June 4 - A disassembled closed-die forging press with a force of 50,000 tonnes and components of a smaller press with a force of 12,500 tonnes are currently being transported from the premises of manufacturer Siempelkamp Machinen und Anlagenbau in Krefeld
Both presses are destined for the Chinese Nanshan Group's newly designed forging mill, which will manufacture forged parts made of aluminium and titanium alloys for the Chinese aircraft industry.
Siempelkamp claims that the 50,000-tonne capacity press is the largest it has ever built, as well as being the largest manufactured in Germany.
The first parts for the shipment, which includes 25 units ranging in weight from 89 to 287 tonnes, have already began their journey to China.
The larger press features a 278-tonne lower press beam, as well as a movable beam with an 11 m long centrepiece.
"The dimensions of the individual components and the high weights present many challenges for us and required a long planning phase," explained Ronald Hammerbeck, logistics manager at Siempelkamp.
Components weighing over 200 tonnes were loaded onto SPMTs for transportation out of Siempelkamp's facility and on to the port of Krefeld-Uerdingen, where the parts were loaded onto three inland waterway vessels using a 400-tonne capacity crawler crane.
Once the parts arrive in China, the parts will be loaded onto more heavy goods transporters and delivered to the customer's premises, which is approximately 20 km from the port.
Three similar shipments are scheduled for the next few months, with 150 containers carrying press supplies, tools and assembly equipment also being transported.
The installation of the presses is scheduled to begin in July 2014, with both closed-die forging presses expected to commence operation in the summer of 2015.
