newsonline24

• SMS will supply the engineering and equipment for both new lines at Sanbao Group’s tinplate production facility in Zhangzhou, China
• High-end, food-grade tinplate to be manufactured for the domestic and international markets
• Total production capacity of 800,000 tons per year 

Fujian Kebao Metal Products Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Fujian Sanbao Group, has awarded SMS contracts for two tinplate continuous annealing lines (TIN CALs). This marks a significant step in Sanbao Group’s effort to expand into the high-end, food-grade tinplate market, addressing the growing domestic and global demand.

The two lines will be installed at Sanbao Industrial Park in Zhangzhou City, China. Designed for precise, high-speed production, the lines will handle tinplate strip in thicknesses ranging from 0.12 millimeters to 0.55 millimeters and widths from 700 to 1,300 millimeters, with a process speed of up to 750 meters per minute and a total annual capacity of approximately 800,000 tons. 

The scope of supply includes furnace technology from Drever, an SMS company. The integration of the advanced annealing furnace will ensure efficient and reliable thermal processing. A double cold reduction mill (DCR) and a twin-stand skin pass mill (SPM) are installed inline to enhance strip quality parameters, which are crucial for the production of high-end tinplate. These technological features enable Sanbao Group to meet the stringent requirements of the food packaging industry, ensuring consistently high product safety and quality.

Mao Lihua, project leader at SMS, commented on the collaboration: “This project reflects the strong cooperation between SMS group and Sanbao Group. We reached a significant milestone by completing the negotiations in an exceptionally short period. This efficiency sets the foundation for delivering high-quality installations that will enable Sanbao Group to meet the demands of this competitive market.”

The lines are scheduled to go into operation mid-2026. This development underscores the partnership between Sanbao Group and SMS, enabling Sanbao to serve the food packaging market with high-quality tinplate products.