No. 2, 2004 - SSAB

No. 2, 2004 – SSAB Swedish TunnplåtSteel INTERNATIONAL
Genuine
“Steelman”
new head of SSAB Tunnplåt
European survey: GERMANY /Light chassis from Carnehl HOLLAND/Trailers from Burg Industries carry more
UK/Heavy security from Johnson Security ITALY /High pressure cylinders from Faber Industries
FRANCE/Quality opens doors POLAND/Wielton looks east at new markets

Waveriding and trends
Few phenomena are as hopelessly oldfashioned
as old trends. When a breaker
from a stormy sea spends its wrath on the
beach and humbly returns to the sea, the
arrival of the next breaker is a foregone conclusion.
A trend that first emerges is just as irresistible as a
big breaker. And the one who catches it first is a winner
- be it the kit for a surfer or the launch of a new
product or business idea.
Almost everyone is continually on the lookout for
something new. The search is probably more intensive
today than it has ever been. Some trends remain
unnoticed until they come to an end. Take the bands
in the Top-Ten lists. I can remember 20 from the
1960’s, but possibly only one from last year.
There can only be one first, but if a trend offers
The SSAB News International magazine is published
by SSAB Tunnplåt AB and is distributed to customers,
subscribers and other selected groups.
News International is produced in English, with
editions in Swedish, German and Italian, and is
published twice a year.
Anders Elfgren, Marketing Director, is the publisher
legally responsible under Swedish law.
Editorial board: Göran Hügard, Jan Kuoppa, Tommy
Löfgren, Karl-Inge Nilsson, Peter Korsgren, Lilian
Sjans, Berit Svensson, Johan Broback, Nils Åkerblom
and Bert Larsson.
Production: Ahrena Media AB
Printed by: Color Print Dalarna AB
SSAB Tunnplåt AB, SE-781 84 Borlänge,
☎ + 46 243–700 00. Fax + 46 243–720 00.
E-mail: office@ssabtunnplat.com
www.ssabtunnplat.com
2 NEWS 2-2004
scope for good business, it will soon find followers.
Car design is a shining example of how characteristic
styling becomes dominant in an entire industry.
When American cars of the 1950’s acquired tail fins,
even small European cars soon followed suit with
small tail fins. When wind tunnel tests demonstrated
the benefits of aerodynamic lines, almost all cars
acquired the same basic form.
The one who is first always receives applause. But
it may not be the applauded car that wins in economic
terms. The winner is the one who detects a trend
and rides the crest of the wave just as it begins to roll.
This is often why the big industrial fairs attract so
many people. The IAA Nutzfahrzeuge fair is expected
to attract 250 000 visitors this year. These are scouts
who are looking to identifying new trends.
China: SSAB Swedish Steel,
☎ +86 10 6466 3441. Fax +86 10 6466 3442
Denmark: SSAB Svensk Stål A/S
☎ + 45 4320 5000. Fax + 45 4320 5018, -5019.
Finland: Oy SSAB Svenskt Stål Ab,
☎ + 358 9 68 66 030. Fax +358 9 69 32 120.
France: SSAB Swedish Steel SA,
☎ +33 1 55 61 91 00. Fax +33 1 55 61 91 09.
Germany: SSAB Swedish Steel GmbH,
☎ +49 211 9125-0. Fax +49 211 9125 129,
☎ +49 711 687 84 0. Fax +49 711 687 84 13
Italy: SSAB Swedish Steel S.p.A.
☎ +39 030 90 58 811. Fax +39 030 90 58 930.
Korea: SSAB Tunnplåt,
☎ +82 31 906 2770. Fax +82 31 906 2773.
SSAB Tunnplåt is there to broaden the scope for
detecting the opportunities
offered by advanced
high strength steels. But
we are not there merely
to create trends. We are
also there to detect what
is about to happen. We
develop our company
and our products in concert
with our customers.
This is how we create
new trends – together.
Anders Elfgren
Marketing Director, SSAB Tunnplåt
The Netherlands: SSAB Swedish Steel BV,
☎ +31 24 67 90 550. Fax +31 24 67 90 555.
SSAB Prelaq BV,
☎ +31 24 679 07 00. Fax +31 24 679 07 07.
Norway: SSAB Svensk Stål AS,
☎ +47 23 11 85 80. Fax +47 22 83 55 90.
Poland: SSAB Swedish Steel Sp z o.o,
☎ +48 602 725 985. Fax +48 22 7725 171.
Portugal: SSAB Tunnplåt AB,
☎ +351 256 371 610. Fax +351 256 371 619.
South Africa: SSAB Swedish Steel (Pty) Ltd,
☎ +27 11 822 2570/3/8. Fax +27 11 822 2580.
Spain: SSAB Swedish Steel S.L,
☎ +34 91 300 5422. Fax +34 91 388 9697.
United Kingdom: SSAB Swedish Steel Ltd,
☎ +44 1905 79 57 94. Fax +44 1905 79 47 36.
SSAB Dobel Coated Steel Ltd,
☎ +44 1384 74 660. Fax +44 1384 77 575.
USA: SSAB Swedish Steel Inc,
☎ +1 412-269 21 20. Fax +1 412-269 21 24.

contents
30 4
17
4 Anders Werme, the recently appointed President of SSAB
Tunnplåt, has devoted most of his professional life to work on
advanced high strength steels.
7–9 The German company Carnehl Fahrzeugbau has developed
a new trailer that can easily match equivalent trailers
made of aluminium.
10–12 Domex 700 MC is the “house steel” used by Burg Industries in
the Netherlands. The company customizes superstructures
and trailers for particularly demanding customers.
13 This year’s Swedish Steel Prize ceremony will be held at
the Vasa Museum in Stockholm.
14–15 The manufacturer of security vehicles will remain credible
only as long as his vehicles remain truly secure. Johnson Security
combines high strength steels with advanced technology.
17–18 Faber S.p.A. of Italy manufactures high-pressure tubes of
hardenable steel. A newly developed tube can store hydrogen
at such high pressures that it meets the requirements for
fuel cells.
20
19 The introduction of Dogal 800 DPX steel enabled SSAB
Tunnplåt to meet new conditions for forming. This ultra-high
strength, hot-dip galvanized steel can withstand advanced
forming operations.
20–21 Bemo systems is involved in a series of spectacular construction
projects around the world. One of these was the delivery of
sheet steel for the Olympics arenas in Greece.
23–24 “The company’s name opens many doors,” declares Grégoire
Parenty, the new Commercial Director at SSAB Swedish Steel SA
in Paris.
30–32 www.ssabdirect.com offers new opportunities for quick
accessing of information in all matters related to SSAB Tunnplåt
products. This is where you can find material specifications, as well
as production hints and other advice.
33–35 HM Carl XVI Gustaf, the King of Sweden, Queen Silvia and their
three children have managed to combine the tasks of
a characteristic Swedish family with genuine nobility.
NEWS 2-2004
3

4 NEWS 2-2004
Anders Werme, new President of SSAB
Tunnplåt, has gained remarkable experience of
Swedish steel. He started his career as researcher
at SSAB, 18 years ago. Most recently he was
President of SSAB Oxelösund, another
company in the SSAB Group.
Anders Werme, President
Steely

of SSAB Tunnplåt
determination
Climbing up 5,000-metre Alpine peaks on
skis with “kicker skins” demands steely
determination. Anders Werme – the new
President of SSAB Tunnplåt – has just that.
His secret? Think tactically and don’t rush.
Keep striving upwards, but never faster
than you can manage in the long term.
That’s the only way to reach the top.
Although the principle applies to Alpine skiing, it is
just as appropriate for the President of one of
the world’s leading producers of high strength
steels.
Anders Werme has a rock-solid background at SSAB Tunnplåt,
an SSAB Swedish Steel Group Company. His previous post
was President of SSAB Oxelösund, which he had held since
2000. He is a Doctor of Technology, and he began his career in
central research for SSAB.
Price increases
Anders Werme took up his new post at SSAB Tunnplåt in
Borlänge during the spring, when the prices of steel were on
their way up towards levels that many customers viewed with
apprehension.
“It is growth in China that’s behind it all,” explains Anders
Werme. “When consumption in China began to rise, things
started happening quickly on the world market – growing demand
for steel and also for raw materials and freight. But this is
probably only the beginning of what is about to happen.”
He considers that developments towards a higher standard
in China is one of the factors that will lead to the expected increase
in steel consumption in China. The present per capita
annual steel consumption in Europe is about 500 kilos. The
corresponding figure in China is 150 kilos.
Anders Werme does a quick calculation, and the bottom line�
A bridge for the future – and
a mix of Anders Werme’s
experiences. It’s quite
common to use advanced
high strength steels from
SSAB Tunnplåt and SSAB
Oxelösund in constructions
such as this.
NEWS 2-2004
5

