News
Combining blanks business
Arcelor Mittal and Noble
financing, anti-monopoly a unit of Dofasco, Inc. sell any Dofasco assets.
International, Ltd, North
clearances in the United that Arcelor acquired in TBA is a leading
America’s largest producer
States, Canada and Europe early 2006, for additional European manufacturer of
of laser-welded steel
and other customary consideration estimated at tailored blanks. Its business
products, announced today
conditions. US$ 50 million based on includes eight plants in
that they have signed a
In addition, Arcelor and final determination of 2006 Europe, one plant in the
definitive agreement for
Noble will seek to include financial performance of United States, a 25% joint
the combination of their
in the transaction, as Powerlasers. The stock of venture in China and a
laser-welded tailored
soon as practicable, the Dofasco is held in a Dutch 50% joint venture in India.
blanks businesses.
tailored blank business trust, the trustees of which TBA employs around 670
Both parties had
operated by Powerlasers, will control any decision to people.
previously announced,
on 27 October 2006,
that they had signed a
binding Letter of Intent for
New automated polishing process
the combination of their
businesses. Resistance spot welding research by
Under the terms of
Paul Briskham at the University of
the transaction, Arcelor
Warwick’s Warwick Manufacturing
Mittal will receive from
Group in the UK, in conjunction with
Noble, in exchange for
Douglas Boomer of Innoval Tech-
its laser-welded blanks
business in western and
nology and engineers from Jaguar
eastern Europe, China,
and Land Rover, has achieved a
India and United States
landmark result of 50,000 high
(“TBA”), consideration of
quality welds on automotive-grade
US$300 million, which will aluminium sheet using just one set
consist of approximately of standard copper electrodes on an
US$131,250,000 in a
automated robotic welding system.
combination of cash, a
The remarkably long electrode
Noble note and assumption
life was achieved by polishing the
of certain TBA financial
Above: Paul Briskham with robot welder
copper electrodes during the brief
obligations and 9,375,000
shares of Noble common
gap in time between each welded
by regular tip dressing using a could lengthen the electrode life
stock with an agreed value
component.
form-cutter, of the type commonly even further.
of US$18 per share. Upon
Resistance spot welding is the
deployed to maintain the elec- This research was conducted
completion, Arcelor Mittal
most widely used process for join-
trodes when welding galvanized as part of the Premier Automo-
will become the largest ing steel sheet in the automotive
or high-strength steels. This study tive Research & Development
stockholder of Noble, industry, largely because it is the has demonstrated the significant programme, with funding from
owning approximately
most cost-effective method for high-
additional improvement in elec- Advantage West Midlands and
40% of the issued and
volume production and excellent
trode life that can be gained by industrial support from Jaguar,
outstanding common
at pulling together components
using a system that polishes the Land Rover, Innoval Technol-
shares. Arcelor will also
prior to welding. However, a major
electrodes with an abrasive wheel ogy, Novelis, AMDP tip dressing,
obtain four of nine seats on
Noble’s board of directors.
hurdle preventing the adoption of
to maintain their domed profile. Aro-Welding, Bosch-Rexroth,
Completion of the
this joining process for aluminium
This resistance spot weld- Matuschek and Comau Robotics.
transaction is expected to
automotive sheet has been the
ing study has also investigated • For further information contact:
occur in June 2007, and
problem of short electrode life and
low-cost methods for detecting Paul Briskham,
is subject to a number of associated loss of weld quality.
electrode damage to determine Warwick Manufacturing Group
conditions, including Noble Previous studies have shown automatically when to conduct University of Warwick,
shareholder approval,
that the electrode life can be
electrode maintenance and when Tel: 07771 862 850
receipt by Noble of not less
extended to a few thousand welds
to change the electrodes, which Email: p.briskham@warwick.ac.uk
than S$165 million in debt
6 March/April 2007 International Sheet Metal Review
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