LOI Thermprocess GmbH (Essen, Germany; http://www.loi.de) received a contract from ThyssenKrupp Electrical Steel to supply a new HPH® bell-type annealing plant for grain-refined electrical steel. The existing bell-type annealing plant at the company's Gelsenkirchen facility is to be expanded by four additional oval annealing bases, four oval heating hoods and the appropriate valve stands. The heating hoods included in the scope of supplies will be designed so that they can also be used on the existing base when necessary. The oval shape of the bases and the hoods allows three stacks to be charged in a row. The weight per stack is up to 65 t with a maximum coil outer diameter of 1,470 mm. The base control units of the entire annealing plant are to be converted to advanced ATS 700 technology. The plant is to be commissioned in the third quarter of 2005.