AST, the Italian subsidiary of Krupp Thyssen Stahl of Germany, has awarded Techint Technologies, Pittsburgh, Pa., a contract for a stainless steel annealing and pickling line. The line will be installed at AST's Terni works in Italy. The contract includes the supply of all the mechanical equipment and the coordination of the other suppliers for the annealing furnace, pickling section, and electrical and automation system. The new line will replace the production of three existing lines.