In the city of Bonn in Germany, steel beams produced by ArcelorMittal's mill of Differdange were recently discovered in perfect condition in a centenary house during a remodeling operation.
First-class quality even after almost 120 years
Blending in with the white interior design of the house, the beams could almost go unnoticed. This is exactly what happened in this house located in Bonn until the owner, Paul Udo Hanus, decided to renovate his house. He was astonished by his discovery: 'DIFFERDINGEN NP 12' stood on the massive steel beams "in perfect condition".
Wondering where the beams could have been manufactured, Paul’s internet search led him to ArcelorMittal, and he thought it was a nice idea to contact the company. In an e-mail, he highlights the perfect condition of the steel beams and pays a compliment to the colleagues and employees of 1904 and to ArcelorMittal for the first-class quality that is still maintained today. Steel beams were manufactured under difficult, industrial conditions at that time, which is why the long durability is even more gratifying.
Our Differdange mill today
Today, ArcelorMittal Europe – Long Products’ Differdange mill still produces similar beams, and thanks to several modernisation programs over the years, it can produce today the heaviest beam blanks and the longest and heaviest beams in the world.
Moreover, the QST process (Quenching and Self-Tempering) is used to produce a new generation of HISTAR® beams of exceptionally high quality.
Thanks to their high yield strength, outstanding robustness and very good welding properties, they have made Differdange famous worldwide. They are used in the construction of high-rise buildings all over the world and will probably last at least 120 years - just like their "great-grandfathers" in Bonn.
More about Differdange: https://sections.arcelormittal.com/about_us/production_sites/Differdange/EN
