LOI Thermprocess GmbH (Essen, Germany):
Wendt P., Dr., Head of Sales Department, e-mail: peter.wendt@tenova.com

Bilstein GmbH & Co. KG (Hagen, Germany):
Zwickel G., CEO

Kranbau Köthen GmbH (Köthen, Germany):
Witke H., Project Manager

The new bell-type annealing furnace in the cold rolling shop at Hagen plant of Bilstein GmbH & Co. KG is the first annealing furnace worldwide with automatic lifting equipment. It is also the most powerefficient unit in the world owing to usage of innovative concept for heat regeneration and power management. When coils are cooling, the furnace regenerates power and then supplies the shop consumers with electric and heat energy, allowing thereby to save 1.5 GW·h per year. At the same time the power consumption of the units for secondary heat utilization made only 21,000 KW·h. The company plans to develop in the future the new annealing furnace, including its infrastructure and additional area for furnace stands (at present time the unit has 16 stands). Joint transportation of coils and convection rings and, respectively, double decrease of lifting operations will be the following steps.