SMS group supplies cold rolling mill to Latem Aluminium

© RX Austria & Germany

SMS group and the Spanish aluminium producer Latem Aluminium have announced their cooperation to promote sustainable aluminium production in the province of Castilla y León in the north of Spain. For the ambitious project of the newcomer on the aluminium market, SMS will supply a state-of-the-art aluminium cold rolling mill including ancillary equipment for environmentally friendly and sustainable operation. Production of the first coil in the new aluminium cold rolling mill is scheduled for April 2024.

The cold rolling mill is part of a major investment project by Latem Aluminium to build aluminium and aluminium alloy recycling facilities and aluminium product manufacturing plants in the northern region of Spain. A smelting plant for aluminium scrap, which the Spanish manufacturer recently acquired, is already in operation. A total of around 2,000 new jobs are to be created.

The new cold rolling mill in combination with the know-how of SMS enables Latem Aluminium to bring customised aluminium products to the market. The sexto stand is equipped with the CVC plus technology (Continuous Variable Crown) developed by SMS for work roll and intermediate roll displacement. In combination with further actuators for flexible and precise roll gap adjustment, this technology can be used to produce cold strip in widths of up to 2,200 mm. Fully automatic systems for coil and spool handling ensure efficient operation. SMS group supplies a fully harmonised mechatronic plant solution. This comprises both the mechanical equipment and the proven X-Pact electrical and automation modules specifically for the aluminium rolling process. The scope of supply also includes ancillary equipment such as a rolling oil preparation system and a CO2 extinguishing system.

The advanced rolling technology is in line with the environmental orientation of Latem Aluminium. For example, SMS supplies a multiplate filter for cleaning old rolling oil. The Airwash system prepares rolling oil for reuse and also cleans the exhaust air. This helps to save costs and protect the environment.