Hardox® knives help sugar plant reap sweet rewards

Mexican sugar plant Ingenio de Atencingo switches its knife steel to Hardox® 500 and experiences the sweet taste of efficiency.

The challenge

To shorten the tough sugar cane before it is mashed in a huge mill, the sugar plant’s knives had to slice through the fiber-rich cane stalk as well as resist the acid-like sugar juice. Only tough, wear-resistant blades could get the job done.

The solution

Ingenio de Atencingo decided to switch its knife steel to wear-resistant Hardox® 500, making its knife blades last three times longer than the ones it previously used.

“The Hardox® steel in the knives helps us to slash maintenance time,” says Plant Manager Metrobio Garcia. “Being able to avoid unnecessary downtime is really vital for us. Not only are the blades lasting longer, but the end result is better, too.”

Customer benefits

• Better tool quality and lifetime — knife blades last 3 times longer
• Reduced downtime help cut personnel costs as part of company's efficiency program
• SSAB support and expertise will enable company to study and optimize refining processes and further boost efficiency