is that if China is to catch up with Europe, it would
need steel products totalling a staggering
400,000,000 tonnes annually.
High strength steels are better
But, he declares with a flicker of a smile, it would be
less if China decided to meet its needs by importing
more advanced high strength steels from SSAB
Tunnplåt.
Wouldn’t that be a dream for a steelmaker? Tremendous
needs and steadily increasing prices.
“No, there is no intrinsic value in being forced to increase
prices,” explains Anders Werme. “Most of the
price increases are due to the rising costs that we
have to meet. The prices of both ore and scrap are
increasing, and so are freight costs. The effects are
dramatic for the customer, but also for the world
economy as a whole. All freight costs will be higher,
and so will almost all raw material costs.”
In the mining industry, companies are now invest-
There is no intrinsic value in being forced to
increase prices. The effects are dramatic for
the customer, and also for the world
economy as a whole.
6 NEWS 2-2004
ing heavily in boosting their extraction of raw materials
for the steel industry. The main investments
are in new and better machines. So operations in
many places will become much more efficient.
SSAB Tunnplåt also plays a role here with its wide
range of high strength steel products. The properties
of these materials are just what is needed for increasing
production relatively simply. Lighter and stronger
machines and vehicles can lift and carry more.
“And the higher the freight prices, the more profitable
it will be to use our steels,” declares Anders
Werme. “You simply need less steel for making a
particular product.”
Important relations
“Our ambition is to take a long-term view of our
work, with stable production and good relations with
our customers,” says Anders Werme. “This is not a
‘quick buck’ industry that is only after short-term
profits.”
The leading position of SSAB Tunnplåt as producer
of advanced high strength steels will be
strengthened further in years to come. Anders
Werme sees new opportunities emerging by fine
adjustments to the existing production lines and
advanced materials development.
The company has a growing bank of expertise in
the field of new steel grades and also as regards the
needs of customers and the opportunities open to
them. The analysis of the future as sketched by
Anders Werme is based on the determination to
develop steadily together with the customers.
Good for everyone
“Our advanced high strength steels can yield products
that are beneficial to everyone in the long
term,” he explains. “If our customers could manufacture
lighter products out of thinner steel, but without
compromising on strength and quality, it would be of
great benefit to the environment.”
The position of SSAB Tunnplåt as a leading producer
of advanced high strength steels will become
even clearer in the future. The next stage is to increase
the production capacity and to develop the
product range further.
Anders Werme has a clear outlook on life. That
comes with being the President of SSAB Tunnplåt
and also with being an Alpine skier. In both cases, he
must know which way to go – together with customers
and down Alpine slopes.
Anders Werme
HÅKAN JOHANSSON
Anders Werme is 47 and came to SSAB Tunnplåt
after 16 years in SSAB Oxelösund. Before this, he
spent two years in Luleå as a researcher at SSAB’s
central research facility. He is a Doctor of Technology
(awarded by Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology)
and, in 1994, led the new four-high
rolling mill project in Oxelösund. After that, working
from Hong Kong, he headed SSAB
Oxelösund’s operations in Asia. He was appointed
President of SSAB Oxelösund in 2000.
SSAB Tunnplåt has a
President with a taste for
Alpine skiing. He prefers the
hard way. Skiing up as well
as down.

Light
chassis
worth
their
weight
in gold
Economy, weight and quality are the
three trump cards when the
German company Carnehl
Fahrzeugbau puts its cards on the
table.
Carnehl manufactures bodies and
semitrailers for trucks used in construction
operations. The vehicles
are subjected to hard wear, and the
rigs run for many hours carrying
the highest possible load.
“So having rigs that can handle up to one tonne more
than the competitors is worth its weight in gold,” declares
Horst Spangenberg, Sales Manager at Carnehl.
Carnehl exhibited its latest semitrailer this spring
at BAUMA, the large international fair for construction
equipment. The newly developed chassis supersedes
its predecessor which was made of aluminium. �
By combining advanced high strength steels with a well thought-out design, Carnehl is able to save
weight, whilst also improving the quality of its products.
NEWS 2-2004
7

Carnehl
8 NEWS 2-2004
“The new steel chassis
is actually as light as the
aluminium chassis,” reveals
Horst Spangenberg.
“Our designers have succeeded
in pruning away
350 kilos compared to a
chassis made of conventional
steel grades.”
Off-road
Wolfgang Behnfeld is a designer and has been working
on the development of the new chassis.
“The forces to which these vehicles are subjected
differ enormously from the stresses that on-road
trucks need to withstand,” he reveals. “We must basically
design the vehicles for off-road operation.”
Trucks and trailers from Carnehl are designed to
carry excavated rubble, gravel, macadam, asphalt,
“We cooperate closely with SSAB Tunnplåt both in Germany
and in Sweden,” declares Horst Spangenberg, Sales Manager
at Carnehl Fahrzeugbau.
Ultra-high strength steel – but only
where it is actually needed. After
advanced calculations, all material
that does not contribute to improving
the performance of the product
can be removed.
soil and other materials in construction work, roadbuilding
and plant operations. When the load is being
emptied, the chassis must be able to withstand
the bending stresses when the truck runs over surface
irregularities with the body fully raised.
If an aluminium chassis were to withstand such
service, its dimensions would have to be very robust.
Flexibility
“We have used Domex 700 extra-high strength steel
for the new chassis,” says Wolfgang Behnfeld. “The
material can withstand enormous stresses without
deforming, since we have built in a certain amount of
flexibility into the design.”
So the result is a structure that is as light as aluminium
but can withstand rougher service.
“But above all, the economy for the haulier is better
– both in the short term and the long run,”
emphasises Horst Spangenberg.
Heinrich Carnehl set up the company in 1957 to produce, for
example, transport equipment for agriculture in the
surrounding region.
In the first place, the new chassis costs €
2,500 less
than the equivalent aluminium chassis. It also has a
longer service life and lower maintenance costs.
Set up in 1957
Carnehl was established back in 1957. The company
began by producing mainly carts and other equipment
for farmers in the district. The operations grew
steadily, and Carnehl soon began producing tipper
bodies and trailers for trucks.
In 1996, Carnehl presented an entirely new concept
for this type of transport – a semi-cylindrical
body. This is made of two parts, with the rounded
form produced by means of a number of bends to
give stability to the structure.
“The two halves of the body are made with high
precision and are welded with only one joint,” says
Horst Spangenberg. “For this application, we use
mainly Hardox 450 – the quenched and tempered

wear plate from SSAB Oxelösund. The structure is
stabilised by an external framework made of Domex
700 MC extra-high strength, hot-rolled steel from
SSAB Tunnplåt.”
Carnehl in the lead
Carnehl was a pioneer in producing this type of body,
but there are now many competitors with similar
products on the market.
“But we are definitely in the lead,” considers Horst
Spangenberg. “We were first on the market and we
are continuously working to improve our present
products and developing new ones.”
And even though the German economy is stagnant,
Carnehl is expanding. The company is now
planning to build a plant extension with a total floor
area of 3,000 m 2 in Pattensen, outside Hanover. This
will enable the production capacity to be increased
by around 30 percent. All final assembly is done in
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
A resilient rubber strip
between the chassis and
the platform damps the
movements occurring in
difficult plant operation.
Pattensen. Design and production of chassis and
tipper bodies are carried out in Wittstock, 95 km east
of Berlin.
Exports increasing
“We are in a strong position and we are now growing
not only in Germany, but also by exporting to the
countries around us,” says Horst Spangenberg. “As an
example, we have just received a major order from
Romania, where there is significant investment in
new construction and roadbuilding.”
About a year ago Carnehl began developing new
products, for which the company could use its experience
of working with advanced high strength
steels.
“We saw the need for semitrailers for transporting
scrap,” he recalls. “They must be able to carry large
volumes, be easy to unload and be lightweight. The
model we developed weighs three tonnes less than
comparable trailers made of conventional steels.”
The walls of the body are made of 4 mm thick
Hardox 450, the floor is 5 or 6 mm thick and the
reinforcing members and chassis are made of Domex
700. The total capacities of the two semitrailer variants
produced by the company are 50 m 3 and 70 m 3 .
The demand for scrap during last year has
spiralled, and so has the need for efficient equipment
for its transport. So the new Carnehl semitrailer is
being introduced at the right time.
HÅKAN JOHANSSON
Further information on Carnehl is available
on the company’s home page at
www.carnehl-pattensen.de.
NEWS 2-2004
9

CROWDED
– that’s why Burg use high strength steels
10 NEWS 2-2004

Traffic through the Dutch city of
Rotterdam lurches along at a snail’s
pace. Around Eindhoven city, a 20kilometre
journey can take one hour.
This is the root of the successes of
Burg Industries in the Dutch town of
Nijmacker.
strength, hot-rolled Domex steel from SSAB Tunnplåt
enables the weight of a normal trailer to be cut by
10–20 percent. And if trucks could carry more load,
the congestion on Dutch roads would automatically
be eased.
But this does not mean that there would be 20
percent more trailers on the roads if Burg Industries
had not developed this lightweight concept. The
company only has a share of the market, and the
trailers it produces are not all made of high strength
steel.
“But the material dominates,” says Herman
Schlutten, who is in charge of R&D at the Burg Industries
division that develops and produces trailers
for heavy vehicles.
Special trailers began in 1945
Burg entered this field after the Second World War.
The company was then busy converting surplus military
vehicles into special trailers, and that’s how it all
began.
Extra-high�
“Our strength lies in customised products,” ex-
The company uses advanced high strength steels to
plains Herman Schlutten. “We never produce a range
produce its trailers and semi-trailers. of standardised trailers. Customers come to us
NEWS 2-2004
11

