Sidenor 2020 Corporate Report

14 Corporate Report 2020 | About us our deteriorating workload induced by the pandemic situation, this plan provides for a temporary workforce restructuring plan (Expediente de Regulación de Empleo de carácter temporal - ERTE) which will come into force in all working centres of Sidenor Aceros Especiales, S.L.U., as of October 1st, 2020.   Together with Norbolsa, we carry out the first Alternative Fixed-Income Market (MARF) promissory note placements using the block-chain technology. This way, entities can interact at the same time and with the same information, which is registered by means of distributed register technology, thus preserving confidentiality.   As the LIFE-5 RefrAct project , enters in its final phase, we strengthen our excellence in the management of refractory waste. Refractory products with a high percentage of residue (up to 70%) have been tested industrially and, for the first time, waste from continuous casting tipped tundish has been recovered. These good practices will be included in the next review of the European BREF document on Steel.   Within the framework of the Muon project (Inspection and characterisation of scrap in vehicles by means of muon tomography), the validation of Phase I: Detailed simulation and design and, thus, transition to Phase II: Laboratory detection prototype are approved. OCTOBER   We modernise our facilities by implementing a new bar straightening and control line in our Basauri plant. With this investment, which amounts to 18.2 million euros, Sidenor confirms its leadership in the production of special steel round bars, under the strictest surface, internal and dimensional requirements, increasing its capacity by 100,000 tonnes per year in the 20-120 mm range. The investment also foresees the building of a new 220-meter warehouse, new cranes and the set-up of a new bar straightening and control line.   We complete the sale of the remaining 24.9% of the Sidenor Forgings & Castings to the American- German consortium NFL, whereby such consortium now owns 100% of this company.   We complete the Calibrated Products Reorganisation Plan at our Vitoria plant, with the integration and start- up of turning installations transferred from Capresa. Thanks to these last measures, which follow the ones implemented after the closure of Maltzaga and the modernisation of the rolling mill, the calibrating facilities now have the necessary industrial capacity to address their customers’ requirements in terms of drawn, turned, grounded and wire products as well as finishing length cutting.   Within the framework of the European RFCS project, we complete the coordination of the LEAFSLIM , project,