Work will start towards the end of this year on installing the new zinc-pot equipment on Continuous Galvanising Line No 3, which is one of Tata Steel’s dedicated automotive production lines.

In an effort to produce greener, more sustainable vehicles with a prolonged lifespan, automotive manufacturers have shifted towards fully galvanised auto bodies. However, the demand for a reduction in vehicle mass and a lower total cost of ownership has forced carmakers to reconsider traditional anti-corrosion coatings.

The need for thinner zinc-coatings with improved performance has led Tata Steel to develop MagiZinc Auto, a thin hot-dip galvanised coating alloyed with aluminium and magnesium. It offers twice the corrosion protection of standard galvanised finishes and provides significant performance improvements for automotive press shops at the same time. Both elements lead to lower total cost of ownership for its users. The product has been granted official accreditation by several carmakers.

Tata Steel’s Chief Commercial Officer in Europe, Dr. Henrik Adam, said: “The investment in a new zinc pot for the production of MagiZinc Auto strengthens the position of Tata Steel as a dedicated supplier to the automotive industry. We’ve responded to the needs of our customers in developing this product and we think it has huge potential in the auto sector.  The zinc pot broadens our MagiZinc Auto offering into our full Advanced High Strength Steels portfolio and into wider sheet dimensions.  Our next step will see the development of outer panel quality products, so our automotive customers can build a complete MagiZinc Auto-coated body-in-white.”‪‪

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For further information

Bob Jones on +44 (0)207 717 4532, or bob.jones@tatasteel.com

About Tata Steel in Europe

The European operations of Tata Steel comprise Europe's second largest steel producer. With main steelmaking operations in the UK and the Netherlands, they supply steel and related services to the construction, automotive, packaging, lifting & excavating, energy & power, aerospace and other demanding markets worldwide. Tata Steel is one of the world’s top ten steel producers. The combined group has an aggregate crude steel capacity of more than 28 million tonnes and approximately 80,000 employees across four continents.