Wuppermann and Tata Steel jointly expand their range of high-strength steels

The chassis of a car is exposed to high loads on a daily basis. At the same time, the further reduction in thickness of chassis components plays an important role in achieving lightweight design targets. This combination calls for effective corrosion protection.

For this reason, Tata Steel has expanded its portfolio of hot-rolled steels for chassis applications. The new steel products combine the advantages of HSLA and high-strength steels such as the FB, CP and XPF series with a protective zinc coating against corrosive influences.

To meet the demand for the new steels and satisfy the demanding requirements of the automotive industry, Tata Steel Nederland B.V. and Wuppermann Staal Nederland B.V. have agreed to jointly increase production capacity for thicker high-strength galvanized steels (thickness 2-4 mm). A resulting multi-year development program has now been successfully completed.

Wuppermann Staal recently received IATF-16949:2016 certification for its quality management system. This is an important milestone in being able to supply the automotive industry with high-quality steel products. Significant improvements have also been achieved in terms of controlling the thickness of the zinc coating, the choice of oil grades and many other aspects important to the automotive sector. This ensures that products meet the required VDA specifications and other industry standards. In addition, a wide range of additional dimensions, especially hot-rolled HSLA and AHSS steel grades, can be made available to the industry. Both Wuppermann Staal and Tata Steel are committed to further expanding this program in the future.

Source and Photo: Tata Steel in Europe