18 to sek 26 million, explains Tony
Bäckman, owner of the company, as he takes us on a guided
tour of the extension, with assembly, goods delivery and
finished products stores, and a hall with the 13 machines
that can produce up to 250 different plastic parts.
Production is generally automated, and the plastic is in-
jected into the moulds developed in cooperation with the
Swedish-owned Arc Tooling Technology Inc. in China.
ToBe Teknik also undertakes marking or printing of the
plastic parts, as well as assembly of both sub-systems and
complete modules.
THE COMPANY HAS customers in Sweden, the usa, Thai-
land, Norway, Germany, Denmark, the Czech Republic,
Hungary and Malaysia. Most of the ToBe Teknik custom-
ers develop products for other companies, particularly
those in the electronics and automotive industries.
In several applications, plastics are about to displace ma-
terials such as aluminium. But this presupposes high qual-
ity of both the plastic and the inserts, which is one of the
reasons why ToBe Teknik began using toolox last year
instead of conventional steel for one of its inserts.
“toolox is actually well suited for everything, but we
Plate208 eng.indd 19
PAGE SPECIFICS
TEXT: Michael Masoliver PHOTO: Bo Björkdahl
consider it most beneficial in the production of reinforced
materials that cause heavier wear of the moulds than other
plastics,” says Tony Bäckman.
THE USE OF toolox instead of conventional tool steel
initially involves higher costs. But it soon pays for itself,
considers Tony Bäckman, who estimates that ToBe Teknik
can cut costs by 10 to 15 percent. Even higher savings can
be achieved on larger moulds.
“toolox is simple to use. You start by running a cou-
ple of test series with a prototype. If it all looks good, you
can immediately start production, or you can give the steel
an additional nitriding treatment. This will substantially
extend the useful life, even when moulding plastics that
cause heavy wear of the mould. Hardening conventional
steel after the test runs is much more complicated and un-
certain.
This is also the reason that Zlatko Visic, toolmaker at
ToBe Teknik, prefers to replace worn out conventional
steel with toolox.
“Nothing can beat toolox for moulds. This is obvious
to anyone who has the least knowledge of materials. If a
5 millimetre drill is used to drill a hole, you can rely on the
hole being exactly 5 millimetres. This is because the plate is
so pure and has no inclusions whatever, which gives me a
sense of security.”
▼
Plate 2–08 | 19
08-12-10 11.47.03
 PHOTO: Bo Björkdahl
▼

Nothing can beat TOOLOX for

moulds. This is obvious to anyone
with the least knowledge of mate-
rials, says Zlatko Visic, toolmaker
at ToBe Teknik.

TOOLOX can reduce

production costs by up
to 15 percent, according
to Tony Bäckman, owner
of ToBe Teknik.

Therese Bergvall.

TOOLOX

TOOLOX tool plate is hardened and dimensionally

stable when it leaves SSAB Oxelösund, which
means that the useful life of the material is longer
than that of conventional steels. In addition, the
surface hardness of the plate can be increased
further by traditional gas nitriding. This extends
the useful life of the mould, says Tomas Berglund,
Area Manager, Tool Steel, SSAB Oxelösund.

