Blooms and billets
Continuous casting is a highly efficient process for producing steel blooms and billets in consistent quality and large volumes, making it the preferred solution for downstream applications such as rolling, forging, and pipe production.
At Stahlwerk Bous, we manufacture continuous cast steel in round and square/rectangular formats across a portfolio of more than 800 steel grades, including quenched and tempered steels, case-hardening steels, bearing steels, PHFP steels, tool steels, and stainless steels.
Production is carried out using electric arc furnace (EAF) technology with nearly 100% recycled steel scrap, followed by vacuum degassing (VD) to precisely control chemical composition, gas content, and cleanliness.
With a heat weight of approximately 60 tonnes, steel is cast into strands using a 6-strand continuous caster (round formats) and a 2-strand curved caster (large formats). The result is a material with homogeneous microstructure, tight dimensional tolerances, and reliable performance in industrial applications.
Continuous Casting vs Ingot Casting
Continuous casting is optimized for high-volume production and consistent cross-sections, making it ideal for applications such as rolling, pipe production, and series manufacturing.
In contrast, ingot casting is used for large unit weights and highly specialized material requirements.
Specifications & Formats
Round formats
| Formats | Length |
|---|---|
| 310 mm dia | 4 bis 11.2 m |
| 370 mm dia | 2.9 bis 11.2 m |
| 406 mm dia | 3 bis 11.2 m |
| 430 mm dia | 3 bis 11.2 m |
| 500 mm dia | 2.9 bis 8 m |
Square formats
| Formats | Length |
|---|---|
| 165 x 165 mm | 3.5 bis 7.0 m |
| 200 x 200 mm | 3.5 bis 7.0 m |
| 245 x 245 mm | 3.5 bis 7.0 m |
| 320 x 280 mm | 4 bis 11.2 m |
| 430 x 320 mm | 3 bis 11.2 m |
Our Portfolio
Continuous Cast Steel Blooms and Billets
We offer a wide range of continuous cast steel blooms and billets in different formats and dimensions, tailored to downstream processing requirements.
| Material Group | Typical Applications | Standards (Selection) |
|---|---|---|
| Unalloyed steels / structural steels | General mechanical engineering, construction | EN 10025, EN 10222-1, EN 10250-1, EN 10250-2 (DIN 17100); EN 10083-1, EN 10083-2 (DIN 17200) |
| Case-hardening steels | Gears, shafts, drive components | on request |
| Quenched and tempered steels | Highly stressed shafts, large flanges | DIN 17173, DIN 17176, DIN 17204, EN 10269 (DIN 17240), EN 10083-1, SEW 550 |
| Bearing steels | Bearing rings, rolling elements | on request |
| PHFP steels | Automotive, mechanical engineering | on request |
| Hot-work and tool steels | Dies, die-casting moulds | on request |
| High-alloy and stainless steels | Energy, chemical industry, offshore | EN 10084 (DIN 17210), EN 10088, SEW 555 |
| Cold-tough steel grades | LNG plants, arctic applications | DIN 17173, DIN 17174, DIN 17280, EN 10028-1, EN 10028-4, EN 10222-1, EN 10222-3, EN 10269 |
| International standards (all groups) | On request according to ASTM, UNI and other international standards | ASTM-A105, A182, A350, A519, A694 · UNI 7874, UNI 8550 |
Your contact for Blooms and Billets
We manufacture all our products to customer specifications. So what are your specifications?
Please feel free to contact us. Together we will find your perfectly customized solution.
Boris Šorn
Sales Director Steel & Semis Stahlwerk Bous GmbH
Typical Applications
We supply continuous cast blooms and billets from the Bous location as starting material for a wide range of demanding downstream processes and industries:
Railway Engineering
As a qualified manufacturer in accordance with the manufacturer-related product qualification (HPQ) of Deutsche Bahn AG, we supply continuous cast material for:
- Monobloc wheels
- Wheel bodies
- Wheel tyres
Standards and material grades include:
DIN EN 13262, DB BN 918 277, DB BN 918 276, DB BN 918 048, UIC 810V / 812V, material groups ER7, ER8, ER9 and 24CrMo4
Monobloc Wheel Rolling Mills
Large-diameter round continuous casting serves as direct starting material for the production of monobloc wheels and wheel tyres for railway vehicles.
