Allegheny Technologies Incorporated has commissioned STAL 3, the latest expansion of its 20-year STAL joint venture to produce precision stainless steel strip for China and the Asian markets. Thought to be the most advanced in the world, STAL 3 increases capacity by approximately 65 per cent.

“This expansion allows us to meet the growing demands of the Asian market. This enables us to produce the ultra thin, ultra flat and ultra hard precision stainless steel products that are crucial to the functional parts of the consumer electronics industry – giving protection and rigidity to smartphones, as well as enabling more energy efficient flexible solar panels and narrow tolerance applications in many other industries,” said Robert S Wetherbee, President and CEO, ATI. STAL’s products are sold across Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam and India.

The expansion includes a 1,219 mm (48”) wide Cold Rolling Mill enabling production of sheets thinner than a human hair, a bright anneal line and associated auxiliary finishing equipment. The STAL JV was formed in 1995 with the purpose of specialising in the manufacturing and marketing of precision-rolled stainless steel strip products for the Asian market. It is located in the Xin-Zhuang Industrial Zone of Shanghai. The JV brought together what was then Allegheny Ludlum (now Allegheny Technologies), owning 60 per cent and Shanghai No. 10 Iron and Steel Works (now China Baowu Steel Group), owning 40 per cent. It was last expanded in 2007, when STAL 2 was brought on-line.

“ATI brings to the joint venture global coordination of key customer contracts, delivering a bigger global reach within Asia and the ability to make highly differentiated products for demanding industries,” said Kevin Kramer, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, ATI. “Combined with Baowu’s tremendous execution and reputation for excellence makes STAL a world leader in quality, production capability and sales.” STAL has been recognised in Shanghai as a double-excellence foreign-invested enterprise for eight consecutive years and has been certified as a new high-tech and advanced technology enterprise for 12 years.