The steel service centre in Duisburg, Germany, which had been transferred to the ownership of Rautaruukki, stepped up operations through increasing its product range and raising capacity. Etteplan’s Oulu office drew up the project and planned the rise in production capacity.

The steel service centre improved its customer service by investing in a new slitting line and packing line for slit coils. At the same time, the centre’s production was stepped up threefold and improvements were made in sheet and coil output.

During the period the project was carried out, 1994-1997, Etteplan made preliminary plans and implementation plans and acted as the customer’s project leader. Etteplan also drew up agreements with different suppliers and subcontractors, prepared technical specifications and supervised the design work and manufacturing performed by equipment suppliers. Upon completion of the project, Etteplan also handled the plant’s final documentation and performance testing.

The project was highly successful, so much so that the goals set to raise capacity were exceeded. Etteplan’s strengths in this assignment were its strong mastery of project management and design, its expertise in technical and commercial matters and its firm command of costs.