The history of Siemens VAI is closely linked with the revolutionary development of the LD (or basic oxygen) steelmaking process by VOEST in Linz, Austria in the early 1950s and the subsequent worldwide marketing of this technology. Continuous evolutionary improvements and especially the rapid increase in converter size were ultimately decisive for the universal application of this technology by steelmakers. Siemens VAI's accumulated experience in the supply of equipment, systems and process technology for oxygen steelmaking is unparalleled in the industry. To date, Siemens VAI has designed, built and started up more than 200 converters, including more than 15 turnkey LD (BOF) steelmaking plants. Through partnerships, cooperation and acquisitions, Siemens VAI has at its disposal the whole panoply of converter steelmaking technologies (LD, K-OBM, K-OBM-Stainless, KMS, KMS-Stainless) as well as all hot metal pretreatment and secondary metallurgical processes.
Accounting for a total of more than 55% (more than 700 million t/a) of world steel production, the family of LD (BOF) technologies continues to be the most important steelmaking route, particularly for the production of high-quality, flat steel products.
With the advantage of in-house operational experience, Siemens VAI continues to pioneer solutions for optimizing the converter steelmaking process, with a special emphasis on highly automated, economic and environmentally friendly production.
In addition to the supply of advanced technological components and systems, Siemens VAI also offers comprehensive know-how packages which allow our customers to produce the most demanding grades of steel for the market
Siemens Metals Technologies
Steelmaking