ecause they have special needs.”
Much of the work involves optimising the trailers
for the weight and volume of the load they are intended
to carry. When we visit the workshops, the
trailer that Burg will be exhibiting at the vast RAI
transport fair in Amsterdam this autumn is nearing
completion. The trailer load area has been increased
by 70 percent by lowering the floor to a few decimetres
above the road surface. High strength steels
are essential here in order to give the trailer sufficient
strength, but without increasing its weight.
Steel for the hard life
Herman Schlutten wanders to a similar trailer that
has been tested in traffic. He points to a narrow steel
strip under the rear door of the trailer.
“This is Domex 700 MC,” he says with a broad
smile. “The steel we need here must really be capable
of coping with the hard life.”
By crouching down on the workshop floor and
peering under the trailer, scratch marks are clearly
visible where the steel has touched the road surface.
This new design makes heavy demands on the
driver’s judgement. On a poor road he must cut the
speed.
Domex is the “house steel”
Burg has been using high strength steels since 1988.
Domex has become something of a “house steel” in
the company.
“It is definitely simpler to use one steel grade as
much as possible,” explains Hermann Schlutten. “In
our design work, we find out the strengths and weaknesses
of a material. When production begins in the
workshop, we already know full well how the steel
will behave – in forming, making holes and joining.”
There is another important reason for letting the
best material dominate in the product:
“It may sometimes be more economical to use
extra-high strength steel only when its strength is
actually needed,” says Herman Schlutten. “But a
The Dutch Burg Industries company uses mainly advanced high strength steels
for trailers and other products for the haulage industry. All production stages
from design to delivery of the finished rig are carried out at Nijmacker, near
12 NEWS 2-2004
trailer consists of many sheet steel parts, and mixups
between sheet steels could very well occur. That’s
a risk we are not prepared to take.”
A material mix-up in the area behind the tow
hitch, for instance, could have serious consequences.
There are points in this area that are subjected to the
highest stresses in the trailer.
Pioneers
Burg was early in starting to use high strength steel
in its products.
“It may have seemed a little too early to many of
our customers,” considers Herman Schlutten. “Back
in 1988, the debate on greenhouse gases and other
environmental issues was still pretty theoretical. It
took time for concrete measures to come into the
picture.”
About 15 years have now passed and haulage companies
face totally new demands. Fuel consumption
and the emission of carbon dioxide must be reduced.
The authorities are also introducing tighter rules on
overloading the truck.
The changes favour Burg. The company has accumulated
unique experience of lightweight designs.
The trailer can be made lighter merely by optimising
the chassis frame and superstructure, although
the major gain comes from using thinner steel in the
design of the trailer.
Important parts
Herman Schlutten emphasises that it’s all a matter of
dealing with individual parts. Optimisation and
weight savings presuppose that the designers dare to
question every small part and every function.
Out in the workshop, Hermann Schlutten points to
holes that are cut in the frame members to save
weight, and the way in which sheet steel is bent to
enable joints to be moved to less stressed areas.
A trailer has a long service life. It is built to last up
to 30 years, which is 2 – 3 times longer than a truck.
“But failure of load-bearing parts of the structures
is extremely rare,” says Hermann Schlutten. “We undertake
some repair work here, but we seldom have
to deal with fatigue or overload damage.”
IT opens new opportunities
CAD offers entirely new opportunities for optimising
all designs. Better IT technology also gives improvements
in other areas.
We are standing in front of a gleaming new road
tanker that will be used for sludge transport.
“This will never be overloaded,” declares Hermann
Schlutten. “The tank rests on sensors that quickly
record the weight of the load to within ±5 kilos.”
Milk transport tankers are equipped with sensors
that have an accuracy of no less than ±2 kg. The
readings from these sensors can actually be used for
measuring what every farm delivers to the dairy.
The authorities use a similar technique for checking
that trucks on the roads are not overloaded. Sensors
are installed in several places in Dutch roads to
measure the gross weights of truck and trailer rigs. If
the load is too high, the rig is photographed, and the
registration number of the truck is read into a computer
that works out the fine and posts the fine document
to the haulier. So this document may be in the
letterbox even before the driver has returned home.
“The stricter the demands, the better it is for us,”
declares Hermann Schlutten.
Can withstand the Nordic cold
The products of Burg Trailers are destined mainly for
European hauliers. Most of the customers are in the
Netherlands and neighbouring countries.
“But we also deliver a great deal to Scandinavia –
principally road tankers” says Herman Schlutten.
Swedish high strength steels score more points
when the temperature drops below -20°C, when entirely
new demands are made on structural materials.
But that’s what Swedish steels are groomed to do.
HÅKAN JOHANSSON
Rotterdam. Herman Schlutten, who is in charge of R&D at Burg, combines
new grades of steel with electronic sensors and other techniques for
optimising the trailers to meet the needs of customers.

”
Swedish Steel Prize 2004
” S
teel is in the course of exciting
development,” says Claes
Magnusson who has long
experience at the heart of the
Swedish steel industry. He is also a
professor and has now taken a seat on
the jury for the Swedish Steel Prize
Claes Magnusson had a hand in the
Steelworks 80 project in Luleå in the
early 1970s. He then continued at
SSAB up to his entry into academia at
the Luleå Technical University.
He gained his doctorate in Steel
Working Technology and he is now
putting his knowledge to use in the
development departments of Volvo
Cars, Body Components in Sweden.
“This is a worthy assignment. The
Swedish Steel Prize has aroused interest
not only among customers, but also
among steelmakers. In addition to
steelmakers, customers also bear part
of the responsibility for the development
of today’s and tomorrow’s steels,”
he considers.
But let’s go back to 1974.
As a young engineer, Claes Magnusson
joined Norbottens Jernverk (NJA)
and took part in the project design
work for a new, large steelworks codenamed
Steelworks 80.
“That was a bewildering but exciting
time. When the project was discontinued,
I carried on as project development
engineer at NJA before being
appointed Marketing Manager at the
Semi-Manufactures Division when
NJA became part of SSAB in 1978.”
Had a sniff at boron steels
In the 1970s, he had already had a sniff
at boron steels that were to become,
many years later, a platform for the
successes of SSAB HardTech.
“We worked on many exciting
things at that time.”
It was no less interesting when Claes
News in this industry is a
feature that creates utility
– for the company, and
above all for the customer.
Magnusson moved to Detroit in the
1980s to study the American market
on behalf of the Swedish Trade Council.
Being the automotive capital, Detroit
is certainly of vital importance to
a steelmaker’s representative.
“I focused my attention on the metallurgical
industry in the USA, and
I kept myself, Swedish industry and
the Trade Council abreast of what was
happening.”
He then received a call from the
academia and returned to Luleå to
take up his professorship in Steel
Working Technology. Sheet steel forming
and laser operations were becoming
increasingly advanced, and Claes
Magnusson laid the foundations for
the expertise he is now using in development
work at Volvo Cars.
“The work involves advanced techniques.
We have exciting development
work that is continually in progress
with the steel industry. In addition to
Claes Magnusson is a new member of the Swedish Steel Prize jury. He is a
specialist in forming and joining sheet steel and was previously a professor at
Luleå Technical University. He now uses his competence at the development
unit of Volvo Cars.
looking at today’s steels, we devote just
as much work to the demands we may
be making in the long term. It is vitally
important to the development work in
this field for all parties to discuss what
will be advisable in the future.”
Knowledge and close ties
This is the turn of events that has
given Claes Magnusson a seat on the
jury. Not because he is working at
Volvo, but because he represents the
excellent combination of broad knowledge
and close ties with an end customer.
“Is it a problem that I am working at
Volvo? As regards the Swedish Steel
Prize, I represent only myself – not
Volvo. And the company thinks that it
is a worthy assignment,” he says.
Photo: STEFAN EVERSEN
Claes Magnusson regards the Prize
principally as an acknowledgement of
good work.
Brighten the workday
“Incentives are needed in this industry
to brighten the workdays in progress
everywhere. So what is news? News in
this industry is a feature that creates
utility – for the company, but above all
for the customer.
Good work demands recognition.
But also perseverance in looking for
new, untried ways and finally arriving
at an optimum solution.
“I believe I can contribute to finding
these good solutions among the entries,”
considers Claes Magnusson.
“And it will be fun into the bargain!”
JAN TANNEFORS
Visit the Vasa and meet
the Steel Prize winners
This year’s Swedish Steel Prize ceremony will be held on 18
November at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm.
The Vasa is the world’s only surviving 17th-century ship. With
over 95 percent of its original parts preserved, and ornamented
with hundreds of carved sculptures, the Vasa is a
unique art treasure and one of the foremost tourist
attractions in the world.
The ship is displayed in a purpose-built museum in Stockholm,
which also houses nine related exhibitions, a wellstocked
shop and a high-class restaurant. The film about the
Vasa can be viewed in sixteen languages. The Vasa Museum
attracts more visitors than any other museum in Scandinavia.
It is well worth visiting Stockholm for the Vasa alone.
Earlier on the same day, the Swedish Steel Prize Inspiration
Seminars will be held in the Winter Garden at the imposing
Grand Hotel in downtown Stockholm. You can find more
information on the Internet at www.steelprize.com
NEWS 2-2004
13

security
with light steel solutions
14 NEWS 2-2004
Vic Donaldson, new Managing Director of Johnson Security Ltd. The company manufactures
security systems for handling cash-in-transit and other valuables.
Heavy
It
has taken 40 years to
create confidence in us,
but that could be shattered
in an instant.
Vic Donaldson is the
new Managing Director
of Johnson Security
Ltd. The company
supplies more than 80
percent of the vehicles
used for the transport
of valuables in Great
Britain.

