STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Nov. 05, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- AvestaPolarit's Hot Rolled Plate business unit in Degerfors has received an order for hot rolled plate that will be used to manufacture tanks for a chemical tanker due to be built in China.
"This is our first chemical tanker order for the Chinese market," explains Matti Paju, sales manager for AvestaPolarit's Hot Rolled Plate business unit. China is already one of the leading shipbuilding nations and in the next few years will be looking to catch up with the main market players, Korea and Japan.
"However, chemical tankers are a relatively recent product for Chinese shipyards, and for this reason, we are naturally very pleased to make our mark as a stainless steel supplier at such an early stage," continues Mr. Paju.
In addition to supplying stainless steel, AvestaPolarit's Hot Rolled Plate business unit will provide the Chinese shipyard with valuable technical support and training, as part of a package solution. The order for the Qingshan shipyard, which is located in Wuhan, approximately 900 kilometres from Shanghai, is for 1,200 tonnes of 2205 grade duplex stainless steel. The total value of the order is estimated to be around SEK 30 million.
The stainless steel plates will undergo further downstream processing at AvestaPolarit PSC Nordic in Degerfors, including bending and welding into prefabricated sections.
"The duplex grade 2205 offers a combination of good structural properties and high corrosion resistance. We first introduced this grade onto the market in 1985 and it has since been used in numerous chemical tanker vessels that are now sailing the seven seas," says Matti Paju. AvestaPolarit's Hot Rolled Plate business unit in Degerfors is the world's largest producer of stainless steel hot rolled plate. AvestaPolarit PSC Nordic in Degerfors is the Nordic region's leading plate service centre for downstream plate processing such as cutting-to- length and bending.
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