Columbus, Ohio – Worthington Steel, Inc. (NYSE:WS) has signed a license agreement with ArcelorMittal Tailored Blanks to use its patented extrusion technology to create hot-formed custom blanks. The move, announced today, marks the company's progress in its North American operations, particularly at its Monroe, Michigan facility.
The technology in question is important for welding advanced high-strength steels, essential to the automotive industry for their contribution to vehicle strength, crash performance and weight reduction. The ablation process focuses on removing the aluminum-silicon coating from the hollow edge, which is a prerequisite for pressure-hardening applications.
Worthington Steel President and CEO Jeff Gilmore expressed excitement about being one of two companies in North America. He highlighted the growth potential of this segment in the custom blank parts market and its importance to safety and efficiency in the automotive industry.
TWB Company, a joint venture between Worthington Steel and BAOSteel, will oversee the installation of a fully automated stripping line at the Monroe facility, which covers 300,000 square feet and currently produces a wide variety of custom shapes and coils. It is expected to take 12 to 15 months for the OEMs to obtain the necessary qualifications before full production begins, and it will take 12 to 15 months to start the new line.
TWB is recognized as the North American market leader in custom welded products with operations in the United States, Ontario and Mexico. The company's expansion into ablation technology is part of its ongoing efforts to meet customer needs in an ever-growing market.
The growth builds on Worthington Steel's strong reputation in metal processing and 4,600 employees, according to a press release. The company has 32 facilities in several countries, offers value-added processing capabilities and strives to achieve a sustainable future in steel processing.
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