20 | Plate 2–08
1–08

Plate208 eng.indd 20 08-12-10 11.47.03


HARDOX is robust enough
– but choose the grade with care
An industrial plant that handles
crushed glass, metal scrap and
household waste certainly
appreciates machines that can
withstand such a hard life. But
the form of HARDOX that is best
suited depends on both how the
equipment is loaded and what
waste is being recovered.
IMAGINE MACHINERY that
must withstand the rough-
est possible treatment, day
in day out, by a never-end-
ing stream of metal scrap,
crushed glass, rubber tyres
and other waste. But this is
just what faces the equip-
ment of many companies
in the recycling industry, Hans Konradsson.
which have learned to appreciate ma-
terials that can withstand rough treat-
ment.
“hardox can withstand all con-
ceivable conditions in a recycling
plant, and the broad product range
offers unique opportunities for opti-
mizing the choice of hardox grade,”
says Hans Konradsson, head of Mar-
ket Projects at ssab Oxelösund.
The wear occurring in a recycling
plant includes sliding wear as the mate-
rial moves, and also impact and crush-
Plate208 eng.indd 21
ing wear in crushers and shredding
mills. hardox 400 or hardox 450
is very well suited for equipment that
must be wear resistant, but is also
tough enough to withstand high loads
and impact. These steel grades are
used, for example, in recovery con-
tainers, buckets and scrap presses.
hardox 500 is better suited
for equipment that must be able to
withstand harder wear, but is not
subjected to a great deal of bending.
This steel is used, for ex-
JOHAN DALHÄLL
ample, for knives that shred
waste such as food resi-
dues, clothes, furniture and
household waste.
HARDOX 550 IS suitable for
hammers for the same type
of waste, and hardox 600
is the best alternative for
surfaces on which crushed
glass and metal scrap will slide.
HARDOX is widely used in the recycling industry.
FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
TEXT: Michael Masoliver
hardox Extreme with a hardness of
up to 700 hb is the ultimate material
for extreme wear. Typical applications
include the knives of tools used for
cutting reinforcing bars in the demoli-
tion of buildings.
“There is a hardox grade for ev-
ery operation in recycling. A good ap-
proach is to start from a lower hard-
ness and then continue by trial and
error. But the best solution is to get
in touch with our wear experts at the
Wear Technology Group.
RECYCLING
The recycling industry accounts for a growing pro-
portion of the world’s production of materials such
as metal, rubber and glass. This helps to reduce
the consumption of natural resources.
The consumption can be reduced even more
by using HARDOX, which is more durable than
conventional steel. Moreover, HARDOX reduces
the necessary quantities of plate. Lighter truck
bodies and containers enable them to carry a
higher payload, and fewer containers and truck
bodies will then be needed for transporting a
given quantity of waste, which in itself reduces the
environmental impact.
But according to Hans Konradsson, there are
naturally also strictly economic arguments for us-
ing more durable materials such as HARDOX.
“The equipment will last longer. So the produc-
tion stoppages will be fewer and productivity will
improve.”
Plate 2–08 | 21
08-12-10 11.47.04
 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
TEXT: Michael Masoliver PHOTO: Göran Wink

After several years of capacity increase, SSAB Oxelösund is

entering the next stage of its extensive investment programme.
The aim is to raise both the capacity and the productivity,
thereby strengthening the company’s position as a world leader
in quenched and tempered steels.

” K-G Ramström:

Capacity is steadily
improving”
IN RECENT YEARS, ssab Oxelösund
has increased its annual capacity to
a total of 700 000 tonnes of plate, by
means such as a new vacuum plant,
a new quenching line, and an entire-
ly new plant for blast cleaning and
painting.
The equipment has hardly been tak-
en into service before the new invest-
ment programme is launched, which
includes new diffusion furnaces, a
tempering furnace and new stores for
handling plate.
DIVISIONAL MANAGER K-G Ramström
describes the venture as a continued
aggressive investment into quenched
and tempered steels, which will
strengthen further the already leading
position of ssab Oxelösund on the
world market.
The total investments are in the bil-
lions of kronor class. But K-G Ram-
ström prefers to talk about what the in-
vestments will mean to ssab Oxelösund
customers. In addition to the capacity
being raised to around 800 000 tonnes
annually, he considers that the lead
times will be shorter and the reliabil-
ity of delivery will be improved. The
reasons include a thorough review of
the logistics functions and improved
coordination with production in Bor-
länge and North America.
K-G Ramström.
“WE WILL BE better at putting to use
our global production systems. Cus-
tomers will realise that our delivery
capacity is better, and particularly the “To an increasing extent, customers
capacity for high-quality quenched are demanding plate that can be used
and tempered steels such as hardox for manufacturing durable products
and weldox.” that weigh less and can therefore car-
According to K-G Ramström, a ry more load. Our intensified efforts
business downturn will not stop the focused on quenched and tempered
planned investments. On the contrary, steels are therefore an investment into
he considers that the increase in inter- the future. Not least because increas-
national demand for quenched and ing importance is being assigned to
tempered steels will continue for ap- energy savings and environmental
plications in which higher strength, thinking.”
wear resistance and toughness are The changes will be coming into
needed than those offered by stan- force in the second half of 2010. 
dard steels.