“Our customers are confident that our security systems
will give them protection. We have achieved this
by continually improving our products.”
Great Britain is the main market for Johnson Security,
but the company’s vehicles and other products
are in operation in many other countries too. Systems
for handling cash-in-transit and other valuables are
the core of the company’s operations. The company’s
security vehicles can be seen throughout the British
road network, and Royal Mail is one of the big users.
The company is located in Toddington, just south of
Birmingham, but it also has a joint venture with a
company in China. Ample capacity is available in
China for increasing the vehicle production rate in
pace with the increasing trade in the country.
Access control systems
In parallel with vehicles, Johnson Security has developed
access control systems for reducing the risks in
handling cash and other sensitive goods.
“Most of our systems are fundamentally based on
a rotating cylinder,” explains John Ventris-Field, Production
Manager at the company. ”The most common
is a cylinder with one opening that fits exactly
into one of two corresponding ports in an external
drum. The customer can use the entire module in a
cash desk, for example, and can receive goods without
incurring risks. The person who delivers the
goods is never in direct contact with the recipient.”
Johnson Security has long used advanced high
strength steels from SSAB Tunnplåt in its vehicles.
The strength of the material offers great benefits, and
is also vital in minimising the weight of the vehicle.
The sturdier structure and a great deal of equipment
naturally increase the vehicle weight.
“Our security vehicles need seldom carry particularly
heavy loads,” says John Ventris-Field. ”But thicker
steel could obviously drastically reduce the loadcarrying
capacity.”
Better for the environment
High strength steels also contribute to better environmental
performance of security vehicles. Weight
is very important to the carbon dioxide emissions,
which is assigned great value by many customers.
Johnson Security has taken the security approach
far beyond that in conventional armoured vehicles.
Intensive development of electronic security systems,
combined with refined detail design, have enabled
the company to substantially reduce the possibility of
the vehicle contents being accessed.
No vehicles have yet been robbed
“Our security systems are so effective that none of
our vehicles has ever suffered a successful robbery,”
declares Vic Donaldson. “Materials and technology
keep intrusion at bay until the police arrive.”
The design is based largely on a modular system.
The doors and access chute, for instance, are comparable
with those used in banks and night safes. All of
this, combined with sophisticated electronic systems,
makes life difficult for prospective robbers. Sensors
and processors monitor everything that is happening,
and the minutest change will trigger an alarm.
Developments towards more advanced technology
in vehicles and protection equipment have advanced
further in Great Britain than they have elsewhere.
“In many European countries, the general approach
is to use more advanced mechanical
reinforcements and also to carry armed guards on
board the vehicle,” explains Vic Donaldson. “But statistics
confirm the benefits of our way of tackling the
problem.”
Can save more weight
Johnson Security has so far used mainly high
strength steels for the vehicles used for transporting
valuables, although John Ventris-Field can see great
benefits in expanding their use to other product
areas.
“We have developed a tank system for railway
wagons, for which a great deal of weight could no
doubt be saved by other steel grades,” he says. “The
benefits are not as self-evident on stationary products.”
He refers principally to cash desks, control centres
and other secure areas that are often built inside
buildings.
Rapid product development
Johnson Security has the resources for basically all of
the production work – all sheet steel handling, laser
cutting, forming and welding, as well as powder coating
and final assembly. Design and development have
matched the technology used to the modern production
machinery available in the company. This has
substantially shortened the time from the drawing
board to the finished product.
“We can now inspect all parts as digital 3D models
before we begin laser-cutting the sheet,” explains
John Ventris-Field. “This means that we can shorten
our development time and also boost our quality.”
It is basically only final painting that Johnson
Security subcontracts to outside suppliers.
Transferring bodies
Mercedes now basically dominates the vehicles used.
The life cycle of the vehicle is equivalent to that of a
normal messenger vehicle.
“But that does not apply to the bodies,” says John
“We must constantly stay ahead in our development
work,” explains John Ventris-Field and
demonstrates an access sluiceway to Vic Donaldson.
“The door is protected by a fingerprint
scanner, a code system and weight sensors. No
unauthorised person has the remotest chance of
gaining access.”
Ventris-Field, pointing to a newly painted red vehicle
awaiting delivery.
On this vehicle, Johnson Security has just completed
the work of transferring an earlier body onto an
entirely new chassis. At the same time, the technicians
refurbished the electronic security system.
“In this area, developments forge ahead at a brisk
pace,” considers John Ventris-Field. “Improved quality
and efficiency are obviously desirable, but older
designs are sometimes phased out so quickly that no
spare parts are available if something should go
wrong.”
Ahead of robbers and competitors
Johnson Security has now gained such a strong position
for the company’s security systems that the
products supplied are no longer confined to vehicles
or access sluiceways for the transport of valuables.
The advanced technical designs have been developed
into a separate business area.
“Our objective is to be a leader at all times,” declares
Vic Donaldson. “And by being ahead of the
robbers, we definitely have a good chance of being
ahead of the competitors.”
HÅKAN JOHANSSON
NEWS 2-2004
15

16 NEWS 2-2004

High pressure cylinders without welds or joints
UNIQUE PROCESS
PAVES THE WAY
TO SAVING ENERGY
“The key to the world’s energy problem
is here.”
Renzo Toffolutti points to a series of
newly produced high-pressure cylinders
that are about to be delivered
to Canada. When they get there, they
will be tested to find out whether
they can withstand a pressure of
1,200 bar.
“I am convinced that fuel cells are the thing of the
future,” explains Renzo Toffolutti, “But their Achilles
heel is that they need hydrogen, which is difficult to
store. Our high-pressure cylinders can solve the
problem.”
By combining steel,
carbon fibre and
glass fibre, Faber has
broadened the field
of application for
high-pressure
cylinders. Luigi Posa
and Arnaud
Guerendel of SSAB
Tunnplåt demonstrate
a carbon fibre
reinforced steel tube.
Renzo Toffolutti knows what he is talking about.
He owns and manages Faber Industrie S.p.A. in the
Italian town of Udine, close to the Slovenian border –
a region that is steeped in industrial tradition.
Faber began producing high-pressure cylinders in
1972. The year after, Faber launched itself into the
field of energy. When the oil crisis struck in 1973, the
world began clamouring for alternatives to petrol
and diesel oil.
“That’s when we developed the first cylinders for
car fuel gas,” says Renzo Toffolutti.
And now, 30 years later, Faber is a leader in the
field. Gas cylinders from the Italian company are
included in kits for almost all car makes whose engines
have been converted to running on gas.
High-pressure cylinders for gas must conform to
strict demands in order to gain approval. The capacity
for storing high-pressure gas is only one of the
The first step in the process is a
circular plate of SSAB Tunnplåt
hardenable steel. After forming in
several stages, production is
concluded when the neck is
drawn out after the last heating
of the material. The gas cylinder
is then given its final form
without any welding whatever.
demands. The cylinders must also be capable of
withstanding physical damage and heat. But they
must also be lightweight so that they will be easy to
handle and will not affect the weight of a gas-fuelled
car too much.
The solution may perhaps be self-evident. The
cylinder must be produced of a material that is as
thin and light as possible.
Faber uses mainly SSAB Tunnplåt hardenable
steels. Circular blanks are pressed in three stages into
cylinders with capacities of up to 150 litres. The neck
of the gas cylinder is pressed in the last stage of the
process, and the hole in the neck is then tapped. So
the high-pressure cylinders are produced in only one
piece, totally without welds or joints.
The production method requires raw material of
consistently high quality. Production at the Faber
plant is very highly automated. This also makes �
A new test robot carries out pressure
testing of glass fibre laminated cylinders.
The glass fibre laminate is cured in
ultraviolet light.
NEWS 2-2004
17

heavy demands on the steel used.
Over the years, Faber has developed many variants
of high-pressure cylinders. The standard range consists
of steel gas cylinders that are treated inside and
out in order to meet the special demand of the application.
“But the design of the extremely light cylinders
that must be capable of withstanding very high pressures
is somewhat different,” says Renzo Toffolutti.
Eerie light
We approach a part of the workshop in which blue
fluorescent light creates an eerie atmosphere. Gleaming
cylinders akin to silk cocoons glide through the
ultraviolet light created by rows of fluorescent tubes.
At the end of the illuminated alley, a newly installed
robot carefully transfers every gas cylinder into a test
cabinet. The cylinder is then quickly pressurised to a
pressure that exceeds its normal working pressure by
a good margin.
This is the latest product development at Faber.
The thin-wall cylinders are laminated with glass fibre
or carbon fibre in order to improve their performance
further. This is where Renzo Toffolutti has developed
cylinders for extremely high pressures, suitable
for storing hydrogen. The technique is based on
Facts
Cars with fuel cells
18 NEWS 2-2004
the lightweight designs that Faber had previously
used for producing vehicle gas cylinders.
Opens new opportunities
The fuel cell is very efficient and environmentfriendly,
but development has so far been hampered
by fuel supply problems. The only option that would
deliver a good output is to use liquid hydrogen that
must be cooled to –253°C. But the liquefaction of
hydrogen uses up a great deal of the potential energy
gains. Gas cylinders capable of withstanding pressures
that are much higher than normal open new
opportunities.
It has already been decided that California will be
investing heavily in new infrastructure for the distribution
of hydrogen. Within a few years, 200 hydrogen
filling stations will have been built along the major
highways. And Faber already has some of the equipment
needed for cars.
Wine producer
So Faber uses high-carbon hardenable steels from
the Swedish SSAB Tunnplåt company. But Renzo Toffolutti
has another interest that evens out the balance
of trade between Sweden and Italy. He produces
wine, and some of this is exported to Scandinavia. So
The power pack in a vehicle driven by fuel cells consists of six parts.
The fuel needed for the processes consists of compressed air and hydrogen. The reaction
that takes place in the fuel cell produces electric current. The current is converted from DC
to AC, which powers electric motors that drive the vehicle, and the excess is stored in special
batteries. The efficiency of the fuel cell is twice as high as that of the best petrol engine.
Development work is currently in progress on large-scale production methods for all parts
of the system. Several carmakers have prototypes in operation. GM is well ahead and has run
a 10,000 km tour this summer in a fuel cell powered car based on the Opel Zafira.
Toyota, Honda and DaimlerChrysler have also come far in the development of their own fuel
cell cars.
To enable fuel cells to come into regular use, the issue of storing hydrogen in cars must be
solved, and a decision must be reached on how hydrogen is to be produced. In principle,
every filling station could have its own production, using nuclear power, natural gas or solar
cells.
Carmakers expect to have fuel cell powered cars in production by 2010 at the latest.
Renzo Toffolutti owns Faber Industrie S.p.A. He is
also passionately interested in wine, and his
vineyards export their products to countries well
beyond the borders of Italy.
‘bottles’ are the common denominator, but those
used for wine are made of glass. Renzo Toffolutti is
keen to try new opportunities in everything but
wine, for which traditions have the upper hand.
HÅKAN JOHANSSON
Facts
Faber Industrie
Established in 1972, Faber Industrie has grown rapidly to
become the leader in the production of seamless steel and
composite cylinders for the storage of high-pressure gases.
All over the world, Faber has earned the best reputation for
its high standards of quality and for its capability to comply
with the most stringent specifications set down by international
bodies and local authorities.
A complete range of cylinders, from 1 to 200 litres of water
capacity, four modern factories and a devotion to quality
and flexibility make Faber the real global supplier of highpressure
cylinders in the five continents.
Faber has four plants located in the North East of Italy, with
a total floor area of 70,000 m2 . More than 600,000 cylinders
are manufactured every year. Also with its high production
capacity of quality cylinders, Faber is seen as the industry
leader in the supply of high-pressure cylinders.