Ring Rolling Mills
Round continuous casting formats are used as pre-material for the production of:
- Seamless rings
- Bearing components
Applications include wind energy, power generation, and mechanical engineering.
Tube and Pipe Production (Seamless Pipe Production)
Continuous cast round billets are used by rolling mills for the production of:
- Seamless pipes
- Hollow bodies
Applications include oil & gas, petrochemical, and energy sectors.
Your contact for Typical Applications
We manufacture all our products to customer specifications. So what are your specifications?
Please feel free to contact us. Together we will find your perfectly customized solution.
Boris Šorn
Sales Director Steel & Semis Stahlwerk Bous GmbH
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is continuous casting in steel production?
Continuous casting is a steel production process in which molten steel is poured into a cooled mould, where it solidifies into a continuous strand. This strand is then cut into blooms or billets. The process enables efficient production, consistent material quality, high cleanliness and tight dimensional tolerances.
At Stahlwerk Bous, continuous casting is performed after EAF melting and VD (vacuum degassing) treatment using a 6-strand continuous casting facility for round formats and a 2-strand curved caster for large formats.
What is the difference between continuous casting and ingot casting?
Continuous casting is optimized for high-volume production and consistent cross-sections, while ingot casting is used for large unit weights and specialized steel grades.
Continuous casting is typically more efficient for standard industrial applications.
What are steel blooms and billets used for?
Continuous cast blooms and billets are used as starting material for a wide range of industrial downstream processing applications:
- Raw material for ring rolling mills – for the production of seamless rings and bearing components
- Raw material for pipe factories – for the production of seamless pipes and hollow bodies
- Raw material for forging processes – for open-die and closed-die forging processes
- Applications in railway technology and energy generation
Which formats and dimensions are available?
Stahlwerk Bous supplies continuous cast steel in:
- Round formats (Ø 310–500 mm)
- Square and rectangular formats (165 × 165 mm up to 430 × 320 mm)
Delivery lengths range from 2.9 to 11.2 m, with custom cutting available.
Which steel grades are available in continuous casting?
We offer more than 800 steel grades, including:
- Structural steels
- Case-hardening steels
- Quenched and tempered steels
- Bearing steels
- Tool and stainless steels
Production is carried out according to EN, DIN, ASTM, and international standards, with custom grades available on request.
What are the advantages of continuous casting?
Continuous casting combines several advantages that make it particularly attractive for industrial large-scale production:
- High production efficiency
- Consistent material quality
- Tight dimensional tolerances
- Reduced material waste
- Cost-effective large-scale production
Where is continuous cast steel produced?
Continuous cast steel is produced at Stahlwerk Bous in Saarland, Germany and supplied from there to customers across Europe and international markets.
Which certifications and approvals does Stahlwerk Bous have for continuous casting?
Stahlwerk Bous holds the following certifications and approvals:
- ISO 9001:2015 – quality management
- ISO 14001:2015 – environmental management
- ISO 50001:2018 – energy management
- Deutsche Bahn AG – manufacturer-related product qualification HPQ for railway components
Further certificates are available in the Downloads section.
Your contact for Blooms and Billets
We manufacture all our products to customer specifications. So what are your specifications?
Please feel free to contact us. Together we will find your perfectly customized solution.
Boris Šorn
Sales Director Steel & Semis Stahlwerk Bous GmbH
Further processing possibilities
Heat treatment
Annealing
Mechanical processing options
Flame cutting
Sawing
What you can expect
Raw material recycling
We use almost 100 % scrap in our low-CO2 steel production, thereby enabling closed loops
Broad portfolio
We offer a wide range of different block formats and weights
Wide range of options
We have a wide range of materials to meet your exact requirements
Precisely calculate the weight of your steel
With our steel weight calculator, you can work out the weight of your desired product in just a few mouse clicks.