22 | Plate 2–08

Plate208 eng.indd 22 08-12-10 11.47.05


China after the Olympics
ave you ever heard of pod? It
H stands for Post Olympic Depres-
sion and has been used for some
time in a variety of newspaper articles.
Many have speculated on whether
this would affect China after the
Olympic Games. So did it?
The Olympic Village in Beijing is
empty and deserted. Loudspeakers
on the streets still blare out “piped
music”, which accentuates the deso-
lation. So it does feel as though this
district at least is suffering from de-
pression.
But how about the rest of China
and the Chinese economy? The indus-
tries that are important to us at ssab
have not yet been affected by any sig-
nificant downturn. Even though the
Olympics involved the whole of Chi-
na, the activities were fairly localized
and confined to Beijing. Some of the
projects that have followed the Olym-
pics are, for instance, the build-up on
the eve of the World Exhibition in
2010 in Shanghai, and the reconstruc-
tion work after the tragic earthquake
in Sichuan (88 days before the open-
SSAB Johannesburg in new premises
AS A RESULT of growing demand, ssab
in Johannesburg, South Africa, was
becoming increasingly overcrowded for
some time. A new rental contract was
concluded last summer, and the 115
employees in Johannesburg moved into
new premises with a floor are of 31 000
square metres. This will enable the ope-
rations to be developed at a livelier pace.
As a result, customers will enjoy quicker
deliveries and better service.
Plate208 eng.indd 23
ing of the Olympics on 08.08.08).
Nine million homes will be built with-
in three years in the region affected
by the earthquake. Moreover, people
continue to migrate from the country
to the cities. This human stream de-
mands an infrastructure construction
equivalent to one Chicago city every
six months.
However, the Chinese authori-
ties predict a cooling-down of the
country’s economy, and the global
economic crisis is obviously reflected
here too. The gnp growth is expected
to drop from 11 percent down to a
still impressive 9 percent, compared
to Sweden’s 2–3 percent or around
4–6 percent in Brazil, Russia and In-
dia. The Chinese government recently
presented a support package for infra-
structure construction amounting to
the equivalent of sek 4650 billion to
be invested in the coming two years.
This is almost equivalent to the value
of the annual Swedish gnp.
The conclusion is that, as long as
growth continues in China, the need
for raw materials will persist. The raw
THE WORLD AROUND US
materials in China originate largely
from Australia and South-East Asia. In
Australia, we at ssab have noted this
by an increased demand for hardox.
Our sales have tripled in four years,
and it could have increased even more
if we had had adequate production
capacity. In Australia, it is the avail-
ability of manpower that restricts the
expansion of the mines. According
to forecasts, more than 80 000 addi-
tional workers will be needed in the
coming ten-year period.
So it can be said in brief that, as
long as the Chinese locomotive steams
on, Australia and South-East Asia will
be riding on the wagons. And we at
ssab have not yet noticed any dra-
matic downturn.
Mats Haglund,
Business Area
Manager,
Asia and Oceania at
SSAB Oxelösund.
Correction
In the last issue of Plate, a mistake sneaked
into the article on FLSmidth Machinery
Industry (Qingdao) Co., Ltd. in China.
Jan Geertsen, who was interviewed for
the article, is the General Manager at
FLSmidth Machinery Industry (Qingdao)
Co., Ltd. and nothing else. Our sincere
apologies.
Plate 2–08 | 23
08-12-10 11.47.05
 BRING IT ON
When you’re working your excavator you probably
are a bit of a stickler. You don’t want the bucket to
give, and will accept no kind of bending or distortion
even when charged with maximum force. What you
demand is a material that wears slowly and resists
deformation. And you hate dents.
SSAB Oxelösund AB, SE-613 80 Oxelösund, Sweden
+46 (0)155-25 40 00, www.ssabox.com, www.hardox.com
Plate208 eng.indd 24
So accept no substitutes. The HARDOX In My Body
label on your equipment is your guarantee of genuine
HARDOX wear plate. Look for the sign that stands
for unbeatable value and lasting performance. And
bring it on!
08-12-10 11.47.06