SMS group, Taylor-Winfield Technologies form global strategic alliance for laser welder

SMS group, a designer and integrator of metallurgical plants, rolling mills, and forging plant technologies, and Taylor-Winfield Technologies, a designer and supplier of coil joining welding machines, have announced a global strategic alliance for the supply, support, and service of SMS’ proprietary X-Roll heavy-gauge coil joining laser welder. Taylor-Winfield has been given exclusive access to use SMS’ third-generation machine design to sell and build the X-Roll coil joining laser welder to steel producers and line builders worldwide.

“For SMS group, the agreement simplifies the completion of two strategic goals: to expand our business by additional sales of our X-Roll laser welder and to strengthen our service of already installed machines and all future installations,” said Markus Jaenecke, vice president of processing lines at SMS group.

“Not only do we gain access to the proprietary design of the X-Roll laser welder, but we have also become the exclusive manufacturer and service provider for this machine,” said Donnie Wells, president of Taylor-Winfield Technologies.

The welder is designed to join common and advanced high-strength steel grades in pickle, pickling line tandem cold mill, and other heavy-gauge process lines. It overcomes variation in strip shape and presentation while offering real-time feedback, with a cycle time of less than 60 sec., the company states.