In the European battle for breakbulk and MPP cargoes, Europe’s most important general cargo port of Antwerp has scored an important success: the construction of a new steel slitting centre.
“This summer”, Zuidnatie plans to start construction of a new warehouse at its Zuid/Q118 terminal, which will become the Zuidnatie Slitting Center (ZSC)[ds_preview].
The steel service centre will be able to slit coils up to 32 tons with a width of up to 1,650 mm. “The new project is a unique concept in the European ports,” according to an announcement by the terminal operator and logistics service provider. The total investment amounts to €13.5 million.
“This new investment will create significant added value for the breakbulk segment in the port of Antwerp. Zuidnatie’s strategy, with its explicit sustainability ambitions, is fully in line with our own long-term vision. The family-owned company thus contributes to expanding the range of breakbulk services in our port,” said William Demoor, Chief Customer Relations Officer of the Antwerp-Zeebrugge twin port company.
Zuidnatie has been handling coils from around the world in the port of Antwerp for decades. The new warehouse expands these services and is intended to offer a complete package, “from ship to slitting in the terminal”. After the slitting process, the steel is ready for the end user.
The facility will have a total area of 5,500 m² and, in addition to the storage area, there will be a cutting machine and an overhead crane. The transportation of such heavy coils is only possible by sea transport. This makes the ZSC “the first steel service centre in Europe at a terminal that can handle these weights,” Zuidnatie continues. The Italian-made machine can cut steel coils with a thickness of up to 3 mm.
Paul Feys, CEO of Zuidnatie, said: “After three years of preparation, we are pleased to finally announce this project. ZSC will strengthen our position in the market and also create added value for the port of Antwerp-Bruges. This investment underlines our commitment to sustainability and growth and we look forward to the start of construction.”
