History

2005  

Edelstahlwerke Buderus AG became part of Böhler-Uddeholm AG.

Edelstahlwerke Buderus AG was taken over by the Austrian company Böhler-Uddeholm AG, making Edelstahlwerke Buderus AG part of the world's largest tool steel manufacturer, with a comprehensive distribution network dedicated to special steel.

 

2003

Further increase in capacity.

Additions to plant and equipment again reached a high level, with a value of €21.9 million.

Edelstahlwerke Buderus AG achieved certification to DIN EN ISO-14001 (environment management system).

 

2002

The new press line 1 was the largest single capital investment ever made by Edelstahlwerke Buderus AG, at €17.5 million, providing the necessary foundation to secure the company's competitive position.  The new plant was designed for a mixed production output of over 2.5 tonnes an hour.  The maximum output with optimum production conditions is eight tonnes an hour.

 

1995

75th anniversary celebrations.

Edelstahlwerke Buderus celebrated its 75th anniversary with its customers, employees and their families at the end of June.

Investment focused principally on continuing the "crude steel production rationalisation" project.

 

1981

Capital investment prioritized the hot rolling mill.

Investment emphasised the ongoing optimisation of the hot rolling mill, started in the previous year.  This included replacing the 780 three-high blooming stand with an 850 two-high reversing stand, and installing a twin-row pusher-type slab furnace.  Another investment project included improved energy efficiency by using waste heat from the steel mill, rolling mill and hammer mill.

 

1977

Introduction of Buderus ISO-B steels.The launch of Buderus ISO-B steels marked an important quality enhancement of the products of Edelstahlwerke Buderus.  Using refined metallurgical processes to deoxidize and desulfurize steel melts made it possible to improve the oxide and sulfide micro-cleanliness level, so as to achieve quasi-isotopic mechanical properties. ISO-B steels offer special advantages as tool steels, especially hot working steels.

 

1973

Direct hot strip rolling.

The direct hot strip rolling investment programme started in the previous year was completed in the hot rolling mill.

Crude steel production at Edelstahlwerke Buderus increased year on year to 225,500 tonnes.  139,700 tonnes of this was electric steel, and 85,800 tonnes was open-hearth steel.  The proportion of alloyed grades reached 62.4%

 

1965

Buderus acquired the Röchling holding; new company name.

At the beginning of the year, Buderus iron works acquired the 50% of the capital stock of Stahlwerke Röchling-Buderus held by Röchling iron and steel works.

The new company name has since been Edelstahlwerke Buderus AG.

 

1962

The highest level of investment in the company's history.

The company responded to the double challenge of cost increases combined with intensified competition and a downturn in sales and collapsing prices, by further modernising its production facilities.  The level of investment reached a new high for the company of 14.7 million DM.

One major focus of investment was modernisation of the rolling mill.

 

1949

Production of Anoxin sheet steel, and successful enhancement of the oxygen melting process.

Start of production of Anoxin sheet steel (equivalent to the Krupp V2A steel, for which the Röchling-Buderus steel works had a licence).  The Röchling-Buderus steelworks succeeded in developing the oxygen melting process adopted from the USA.

 

1945

Post-war reconstruction.

Production had ceased at the end of the war, and was resumed with recommissioning of the plate rolling mill in July.  Using stocks of materials from arms production, metal sheet was produced to cover bomb-damaged houses in the city of Wetzlar and the surrounding area.

 

1939

New steel mill came on stream.

The new steel mill constructed alongside the rolling mill since 1937 came on stream in the middle of the year.  A new 15 tonne electric furnace was installed in addition to an open-hearth furnace with a capacity of 30 tonnes; one 5-tonne and one 10-tonne electric furnace were also added from the previous steel mill on the Buderus iron works site.

 

1930

Completion of the expansion programme, concentration on specialisms.

The expansion programme started in 1927 was completed. 

The first expansion phase increased the capacity of the two open-hearth furnaces to 22 tonnes each.  Output in the rolling mill was then increased by investment in expansion and technical improvements.

 

1924

The company was renamed "Stahlwerke Röchling-Buderus Aktiengesellschaft", and a hammer mill came on stream.

On 29 December, immediately before the Saar district was transferred to French customs territory, the company was renamed from "Stahlwerke Röchling-Buderus Aktiengesellschaft" to "Stahlwerke Röchling-Buderus Aktiengesellschaft".  A hammer mill was established in Wetzlar to supplement the hammer mill in Dorsten.

 

1920

Joint venture established under the name of "Stahlwerke Buderus-Röchling Aktiengesellschaft".

The Buderus-Röchling steelworks was formed by the Röchling iron and steel works and the Buderus iron works in Wetzlar.  Buderus ironworks in Wetzlar and the Röchling iron and steel works in Völklingen each had a 50% stake in the capital stock of 30 million marks.  The small Dorsten electric steel mill in Westphalia acquired by Röchling in late 1919 was incorporated in the new company, and the Buderus steel mill in Wetzlar that had existed since 1915 was leased by Buderus in Wetzlar.