A new ‘state of the art’ hot-dip galvanising line — FBA10 — at Thyssen Krupp Steel’s Dortmund site is taking shape.

It will be the 10th line of its type in the Ruhr and is scheduled to start operations in 2021.

Demand from the automotive industry for hot-dip galvanised products is growing, as zinc coating on steel provides excellent protection against corrosion and thus ensures the durability of vehicle components.

Premal Desai, CEO of Thyssen Krupp Steel (www.thyssenkrupp-steel.com), said: “There is a substantial shift in the automotive industry from electro-galvanised steels to hot-dip galvanised steels.

“Our new hot-dip coating line will support this trend and exploit market potential.

“The line is a key element of our strategy to differentiate ourselves from the competition through high-tech products.”

FBA10 will produce steels for interior vehicle parts and outer panel applications, as well as ‘highly innovative’ zinc-magnesium products with low coating thicknesses that save material and costs while ensuring high durability.

Tekin Nasikkol, chairman of the general works council of Thyssen Krupp Steel, said: “FBA10 is an investment in the site and an important signal to the workforce that the company is investing in the future — and in new highly skilled jobs.

“Lines like FBA10 are built to last decades, and that’s exactly the right signal to be sending in turbulent times.”

When completed, the line will be around 350m long.

Its construction will use 8,000 tonnes of steel and 24,000m³ of concrete, including 180 foundation piles with a diameter of about 1.5m and extending up to 11m into the ground.

The line will produce around 600,000 tonnes of hot-dip galvanised steel a year.