Leussink Team Impresses In Romania

Illawarra Mercury

Tuesday February 5, 2008

with enterprise editor GREG ELLIS

CORTS-LEUSSINK Engineering impressed the world's largest steel manufacturer recently when a small team from Unanderra successfully revamped three stands of a seven stand finishing mill in Romania.

Director Ray Leussink said management at Arcelor-Mittal's Galati Mill were so impressed by the three personnel from Wollongong they could soon be asked back to do more work.

C&M Leussink Engineering entered into a joint venture with the German company, Corts Engineering, just over a year ago in a move to combine Australian engineering expertise with German rolling mill technology.

It was a huge project by Australian standards. The Arcelor-Mittal Hot Strip Mill rolling mill in Galati is more than 1km long and produces a 20-tonne coil every three minutes.

Ray said the three Unanderra employees were called in to join the Corts-Leussink team in Romania to ensure the project had adequate resources to successfully complete the refurbishment of the Hot Strip Mill's three finishing stands which were all being worked on at the same time.

"All three finishing stands were evaluated, machined, and fitted with CORTS Precision Flat Bearings over a three-week period," he said.

Ray said the Mittal mill managers were so impressed with the improved product quality they have already commenced discussions for a similar project in 2008.

He said the support of Wollongong City Council's Economic Development office had been instrumental in the success of the Corts-Leussink projects.

Ray said Wollongong Economic Development manager Bob Doyle had been a great advocate for the Corts-Leussink joint venture. His office recently sponsored the Corts-Leussink Rolling Mill Technologies conference, the first time a conference of that nature had been held in Australia.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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