Facts
Dogal 800 DPX
Dogal 800 DPX is a hot-dip galvanised, ultra-high strength steel, with
properties that are tailored to the needs of advanced forming operations.
The product broadens the freedom of expression open to stylists and
designers. The good formability and robustness of high strength steel
offer scope for substantially improved production economy.
From 40 percent
rejection rate to
zero
By changing over to a different
material, an Italian manufacturer
of side collision protection beams
reduced the rejection rate from
40 percent to zero!
“Our new Dogal 800 DPX steel can withstand advanced
forming,” declares Johan Broback, Product
Manager for Dogal at SSAB Tunnplåt. “The product is
an ultra-high strength, hot-dip galvanised steel that
has the formability necessary for producing parts of
very complicated shape.
Advanced high strength steels are becoming increasingly
common in new cars. New steel grades
enable carmakers to save weight, while also providing
the cars with better protection against corrosion
and improved comfort.
But the automotive industry is also striving to
achieve higher quality. During the past ten years, the
industry has taken giant strides towards improved
anti-corrosion treatment by using a growing
proportion of zinc coated material in the bodies.
60 percent of new steels
“GM cars, for instance, now contain an average of
10–20 percent of extra-high strength, hot-dip galvanised
steels,” says Johan Broback. “But by 2010, this
figure is expected to rise to 40–60 percent.”
In Japan, the automotive industry uses 13 percent
of extra-high strength, hot-dip galvanised steels in
the bodies, but this figure is expected to rise to 45
percent within five years.
While the automotive industry wants increasing
amounts of high strength and anti-corrosion treated
steels, new cars are becoming increasingly technologically
advanced. The designs of various parts demand
steels with tailored properties.
Combine different properties
“Our DP steels cover a large proportion of the needs
that are characteristic for the automotive industry,”
says Johan Broback. “The special properties of DP
steels combine good formability with strength.”
SSAB Tunnplåt manufactures these steels in a
special process that yields what is known as dualphase
steels. The new product known as Dogal 800
DPX is subjected to special heat treatment that
improves the formability further.
“In practical terms, this means that the steel can
withstand tight bending radii during forming,”
explains Johan Broback. “Moreover, Dogal 800 DPX
has excellent reversing bendability, which means that
it can be bent back and forth without cracking.”
Saves weight
SSAB Tunnplåt has developed steels of increasing
strength and now has a leading position on the
market. The steels enable weight to be saved, since
thinner materials can be used.
“High strength steels can often be used in
production after minor adjustments to the tools and
the production line,” considers Johan Broback. “Most
of the changes relate to adjustments to suit the
springback of the high strength steels after forming,
and also to using the right tool steels.”
New opportunities
Dogal 800 DPX is a product that offers entirely new
opportunities to stylists and designers. Exciting new
forms can be created, while opportunities are also
opened for producing finished parts in one piece. A
great deal can be saved by eliminating the need for
joining smaller parts into a finished product.
SSAB Tunnplåt supports customers with a wide
range of information on the properties of advanced
high strength steels and the opportunities they offer.
Customer requirements
“Development work today involves regular
communication with the customer,” says Johan
Broback. “We are devoting continual work to
ensuring that our products conform to the
requirement specifications of our customers. So it is
particularly exciting to present Dogal 800 DPX which
offers more than today’s standards specify.”
HÅKAN JOHANSSON
NEWS 2-2004
19

School building, Hamburg. Commercial Centre, Hamburg.
The Velodrome, Olympic Games in Athens.
20 NEWS 2-2004

Sports Stadium, Budapest. �
Shopping Centre, Vittoria. �
Winning forms
A
beautiful building has a value much greater than the sum of the
land and building costs. When all the parties have
succeeded, a property can also be a pleasant home or workplace
and give character to the entire area in which it is located.
Architects and designers are constantly striving to advance the
possibilities for both form and materials.
The major developmental steps often come about when suppliers of materials
and equipment provide designers with new developments.
The German company Bemo Systems has been presented this year with
the prestigious “Innovationspreis Architektur und Bauwesen” award. The
award is issued by the magazines Intelligente Architektur and AIT at the
Deubau Fair in Essen.
Satisfying needs
“The purpose of the award is to draw attention to products that meet the
needs of architects,” explains Klaus Martin Stegmann, Marketing Manager of
Bemo Systems. “This year, the award went to Monro, the new production line
we have developed alongside the Swedish
roll forming company Ortic.
In the past year, Bemo Systems has
been involved in a series of spectacular
construction projects all around the
world. The lowest common denominator
for the company is that it produces
ceilings and walls made of sheet steel.
“There is a great deal of interest in
using prepainted sheet steel,” states
Klaus Martin Stegmann. “This can
apply to entire projects or individual
components, where bold colouring is
decisive for the building’s image.
During the summer, Bemo
Systems is making a final spurt in
Athens – before the start of the Olympic
Games. Of the 30 installations that will be ready when the Games start,
Bemo Systems has contributed a third. In total, it has supplied 50,000 m2 Klaus Martin Stegmann.
.
As the modern Olympic Games are celebrating 100 years in Athens, the
architects have sought to produce a design with clear links to Greek tradition,
yet at the same time one that is modern and go-ahead daring. By using
profiled, prepainted sheet steel, a sense of uniformity and a realistic financial
solution have been achieved in the many buildings that are now ready.
Customers queuing up
By the time the competitors come together, Bemo Systems will have left the
arenas. Airports, exhibition facilities, business centres and a range of other
projects are now queuing up to utilise the new opportunities that Monro is
creating.
“In parallel with Monro, we supply all the products that increase the architects’
room for manoeuvre when they want to create new designs,” says Klaus
Martin Stegmann.
Monro is short for Monumental Robe, a new way of dressing buildings in
beautiful clothing and great shape. It creates beautiful curves and thanks to
them Bemo Systems are able to be involved in the design of new buildings all
over the world.
“Curvaceous forms are almost always beautiful,” says Klaus Martin
Stegmann with a smile.
NEWS 2-2004
21

Advanced high strength steels
They have changed the way cars are made
– but that is only a beginning ...
Advanced high strength steels can
change the world
Advanced high strength steels contribute to a better
environment, better economy and better quality. The
new steels have already changed the design of all of
the world’s cars. But that’s only the beginning.
Many of the companies that have begun using
high strength steels instead of mild steels consider
that the new material represents something of an
industrial revolution. High strength steels offer immediate
opportunities for developing products,
processes and logistics.
Cooperation with customers
SSAB Tunnplåt is a world leader in the production of
the most advanced high strength steels. Step by step,
engineers have advanced the boundaries of what is
attainable in production. This work is often done in
close cooperation with customers who have already
realised the benefits of increasing the proportion of
high strength steels in their products. Full-scale tests
are often run on new steels directly in the production
systems of our customers.
Knowledge of the material is the key to successful
changeover to advanced high strength steels. SSAB
22 NEWS 2-2004
Tunnplåt has broad experience of using its advanced
steels in production. All customers have access to
these resources. These are compiled in handbooks,
data sheets and brochures, but are also disseminated
at various seminars. Seminars based on the three
handbooks – the Sheet Steel Handbook, the Sheet
Steel Forming Handbook and the Sheet Steel Joining
Handbook – are held at regular intervals in a number
of markets. Tailored seminars that are run directly at
customers’ plants are even more common.
Knowledge of the advanced high strength steels
has been compiled by SSAB Tunnplåt engineers who
often serve as a sounding board for customers who
intend to upgrade to a better material. The Technical
Customer Service Department serves as direct support
for the company’s customers, but is also involved
in the development of “Steelfacts” at the new
www.ssabdirect.com website. This can provide
quick answers to questions related to high strength
steels.
Lighter products
A characteristic feature of advanced high strength
steels is their higher yield strength. Thinner steel can
therefore be used for making a product, without
compromising on its strength. Merely changing over
to a thinner high strength steel can lower the weight
of a product by 20–30 percent. But by modifying the
design and the production methods, even higher
weight reductions can often be achieved.
Advanced high strength steels offer good economy.
Since less steel is needed for a product, the material
cost will be reduced. The lighter the product, the better
the profitability.
Economy and the environment
Economy and the environment go hand in hand. Less
raw material and less energy is needed for producing
high strength steels – at all stages. The entire chain
from the mine up to the end user and then in recycling
is a winner if high strength steels are used.
The end customer also benefits by the quality of
the high strength steel. The properties of the steel
ensure the end product has better wear resistance
and a longer useful life.
It is not by mere chance that companies that have
become involved most actively in high strength steels
also have close relations with SSAB Tunnplåt. Open
relations and mutual understanding of each other’s
situation create good prerequisites for efficient and
profitable production.
High strength steel makes everyone a winner.

