Outokumpu expands stainless steel service center in France
PRESS RELEASE
February 7, 2008 at 9.15 a.m.
In order to improve service to French stainless steel customers, and
in line with the strategy to increase sales to end-users and project
customers, Outokumpu will expand its stock and processing capability
in France. The project will entail the relocation of the current coil
service center from Azay sur Cher some 40 km east to new premises in
Noyers sur Cher in Central France. New cutting equipment will be
installed to enable the processing of stainless steel plate, as well.
The combined coil and plate processing capacity of standard and
special stainless steel grades will be 40 000 tons per year, and it
will be in place by the end of 2009. The total investment is some EUR
14 million over two years.
Says Gerard Sourjous: "The French stainless steel customers have
shown the tendency to deal with close-by service centers rather than
directly with mills. To answer this call, the expanded service center
in Noyers sur Cher will be able to serve customers with timely
deliveries of products that are tailored to their individual needs.
The service center's product portfolio will include both standard and
special (e.g. duplex and lean duplex) stainless steel grades of coil
and plate, which are polished and cut to required dimensions and
shapes. Furthermore, by 2010 at the latest, the French market will be
served with Outokumpu's ferritic grades and bright annealed products
from the adjacent new service center in Southern Germany as well as
from Italy."
For further information, please contact:
Gerard Sourjous, General Manager, Outokumpu France, tel. +33 1 5319
4200
Robert van der Woude, Project Manager, tel. +46 70 65 65 673
Eero Mustala, VP - Project Communications, tel. +358 40 504 5146
