Flotation pool surface treatment project for SSAB in Raahe

Steel company SSAB’s factory in Raahe, western Finland renovated the durability of the water treatment plant’s flotation pool in November 2018 during rolling mill shutdown. The company selected FSP’s surface treatment unit in Raahe to execute the project.

The project covered an inspection of the existing coating and a partial surface treatment for the pool. FSP cleaned the old coating by blasting, after which the tank was given a new coating that endures mechanical stress and humidity. 

“Our experiences have been positive. FSP is one of our contractors in Raahe, and the quality of the work met our expectations. One benefit of the cooperation was FSP’s location nearby,” says Janne Mattila, work planner for the mechanical maintenance of SSAB’s steel mill in Raahe. 

The time was right for a surface treatment because the old surfaces were worn. The job was a challenging one because there were also simultaneous mechanical repairs being done at the pool. 

“The project was finished in time, thanks to our flexible and professional project staff. The tank’s new and shiny surface will add to its life span,” says Joni Siironen, head of FSP’s unit in Raahe. 

The pool has a diameter of about ten metres, and its six metres deep. SSAB’s factory in Raahe produces standard, premium and special steel. Their main products are hot-rolled plates and coil products. The factory has a coke oven, two blast furnaces, a steel mill, a power plant and a hot-rolling mill. The area also has processing facilities for raw materials and a freight port. 

FSP has been cooperating with the international SSAB for a long time. In Raahe, FSP offers a wide range of services to companies in Northern Finland, both in its modern surface treatment plant as well as on project sites. Its strengths are willingness to help, security of supply and fast delivery. 

In addition to SSAB, FSP has many notable steel builders from Raahe as their customers: the Miilukangas group, machine shop company Telatek, and Presteel, producing heavy-duty pipes. FSP has completed both large- and small-scale projects in Finland. In addition to nuclear power plants and bridges, the sites have included lighthouses, ships, water towers, precast bars and lampposts.