Tailor welded blank technology secures new contract for Corus

Corus, the international steel company, has announced that its Automotive Service Centre has won another contract, to supply precision-made tailor welded blanks.

The contract will see Corus’ Automotive Service Centre in Wednesfield, UK, supply tailor welded blanks for three key parts for the MINI Clubman: the Bodyside Outer Left Hand and Right Hand and Club Door inners. Corus’ Automotive Service Centre is already a long-term supplier to the MINI range, providing, amongst other components, the inner and outer sills for the manufacture of the MINI Convertible. The new parts will be manufactured on a state-of-the-art blanking line at the Wednesfield facility.

Commenting, Alan Hutchinson, General Manager of the Automotive Service Centre explained: “The cornerstone of our success is our ability to offer a complete package of service requirements. This includes competitive pricing, 100% delivery OTIF performance, prototype blanking and welding, all of which are delivered via our range of unique processing equipment.”

Mr Hutchinson continues: “We are delighted to have won this important additional work from BMW Group Plant Swindon. Corus has invested significantly in downstream facilities at its Automotive Centre in Wednesfield, to enhance its press blanking line capability, in order to ensure it is in a position to meet the increasing demand from OEM customers, for tailor welded blanks and full-finish skin panel blanks ready for assembly.”

Corus’ Automotive Service Centre boasts a comprehensive line-up of dedicated automotive processing facilities, featuring a range of Press Blanking lines from 150 tonnes to 600 tonnes, Multistrand Blanking lines, Trapazoidal/Radial Blanking lines, a Slitting line and a number of Pack turners. In addition, the site features a dedicated laser welding facility which was the first in the Europe to have the capability to manufacture production volumes of advanced, second generation, non-linear Nd:YAG (Neodymium-Yttrium Aluminium Garnet) laser-welded blanks.