EUROMETAL SSC working group discussed CBAM, energy and safety

EUROMETAL Regional Meeting of SSC from the region Austria + BENELUX + Germany was convened in Mudersbach (DE) on 4 May 2023. This event took place at the facilities of Knauf Interfer Stahl Service Center “Werk Walter Patz”.

The meeting started with a presentation of Knauf Interfer delivered by chairman Matthias Kessel-Knauf and plant manager Heiko Klös.
Kessel-Knauf explained the production and distribution network for steel and aluminum oriented and focused on the European market specialized in processing and storage of coils, stamping of blanks for the automotive, cold rolling electrolytically galvanized and tinned and profiles and assemblies made of aluminum.

The working group proceeded with a presentation on short and medium term perspectives of the German flat steel market by Andreas Schneider from Stahlmarkt Consult and another on CBAM and its impact on the German steel market by Deloitte partner, Michael Schäfer.
Both presentations provoked a lot of interaction between the participants who highlighted a lot of doubts regarding the CBAM application process.

Following discussions on reducing emissions and energy consumption, Kim Henrich presented KÜBLER energy-saving hall heating system.

Thomas Niederhofer, Head of Business Unit Steel at Knauf Interfer and EUROMETAL Chairman for the German-speaking SSCs presented the Survey results on absenteeism and accidents in the SSC industry prepared by EUROMETAL. He also advocated the creation of a working group for load securing of vertically loaded slit strips and ideas for possible solutions.
Those present showed interest in continuing both actions highlighting the interest in having more participants to increase the representativeness of the branch.

The event concluded with a visit to the Knauf Intefer Steel Service Center. The working group meeting in Mudersbach was attended by 23 participants including a lawyer in charge of monitoring and enforcing EUROMETAL’s compliance rules.

It was also announced the intention to organize the next SSC Arbeitskreis in mid-May 2024 at the Stahlo Stahlservice premises in Gera.