ECCA Autumn Congress: Increasing Energy Efficiency in the Strip Coating Process

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From left: Dr. Geddert, Dr. Reier, Dr. Höfler (ECCA President) and Dr. Barcikowski

At this year’s autumn congress of the ECCA (European Coil Coating Association), Salzgitter Flachstahl was represented by Dr. Ralf Koch (Sales Manager Construction, Domestic Appliances, Retail Customers), Dr. Frank Barcikowski (Manager Strip Coating Production) and Dr. Timo Geddert (Process Development Surface Coating), and Salzgitter Mannesmann Forschung GmbH was represented by Dr. Thorsten Reier (Manager Surface Technology). This year’s congress about “resource-efficient strip coating” attracted 165 participants from the coil coating industry and featured contributions from the fields of wastewater treatment, new coating possibilities, improving plant engineering and energy and resource efficiency.

Dr. Frank Barcikowski gave a presentation about improving energy efficiency in the strip coating process at Salzgitter Flachstahl. In the strip-coating process, galvanized and non-galvanized steel strip is finished with a coating or foil. He used several examples, such as reducing leaks and optimizing furnace and plant control, to illustrate the increased plant efficiency that has been achieved since 2003.

By continuously improving efficiency since 2003, it has been possible to reduce the plant’s specific gas consumption by 40%. As a result, Salzgitter Flachstahl’s strip coating plant is one of the most efficient strip coating plants for steel sheet in the whole of Europe.

For further information about increasing energy efficiency in strip coating, please see our article “Energy optimization in the strip coating process”.