“We can now offer customers a more complete product portfolio,” says Jenny Brandberg Hurtig, Product Manager at SSAB. “With our heavy thick plates now available in almost double the previously-available size, this means clear savings, especially for steel service centers, as nesting can be more efficient. There is also less scrap in the process. We are also able to serve more customers by offering heavier and longer plates for use in a wider range of applications.”

Steel service centers can improve yield by up to 6-7% by utilizing SSAB’s new heavy thick plates. In some applications, such as rails and cog racks, bigger plates can also mean less welding, which in turn improves safety and efficiency.

Heavy thick plates are available up to 18 tonnes compared to 11 tonnes as was the case previously. Maximum thickness is currently 160 mm, while continuous research and development is being done to offer even thicker plates. Maximum width, length and thicknesses for each grade are defined in the dimension programs. Despite their thickness, heavy thick plates have high-quality properties, including consistent properties throughout the thickness. 

All steel grades – from high-strength structural, wear-resistant and standard milder steels - manufactured by SSAB are available in these larger formats. The new heavy plate dimensions are already available as regular mill orders.

*These changes apply to European-produced heavy plates and do not impact products produced in North America.

For more information, please contact:

Rinaldo Baldi, Sales, SSAB Special Steels, +39 030 905 8811