SMS GmbH : Arvedi Tubi Acciaio commissions upgraded tube welding line from SMS group

At its location in Cremona, Italy, Arvedi Tubi Acciaio has successfully taken into operation a high-frequency tube welding line (ERW) upgraded by SMS group. The line can now handle tubes of up to 14 inches in diameter.

To be able to use wider strip coils, improve the rolling conditions and secure competitiveness in the long term, Arvedi had commissioned SMS group to upgrade its existing 12 ¾-inch tube welding line to a welding line for up to 14-inch tubes. The upgrade also included the exchange of the cutting device in the profile tube cutting line complete with the associated controls. After only four weeks of rebuilding, the upgraded tube welding line was handed over to the customer on time, ready for operation.

The upgraded equipment allows Arvedi Tubi Acciaio to expand its portfolio in terms of product types and dimensions. It will not only be possible to have a greater outside tube diameter of up to 14 inches, but to also produce square tubes of up to 300 x 300 millimeters and rectangular tubes of up to 400 x 200 millimeters.

With this tube welding plant upgrade, Arvedi is placing the focus of production on high-grade and specialist products, mainly for use in the automotive, petrochemical, thermal and construction industries as well as in mechanical engineering.

'As we are very satisfied with the tube welding plants SMS group has supplied to us in the past, we decided to also have this recent upgrade done by SMS,' says Mario Caldonazzo, CEO of Arvedi Tubi Acciaio. 'Thanks to this upgrade, plant availability has become even better allowing us to respond to specific requests of our customers even more quickly and flexibly.'

The SMS group is a group of companies internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering for the steel and nonferrous metals industry. Its 14,000 employees generate sales of over EUR 3.3 bn.