Kalmar has been commissioned to upgrade and refurbish a Paul Würth overhead casting crane at the Aperam Stainless steel plant in Genk, Belgium.

The company, part of Cargotec, has been enlisted to design, construct, deliver and erect all the materials required for the project, which must meet the standards and regulations for hoisting liquid steel.

Kalmar has been working on the project since last November with a completion date expected in the third quarter of 2015.

The client, Aperam, currently processes more than 2.5 million tonnes of flat stainless steel in Europe and Brazil. It has operations in more than 40 countries and called on Kalmar to modernise the 210 tonne capacity crane at its Genk, Belgium site.

Central to the project is renewing the existing trolley and the lateral driving mechanism of the overhead crane, which includes a new electrical installation.

Danny Bielen, project manager of Aperam, explained: “The trolley and the electrical system of the crane had reached the end of their technical lifetime.

“We were looking for a partner who could provide a detailed specification, and the ability to demonstrate a strong technical solution. Additionally, Kalmar’s excellent project management skills were another important selection criterion.”

Jelle van der Waal, director of crane upgrades at Kalmar EMEA North added: “We specialise in turnkey crane upgrade projects and have a proven track record working with different customer segments. Our competence is based on highly professional in-house engineering and project management.

“When the project is completed, Aperam will be able to enjoy the extended lifetime of the crane for many years to come.”

Kalmar commissioned for overhead crane renovation