Sandvik
www.sandvik.com

Sandvik will participate in Ligna+ Hannover 2007, May 14-18, where its representatives will demonstrate products and answer questions under a theme entitled, “Ride the steel wave.”

The theme, which is a visual extension of an actual belt mounted at the exhibition booth, is designed to highlight Sandvik’s leading market position and innovative technological developments in belt production, as well as its support and commitment to its customers by helping them take leadership positions in their markets.

“Over the years, Sandvik has been able to utilize its advanced R&D program as well as global service support, delivery accuracy and other assets to support our customers in their efforts to gain market share and stay ahead of their competitors,” says Johan Sjögren, global manager for the press belt segment. “We plan to continue in that tradition.”

Sandvik will participate again in “LIGNA - World Fair for the Forestry and Wood Industries” with its German subsidiary, Hindrichs-Auffermann. In combination, the two are leading suppliers of stainless steel belts and press plates for wood-based panel production, as well as for laminate and melamine coating of wood-based panels.

At Ligna, Sandvik will demonstrate its newest members of the QuickTool family as well as the company’s latest equipment for installation welding. This product enables a Sandvik engineer, from a remote location, to weld and inspect on an LCD screen the setup via a camera system.

“The advantages of this technique are safe and secure working conditions by allowing operators to use a joystick to track the welding torch from a distance,” says Staffan Karlsson of AB Sandvik Process Systems. “We are using this technology in our workshops but have decided to include it in our field units to continue to ensure quality and safety.”

Commitment to constant innovation

Sandvik’s dominant position in steel belt technology for over 100 years has been earned through a commitment to constant innovation, and the last decade or so there have been a number of significant developments, all reflecting the changing requirements of the WBP industry as a whole.

Today, for instance, the company can grind belts up to 4.6 m wide–the largest in the world–and can supply unground belts to a width of 8 m. An extension to its product facilities means it can also now produce belts as long as 180 m, as well as a thickness program up to 3.6 mm, enough to meet the needs of any press currently in operation anywhere in the world.

Hindrichs-Auffermann, renowned for metal working, is a specialist press plate and textured endless belt press belt maker. The company was acquired by Sandvik in 2000 and fully incorporated into its group two years later.

The Sandvik Group
Sandvik is a high-technology, engineering group with advanced products and a world-leading position within selected areas. Worldwide business activities are conducted through representation in 130 countries. The Group has 42 000 employees and annual sales of approximately SEK 72 billion.

Sandvik`s business concept is based on a unique competence in materials technology. This has resulted in a world-leading position in three core areas:

Cemented-carbide and high-speed steel tools for metalworking applications and blanks and components made of cemented carbide and other hard materials.
Machinery, equipment and tools for rock-excavation.
Stainless and high-alloy steels, special metals, resistance materials and process systems.