CORUS DEVELOPS ANOTHER INNOVATIVE STEEL THAT WILL HELP REDUCE AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLY-CHAIN COSTS

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CORUS DEVELOPS ANOTHER INNOVATIVE STEEL THAT WILL HELP REDUCE AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLY-CHAIN COSTS
13 October 2002 - Corus Automotive

Costly heat treatments are on the way out for the fastener industry. That was the good news from a Corus product development expert.

Andy Trowsdale, Product Technology Section Manager, addressed a high-profile audience at the annual technical conference of the Confederation of British Metalformers today, and highlighted the significant cost advantages available to fastener manufacturers using Corus' new and innovative Dupla (TM) steel.

Delegates heard how metallurgists based at the company's research, design and technology centres have been working on new wire rod products that will eliminate costly heat treatments from the cold-heading process, which is used to manufacture screws, bolts and rivets for the automotive and construction industries.

Andy told delegates how the developmentt of such innovative products was part of the drive by Corus to maximise its materials expertise in order to help customers meet the continuing need for cost reduction throughout the supply chain.

'We want to develop products that simplify our customers' processes, improve their logistics and significantly reduce costs', said Andy. 'Our new dual-phase steel is just one way in which we are working towards this goal of adding value to our customers' products.'

Thanks to its enhanced chemical composition and improved process controls the newly-developed Dupla steel can be formed into high-strength bolts and rivets without the need for quenching and tempering. With previous grades of steel, the quenching and tempering process was necessary to give the steel the required strength properties once it had been formed into a bolt.

Eliminating the need for quenching and tempering takes significant cost and time out of the production of high-strength bolts, benefiting Corus' customers as well as operations further downstream. This means the supply chain can be much more efficient, which is vital in industries where cold-headed fasteners are used. A huge variety of finished products are manufactured with these fasteners and they are used in a wide range of applications.

About: Corus Automotive
Corus is one of the leading suppliers of steel products, services and technology to the automotive industry. A broad range of Corus steel from strip, engineering steels, special strip and tubes are used to make products that go into automotive applications including body-in-white, closures, chassis and suspension systems, powertrain, seats, safety systems and other components. Corus is committed to the global automotive industry, and, uniquely, combines its materials and vehicle engineering knowledge to respond cost-effectively to key drivers of importance to the sector, such as safety, fuel-efficiency, innovation and the environment. The Company actively supports supply chain initiatives that improve efficiency and enhance the value of steel used in automotive applications.

Corus Group Plc is one of the world's largest metal producers with an annual turnover of £8 billion and major operating facilities in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Norway and Belgium. Corus' four divisions comprising Strip Products, Long Products, Distribution & Building Systems and Aluminium provide innovative solutions to the construction, automotive, packaging, mechanical engineering and other markets worldwide. Corus has 48,500 employees in over 40 countries and sales offices and service centres worldwide. Combining international expertise with local customer service, the Corus brand represents quality and strength.

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