What is a plasma beamline? What is a plasma beamline? The plasma beamline is able to perform a range of processing tasks to structural steel products such as welded beams and columns, channels, RHS, flats and angles. Capabilities include: • Square and mitre cutting • Notches • Bolt holes • Slots • Flange thinning • Bevelling • Merchant bar profiling • Four side tube processing • Weld prep • Centre and pop marks • Text scribing What is a plasma beamline? Close The plasma beamline is the first of its kind for BlueScope Distribution, and the only one that exists across Victoria and New South Wales. As part of the site upgrades, the site expansion has also created additional employment for eight staff from the Albury/Wodonga region. Efficiency gains The plasma beamline provides a high level of accuracy and efficiency resulting in time savings, as well as better utilisation of materials and reduced waste. The finished cuts are smooth and don’t require additional grinding, while bolt holes are seamlessly taperless allowing BlueScope Distribution to provide customers with semi-finished components that are ready for final fabrication and installation, saving time and money. Compared to a labour-intensive manual process, the manufacturing time savings that the beamline delivers are impressive. BlueScope Distribution Manager, Krystal Storey, said that by providing beamline services, customers could focus on their core areas of business while the experts at BlueScope Distribution handled their more complex and time-consuming processing requirements. “Over the last 18 months, our customers have told us how difficult it is to find skilled labour and how complex steel supply chains can be, especially when both product and processing of material is required,” Ms Storey said. “We know steel and we pride ourselves on our technical know-how. It made sense for us to invest in a state-of-the-art steel processing capability which would make life easier for our customers and help streamline the supply chain associated with getting quality processed steel into the region even faster.” In addition to the site’s other value added services offered through local and metro third party providers, including steel sheet shearing and coil slitting, aluminium routing, sheet shearing, and coil slitting and blasting, priming and galvanising capabilities, the new beamline capability further positions the centre as a one-stop location for all processing requirements. More stock, less downtime The Albury facility’s expansion, which was completed in November last year, has increased the site’s footprint to a total of 7,500m2, significantly growing stock holding capacity of plate, aluminium, tube and pipe, sheet and coil, structural steel, merchant bar and building products such as roofing, fencing and rainwater goods. The centre has also benefitted from the installation of two new 10 tonne overhead dual hoist cranes and an additional third driveway, which provides the ability to load and unload materials more quickly for faster turnaround times. Staffing the revamped site is an expanded team of experts who will provide customers with steel and aluminium products and supply chain solutions. Meeting growing demand Ms Storey said that BlueScope Distribution’s Albury facility was better placed than ever to support local production and improve the end-to-end supply chain and overall project timelines and efficiencies for local manufacturers. “The region is heavily entrenched in the agricultural and engineering sectors and BlueScope Distribution, Albury has long been committed to the local manufacturing community,” Ms Storey said. “The increased capability of the Albury site will allow us to provide our local customers with high-quality steel processing, while also continuing to develop the branch’s broader footprint in the NSW border region and beyond. “As well as increasing reach, the site’s expansion and added capabilities will also provide manufacturers with the efficiency and flexibility to help them keep up with market demands and trends.” Download Brochure Download Brochure 17 Business News – Albury Expansion