Grégoire Parenty is
the new Commercial
Director at SSAB
Swedish Steel SA.
Quality opens doors
in France
“When we first introduce ourselves, our
brand name conveys two main messages
– quality and reliability are the hallmarks
of SSAB Tunnplåt. This is a good beginning
when we meet prospective customers.”
This is what Grégoire Parenty has found.
He is the new Commercial Director at
SSAB Swedish Steel SA, the French subsidiary
of SSAB Tunnplåt.
�
NEWS 2-2004
23

Grégoire Parenty is basically an economist. Is this a
good foundation for perceiving the customer benefits
of upgrading to advanced high strength steels?
“Without a doubt,” considers Grégoire Parenty.
“But it presupposes that we are given the opportunity
to become acquainted with the customer’s production
and operations. The better our relations, the
more profitable it will be for the customer and for
us.”
Teamwork and flexibility
Grégoire Parenty has previously worked in much
bigger organisations than SSAB Tunnplåt. And he
regards the Swedish company as being a model of
flexibility and teamwork.
“I shall have the opportunity to work closely with
our technical specialists,” he says. “They are part of
the team, and so are my colleagues at all SSAB subsidiaries.”
This is essential, since today’s customers have operations
in many countries. Collaboration with
SSAB offers better opportunities for support and
service, wherever the material is to be delivered.
When visiting many existing SSAB customers in
France, Grégoire Parenty has the task of confirming
the steep price increases on the market. Developments
on the world market are pushing up the costs
of ore and freight. This results in price increases, but
it also makes it more profitable for the customers to
specify advanced high strength steels instead of mild
steel grades.
Closer to the customers
This summer, Grégoire Parenty will be receiving intensive
training on SSAB Tunnplåt products. At the
same time, he will have to reorganise the company in
France. The Head Office is in Paris, but the company
also has salesmen stationed in the west and south, so
that they can be close to customers in those areas.
“The personnel in Paris already have a great deal
of direct contact with our customers. I am convinced
that we have good opportunities for highlighting our
24 24
NEWS 2-2004
level of service and adapting it in order to keep as
much as possible of the margin,” he says.
Stronger tubes
Grégoire Parenty is bristling with thoughts and ideas
he acquired from his earlier appointments. Apart
from a brief period in the fashion industry, he had
been working for big tube manufacturers for almost
10 years.
“Tubing is a growing application for high strength
steels,” he says. “There is a great demand for such
tubes, but there are few manufacturers.”
Tubes of ultra-high strength steel, for example,
offer a shortcut to load-bearing structures. They can
also replace solid steel without compromising on
strength, but at a much lower weight.
He estimates that there are a total of around 140
tube manufacturers in the ‘old Europe’ today. Out of
this total, no more than ten have the equipment necessary
to produce tube of extra-high strength steel
sheet.
“I am convinced that there is a change on the way,
but it will take a little time,” explains Grégoire
Parenty. “Both knowledge of high strength steels and
investments in equipment for starting this type of
production are needed.”
Close collaboration
And he expects that much work will be done in close
collaboration between tube manufacturers and
SSAB. The materials expertise accumulated by SSAB
engineers can set the stage for trouble-free production.
“Customers for such tubing are already there,” says
Grégoire Parenty. “The automotive industry has a
growing need for tubing, but there is also a demand
in many other industries.”
For a time, Grégoire Parenty was also involved in
the development of new information systems. The
aim was to simplify the handling of a number of routines
and also to develop more accessible tools for
everything from forecasting and ordering routines,
“I shall have the opportunity to work
closely with our technical specialists.
They are part of the team, and so are
my colleagues at all SSAB subsidiaries”,
says Grégoire Parenty.
to invoicing and claims.
Computerised information systems are a prerequisite
for good logistics and reliable supply, and also for
quality work.
Exotically beautiful Sweden
We meet when early summer is breaking out in Sweden.
It was only a few days since Grégoire Parenty
took up his new post on 1 June. He is at the SSAB
Tunnplåt Head Office in Borlänge to discuss new
products for customers in the automotive industry.
Lupins of all colours of the rainbow adorn the banks
of the road leading to the SSAB rolling mill. It’s the
time of the year when Sweden is exotically beautiful.
“I have been in fairly close contact with this country
in recent years,” reveals Grégoire Parenty. “We
delivered products through the wholesaler companies
Tibnor and Bröderna Edstrand, among others.”
Open relations
That was when he began to appreciate the open relations
that are fairly characteristic of Swedish companies.
This knowledge also made it easier for him to
decide to join SSAB.
The day after, Grégoire Parenty will be flying back
to Paris. He lives with his wife and three children
centrally in Montmartre. That’s where his life’s oasis
is – his family means a great deal to him.
“Fishing or playing tennis with my children revitalises
me,” he declares with a smile. “And when I
need excitement, I hunt wild boar.”
Profitable for everyone
But he will not have much time to spare in the coming
months. Grégoire Parenty will now be meeting
SSAB’s French customers.
“I’ll be starting with established customers, and I
then expect to meet many new companies,” he says. “I
know that everyone can be a winner by switching to
our steels.”
HÅKAN JOHANSSON

news in brief
Anniversary of the world’s
biggest commercial vehicle fair
IAA, Commercial Vehicles 2004 – the world’s biggest
fair for heavy trucks, trailers, buses and other commercial
vehicles – is celebrating its 60th anniversary this
year. The fair, which will be held at Deutsche Messe in
Hanover on 23–30 September, has attracted well over
1000 exhibitors and the expected number of visitors is
approaching 250,000.
SSAB Tunnplåt will be exhibiting at this year’s IAA. The
emphasis on the company’s stand will be on Domex
and Docol – the hot-rolled and cold-reduced products
from SSAB. SSAB Tunnplåt is a leader in the production
of advanced high strength steels. Detailed information
on Domex and Docol will therefore be available at the
SSAB stand, but many examples of the application of
these steels will also be available at other stands at the
fair. Many customers have recorded weight savings,
improved economy and better quality since they started
using high strength steels.
“Stronger, lighter, more profitable” is the theme at the
SSAB stand. Short seminars for the commercial vehicle
industry and other activities will also offer the visitors
an opportunity to acquire more knowledge of the advanced
high strength steels produced by the company.
Futher information: www.ssab.com
Euro-BLECH 2004
set new records
Euro-BLECH 2004 is this year’s biggest and most important
fair for all companies that use sheet steel in
their production. This year’s fair may set new records,
with many of the exhibitors coming from the new
EU countries.
Euro-BLECH will be held in Hanover on 26–30
October.
SSAB Tunnplåt will be exhibiting at the fair. The emphasis
at the SSAB Tunnplåt stand will be on showing
advanced high strength steels. Domex, Docol, Dogal
and Prelaq are the company’s brand names for hotrolled,
cold-reduced, hot-dip galvanized and prepainted
products respectively.
“Our common theme for this year’s fairs is ‘Stronger,
Lighter and More Profitable’, and our focus lies especially
on seminars during the fair which will be held
daily, for 30 minutes and unveil the important results
that can be achieved with high strenght steels in different
segments and applications,” says Anke Meyer
who is responsible for SSAB Tunnplåt market communications
in Europe.
Further information: www.ssab.de
Polish Wielton looks east
Wielton, the Polish trailer manufacturer, is casting
its eyes eastwards. That is where new markets
are considered to lie for Poland’s biggest and
most dynamically growing producer of trailers.
Wielton has been producing trailers, tippers
and special vehicles since 1995.
Wielton has now captured 30 percent of the
Polish market, and a large proportion of its products
is made of advanced high strength steels.
The first contact between SSAB Tunnplåt and
Wielton was established in 1998, but interest in
advanced high strength steels was not all that
keen in those days. The Polish customers of
Wielton were not as concerned about weight
reductions at that time. They were mainly interested
in the products being sturdy and capable
of negotiating poor roads.
But the picture is different today. The Domex
700 hot-rolled high strength steel from SSAB
Top awards for Zelenka
The German company Zelenka GmbH has
been awarded the “Bayerischer Staatpreis”
(“Bavarian State Prize”) for “innovative
choice of steel aimed at reducing product
weight”.
Zelenka uses advanced high strength steel
from SSAB Tunnplåt for producing office
and workshop interior fittings. The company
has previously been awarded prizes for ergonomic
design and user-friendly features
of its products.
This accolade focuses on the environmental
benefits of reduced weight. The weight of
the new product has been cut by 22 percent,
which results in both reduced freight
costs and lower CO 2 emissions.
Tunnplåt has been finding its way into many of
the Wielton trailers during the past year. Around
200 new trailers a month leave the factory in Wielun
in western Poland.
Mariusz Golec is the Managing Director of the
family company that now has 320 employees.
“Wielton began selling its products to Sweden
in 1999, which was actually the first time the
company did any export business,” he recalls. “To
meet the needs of the demanding market, we
were obliged to make our products stronger and
with peripheral equipment of higher quality. The
experience we gained then enabled us to build
vehicles that meet the strictest demands in Europe.”
Wielton expects to increase its monthly production
rate by between 10 and 20 percent.
Around half of the Wielton products are now
made of high strength steels.
Scania is losing weight
The next generation of Scania trucks – the R-series
– is 270 kilos lighter than the earlier Scania longhaul
trucks. In less than ten years, Scania has succeeded
in cutting the weight of trucks by an average
of 400 kilos.
Virtually no part of the new trucks has escaped the
weight-cutting efforts to achieve the lightest possible
alternative. The most important weight cuts
come from the thinner chassis frame members that
are now made of high strength steel, newly designed
pneumatic suspension at the rear, and a
lighter fifth wheel for 4x2 tractor trucks.
The thinner chassis frame is a total of 90 kilos lighter
than the equivalent frame made of thicker material.
Source: Scania World, the Scania customer publication
NEWS 2-2004
25

