Chairman’s Welcoming
The dominance of current reporting on the green transformation of the steel industry has recently pushed the anniversary of another technical revolution in metallurgy into the background: Numerous steel companies have recently celebrated or will soon celebrate 50 years of continuous casting! No other technology - apart from the LD process - has given the steel industry of the 20th century such an innovative boost as continuous casting. I am therefore particularly pleased that the Steel Institute VDEh has offered me the chair of the 11th European Continuous Casting Conference (ECCC) at this time.
It is fair to say that continuous casting is not 50 years old, but 50 years young! Because this technology has remained truly young with its constant innovations: casting-rolling technology of medium size slabs, electromagnetic treatment in mold and strand guidance and finally innovative strip casting processes, to name but a few. Currently, many innovations are coming from the fields of automation and artificial intelligence. And this is where conferences like our ECCC come into play.
Conferences are a platform for communication, networking, ideas and innovation. People from all over the world come together to exchange and discuss expertise. In this way, the 11th ECCC will also become an important factor in the development of innovation.
With a combination of proven and new topics, factory tours and the accompanying trade exhibition, we will design a conference programme that will inspire visitors. Join us, present your innovations and become part of our programme with your presentation!
Dr.-Ing. Arnd Köfler
CTO thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG
