SMS Technical Services opens workshop in Arkansas

Germany-based SMS Technical Services has opened a service and maintenance workshop in Osceola, Ark., less than two miles from the Big River Steel (BRS) plant.

SMS will take care of all service and maintenance activities for the CSP® (Compact Strip Production) at the steel plant, such as molds, segments of the casting machine, and rolling mill components.

The company also will be in charge of the two on-site roll shops servicing the hot and cold rolling mills. SMS will be responsible for the investments related to the construction of the roll shops, for the roll shop personnel, and for the operation. It also will provide the roll grinding machines and auxiliary facilities for the roll shops.

Once the new BRS steel complex is in operation, about 50 people will be working in the service workshop and in the two roll shops. The teams will be staffed with new employees from the area and with SMS employees currently working at other service locations in the U.S.

The new workshop offers operators of high-speed continuous casters in North America a full line of services, including repairs, overhauls, and maintenance, as well as reconditioning of casting molds. It also offers additional machining and turning processes, as well as shot-blasting and paint spraying. With its electroplating facilities, the workshop provides reconditioning services for copper molds. It also offers local field service for on-site laser scanning and alignment activities.