26 NEWS 2-2004

Boaretti
and his dream machines
Valter Boaretti is the link between
dreamland and reality. He is an engineering
artist who can convert the
visions of stylists and designers into
prototypes ready for large-scale
industrial production.
Valter Boaretti s.l.r. is his company that currently
occupies a key position in the development of
efficient processes for the production of parts for
Italian cars. Fiat has long been among its big customers,
although Valter Boaretti also works with other
manufacturers and with subcontractors.
Simply expressed, the task assigned to Valter
Boaretti usually involves industrialising the production
process. This involves far more than merely producing
the necessary tools.
“Many companies have the capacity to produce
tools, but not all of them appreciate that pressing and
punching tools are merely small links in a long
chain,” explains Valter Boaretti. “We have succeeded
in combining the latest CAD programs with long
experience of industrial production. This puts us in a
commanding position.”
Order from Germany
His words are confirmed by the inflow of new cus-
tomers. During a guided tour of the workshops, a
small exhibition shows a brand-new project being
implemented together with Lear in Germany.
“There are no boundaries in the automotive industry,”
declares Valter Boaretti. “Manufacturers and subcontractors
choose partners who are best able to produce
results and who can quickly present solutions to
problems that arise. In what country the company is
located plays only a minor role.”
Italy is synonymous with fast cars and inspired
styling. Valter Boaretti traces his roots to Italdesign –
the company of which his father was among the
founders in the late 1960s. But Valter Boaretti set up
Sailing is a passion – but mostly
a Hobie Cat.
Lot’s of memories from Valter Boarettis life as technician.
his own company in 1970. Right from the start, his
company’s business mission was to produce equipment
for more efficient production.
“But just as we do now, we then specialised in car
interiors and left the exteriors to others,” says Valter
Boaretti.
High strength steel
Typical products are seat frames, panels, consoles
and safety systems. This is how Boaretti first came
into contact with modern high strength steels. Customers
wanted lighter cars with better safety and
performance.
“High strength steels yielded a very special experience,”
he declares with a smile. “A great deal of
knowledge can admittedly be gained from studying
material specifications, but a user can find out the
boundaries only by working the material in his own
tools.”
Past experience has served as the foundation for
the knowledge that Boaretti gained later of how to
put high strength steels to optimum use.
“By combining today’s best design tools with expertise
in production processes and materials, we
can assure our customers of solutions that provide
them with more efficient and more economical production,”
he says.
The Boaretti company can retain its position on
the market only by continual upgrading. This is �
NEWS 2-2004
27

equally self-evident for the CAD system software as it
is for new machine tools and materials.
Integrated work
Developments tend towards all work being integrated
with customer projects. To an increasing extent,
stylists and designers begin to cooperate closely with
Valter Boaretti s.l.r. at a very early stage.
The company’s CAD stations are in the immediate
vicinity of the workshop. So it is simple and selfevident
for all parties involved in a project to keep up
a continual dialogue. Valter Boaretti himself regards
this as a natural element in improving everyone’s
knowledge.
“When I set all of this up, we acquired competence
in three stages,” he says. “Intelligence was the fundamental
demand. The next stage consisted of gaining
experience and knowledge. Only then was the time
right for accepting responsibility for implementing
projects. Technology has now made it possible to step
directly from the first stage to the last, but CAD and
user competence alone are not sufficient for such
activities.”
Polished ‘soft tools’ are scattered all round the
Boaretti workshops. These are prototypes of tools
produced for testing performance and design. When
full-scale production begins, the tool steels needed
must be of higher quality. There are also many samples
of finished parts. It is usual that the Boaretti
company produces everything for the first run of a
product.
Dream machines
Two dusty motorcycles stand opposite the company’s
modern laser cutters. Both of them are off-road
machines.
“I use the smaller one for running in the mountains
up here,” says Valter Boaretti pointing to the
mountains to the north. “The big BMW is for longer
journeys.”
And some of his trips are long. Valter Boaretti
most recently rode his motorbike to Tunisia, so that
the dust on the tank may very well come from Africa.
Valter Boaretti turns his own dreams and those of his
customers into solid reality.
28 NEWS 2-2004
Fausto Coppi, Italian hero 1940-
1953.
Photo: Valter Boaretti

“Welding is by far the most common method of joining high strength steel,”
declares Mikael Reinberth, Application Engineer at SSAB Tunnplåt in Borlänge.
“Welding dominates among the subjects in the Sheet Steel Joining
Don’t tell a welder that appearances
don’t matter. If
a weld is neat, it is usually
also a good weld.
This is one of the many
secrets behind the smart
technology for assembling
various products, as
revealed in the Sheet Steel
Joining Handbook now
published by SSAB
Tunnplåt.
Handbook, but we also have detailed descriptions of mechanical joining,
adhesive bonding and brazing.”
Neat welds are good welds
“One of the objectives of the Sheet
Steel Joining Handbook is to serve as
reference literature for the seminars on
joining that we will be arranging for
customers and other interested parties,”
declares Mikael Reinberth, Application
Engineer at SSAB Tunnplåt in
Borlänge.
In recent years, Mikael has devoted
most of his working time to compiling
the material for the Sheet Steel Joining
Handbook. The work has resulted in
180 pages of facts and figures about
good ways of joining sheet steel, and is
a third stage in the series of handbooks
produced by SSAB Tunnplåt.
The aim is that anyone who is in any
way concerned with matters related to
joining modern high strength steels
will find something of use in the Sheet
Steel Joining Handbook.
“By far the most common methods
of joining high strength steels are by
some form of welding,” declares Mikael.
“Welding methods dominate in
the Handbook, but we also have a
broad presentation of mechanical joining,
adhesive bonding and brazing.
The broader the knowledge of the various
alternatives, the better the opportunities
for choosing a method that is
optimized for a given product.”
The SSAB Tunnplåt product range
includes Domex (hot-rolled sheet
NEWS 2-2004
29

steel), Docol (cold-rolled sheet steel), Dogal
(hot-dip galvanised sheet steel) and Prelaq
(prepainted sheet steel). The characteristics
of a product are also affected by the joining
method employed. As an example, if MAG
welding is the self-evident choice for a part
made of Docol, adhesive bonding may be
a better alternative for a product made of
Prelaq.
The Sheet Steel Joining Handbook thus
provides the basic facts on various joining
ssabdirect.
– the future dictionary for steel and
30 NEWS 2-2004
methods and also on SSAB Tunnplåt products. It
also contains sections with practical advice aimed
directly at the welder/operator.
“We have decided to write the Sheet Steel Joining
Handbook so that it will remain relatively
timeless,” says Mikael. “This has been possible
since we are developing ‘Steelfacts’ in parallel,
which is a new part in our www.ssabdirect.com
website (see separate article). This includes items
of news, current product specifications and a great
deal more.”
www.ssabdirect.com is set to
become tomorrow’s encyclopaedia.
This is where engineers and designers
will be able to find all the information
they need on advanced high strength
steels.
“The website can already give quick answers to many of
the questions our customers ask,” say Jan Eckerlid and
Tony Nilsson, who have both been involved in developing
parts of the SSAB Tunnplåt site on the Internet.
In parallel with the development of increasingly ad-
vanced steel grades, SSAB Tunnplåt has strengthened
its technical advice and information service. This
concerns everything from handbooks, product
sheets and seminars to technical support and joint
development projects with customers.
Unparalleled knowledge
SSAB Tunnplåt now has access to probably unparalleled
knowledge of high strength steels.
“The development of ssabdirect.com is an important
step in making this knowledge accessible to all
of our customers,” explains Jan Eckerlid.
The information to which Tony Nilsson and Jan
Eckerlid mainly refer is assembled under the heading

om
construction
“Steelfacts”. This is basically an easily accessible database
that provides answers to many questions concerning
SSAB Tunnplåt products, such as material
properties, dimensions, formability, weldability,
standards, and so on.
Joining Handbook for high strength steels
During the summer, SSAB Tunnplåt has published
the Swedish issue of the entirely new Sheet Steel Joining
Handbook (see separate article). The English
language edition is expected to be ready for printing
during the autumn.
“This is the third major handbook project we have
completed,” says Tony Nilsson. “The first was the
SSAB Tunnplåt is developing its new ssabdirect.com website into a tool for communicating
with customers and other groups that need a little more information on the
company’s products. Jan Eckerlid and Tony Nilsson have both been involved in the
development of parts of the new SSAB Tunnplåt Internet site.
Sheet Steel Handbook that describes the principles of
using high strength steels in design and production,
and provides a broad picture of the basic prerequisites.”
This was followed by the Sheet Steel Forming
Handbook that represents a more detailed treatment
of this subject.
The Sheet Steel Joining Handbook has the same
aim. It provides a more detailed description of the
various techniques and how they relate to high
strength steel.
Up-to-date information
“We have written our handbooks so that they will be
as up-to-date as possible,” says Jan Eckerlid. “But
much of the information will probably soon be outdated.
New standards, new materials and amended
testing methods gradually emerge.”
In the past, this was solved by periodically issuing
supplements to the handbooks. But Steelfacts at
ssabdirect.com now offers entirely new opportunities.
“We can use the website to spread information on
all news and changes,” explains Jan Eckerlid. “But
saabdirect.com contains very much more than that.
We have put the new opportunities to use and have
included interactive functions, auxiliary programs
that can be downloaded, curves that make it simpler�
NEWS 2-2004
31

Welding may be the optimum joining technique, but the Sheet Steel Joining Handbook also
describes other methods. Mechanical joining, various types of riveted joints, for instance,
may be a good alternative in longer production runs and for simple joints.
to analyse the formability of new parts, and so
on.”
Various reference groups were engaged in the
development of ssabdirect.com, both from
among customers and from within the company.
The views of these users were of great
importance to the website we have now set up.
“But with the opportunities available today,
a website of this nature will never be finalised,”
emphasises Jan Eckerlid. “While continually
adding news items, we also want to add information
that users require.”
Pictures and film
As a result, the website will continually change.
It lives and is developed in pace with materials
32 NEWS 2-2004
and products being improved by SSAB Tunnplåt
and its customers. The more advanced the
resources that can be used on the Internet, the
greater will be the opportunities. Detailed pictures
and short instructive films are examples
of perfectly realistic features that may be added
in the near future.
“We are devoting much work to
ssabdirect.com,” declares Tony Nilsson and Jan
Eckerlid. “This is a superb channel for current
information, but it is also one way we can demonstrate
our IT capacity. As an example, competence
in this area enables us to control our
advanced processes with such high precision.
By comparison, it is easy to produce Steelfacts.”
HÅKAN JOHANSSON
news in brief
Poland gets its own
Prelaq school
SSAB Tunnplåt is setting up a Prelaq school in Poland.
SSAB Tunnplåt is devoting intensive work to providing customers
and other interested parties with the opportunity to acquire
more knowledge of SSAB Tunnplåt products. In Scandinavia,
SSAB Tunnplåt has employed various types of distance education
measures to spread information on new product groups
and to provide deeper technical knowledge.
The first version of the Prelaq School was highly appreciated and
has been run for three academic years in Sweden.
The new Prelaq School has been prepared and distributed in
conjunction with the Polish companies Bratex, Budmat and Profil
Biz.
The course consists of six units, the first of which will be distributed
in the autumn and the last during the spring of 2005.
The course is free of charge, and the trainees will also compete
for a trip to Sweden. The winner will be able to follow the path of
the steel from the mine north of the Polar Circle, through the
steelworks, rolling mill and prepainting plant, right up to delivery
to Poland.
Further information in Polish is available at www.prelaq.pl
New tax policies
encourage lighter cars
Taxation policies make lightweight cars increasingly attractive.
Several countries in the EU already have taxation rules that
benefit lightweight and fuel-efficient vehicles, but there are wide
differences in this respect between the EU member states.
During the spring, several countries have announced new taxes
aimed at making cars with high fuel consumption less attractive.
There are several different models for setting vehicle tax – vehicle
weight, purchase value, combination of engine swept volume
and emissions, weight and fuel consumption, or CO emissions
2
per kilometre, the latter of which is used in Great Britain.
The authorities in Great Britain use the same classification for
calculating the benefit-in-kind of company cars. Cars with lower
CO emissions have a lower benefit value.
2
Tax on fuel is also used to influence the choice that car buyers
make. In this case too, Great Britain has chosen an active line in
favour of low fuel consumption by imposing very high fuel taxation.
Countries such as the Netherlands and Germany follow the
same line, whereas Sweden and Finland have decided on a lower
level of fuel tax.
Is this of any significance to the national car population?
In 2002, Swedes went for the thirstiest cars in Europe. In that
year, the average car in Sweden emitted 198 g of CO /kilometre.
2
In the Netherlands, the corresponding figure was 172 grams, and
in Great Britain, 173 grams.
The EU target for CO emissions from new cars is 140 grams per
2
kilometre by 2008. This corresponds to a fuel consumption of 5.4
litres/100 km for diesel cars and 5.9 litres/100 km for petrol cars.
Source: Report 2001:14, National Swedish Road Administration

A normal
Swedish
family
HM King Carl XVI Gustaf, HM Queen Silvia and their three
children have succeeded in combining two entirely different
roles:
They are an ordinary family with which all Swedes can identify
themselves - both on festive occasions and in everyday life.
They behave with the traditional reserve of royalty. The radiance
of their presence imparts radiance to all events they attend.
And this also reflects the King’s motto: “For Sweden in time”. �
NEWS 2-2004
33

The sporting King is keenly interested in Swedish sports and is always ready
to acclaim successful sportsmen. When Mikael Ljungberg won an Olympic
I
n a bygone age, Swedish kings spread fear
among European sovereigns. But that was
long ago. Swedish kings have not waged
military campaigns since the beginning of
the 19th century. That marked the definite
end of Sweden’s era as a great power.
The old royal family was then deposed, and Jean
Baptiste Bernadotte, a French officer, became Swedish
crown prince.
Carl XVI Gustaf, the present king, is his direct descendant.
He is also the seventh Swedish king not to
have been involved in a war. His forefather’s brief
campaign against Norway in 1814 does not count,
since that happened before he was crowned Carl XIV
Johan.
Before Carl XVI Gustaf took on the mantle of roy-
34 NEWS 2-2004
alty, he was known for being fond of parties, fast cars
and boats. In other words, he was a fairly ordinary
young man. But something happened when he met
Silvia Sommerlath during the Munich Olympics in
1972. The future queen, who traces her roots to Germany
and Brazil, quickly became popular.
Sweden now has a royal house that has strong support
in all layers of Swedish society. Swedes have fallen
for the unassuming nature of the monarchy. The
King, Queen and their three children are part of the
national reference frameworks. This is why we are all
bonded together as Swedes.
Such feelings have historically been invaluable
when war was declared on neighbouring countries.
Today, campaigns have a totally different function.
“I feel that I serve as a sort of ambassador for Swe-
gold medal in wrestling in Sydney in 2002, the King and Queen were among
the first to offer their congratulations.
den and Swedish interests,” declared Crown Princess
Victoria in several interviews.
The King, the Queen and the Crown Princess have
this type of representation as their main task. In
many cases, their input leads to enormous publicity
for Swedish work in other countries. When the Crown
Princess or the King opens or visits an event, the
media are always in attendance.
But it is not only the nature of the campaigns that
has changed. Much of the royal “divinity” has gone.
His interest in fast cars has made the King popular in
entirely new circles. It is hardly surprising that Prince
Karl Philip follows in his father’s footsteps. But the
limit was reached when the Prince wanted to compete
in car racing events.
So Carl Philip switched to skiing and recorded an

impressive time in the 90-kilometre Vasa ski race. He
crossed the finishing line in 6 hours, 21 minutes and
52 seconds, which is almost 50 minutes better than
the time recorded by the King in 1987. The Vasa race
is by far Sweden’s biggest sporting event. In 2003, the
various races attracted a total of 44,000 entries. Many
can now compare their performance with those of
the King and Prince ...
Princess Madeleine, the youngest member of the
royal family, has aroused keen interest among the
world’s paparazzi photographers. Together with her
older sister, she is hotly pursued by ‘big game hunters’
in the celebrity jungle. But this is where the
Swedish royal household took the media to task and
won. The German gossip press was forced to publish
a withdrawal on the front page after publishing
made-up news about the Swedish Crown Princess.
The royal family has a remarkable relationship
with the Swedish people. They are involved in environmental
matters, rights of children, and the problems
of vulnerable groups. Their enthusiasm often
increases people’s interest in these issues. But at the
same time, the radiance of the King, Queen and
Crown Princess is an undoubted asset to the Nobel
Prize banquet.
The question is raised from time to time as to
whether Sweden should remain a monarchy or become
a republic. But it is doubtful whether the discussion
is taken seriously by anyone. The royal family
does its job of representing Sweden better than a
President could ever manage.
And interest in fast cars, boats, skis and partying
is just an added bonus. In Sweden, this adds glamour
to the royal crown.
When the royal family is represented, the event acquires a touch of extra lustre. Skier Gunde Svan, something of a Swedish people’s hero, meets another king.
Hat parades are among the privileges of the royal family ladies.
Harvest time. Queen Silvia’s involvement in
environmental matters has yielded response from
well beyond Sweden’s borders.
The King overshadowed by the Prince – at least in the Vasa ski race.
NEWS 2-2004
35

36 NEWS 2-2004