On November 21, 2014, Paul Wurth SA and SAB Sàrl signed an agreement for setting up an equally-owned joint venture company called VCL Valve Competence Luxembourg.

Paul Wurth, as a leading technology provider for the primary stage of integrated steelmaking, and SAB, an engineering and manufacturing company particularly specialised in blast furnace mechanical components, decided to join forces by creating a Luxembourg-based competence centre for all types of special valves related to the blast furnace, such as stoves valves, google valves, equalising valves and bleeder valves. Additionally, the portfolio of VCL Valve Competence Luxembourg will include blast furnace tuyere stocks of advanced design. The activities of VCL Valve Competence Luxembourg cover engineering, manufacturing, assembly and commissioning with a strong focus on all related after-sales and repair services. The joint business is limited to the European territory.

With the establishment of a common dedicated competence centre, both partners combine their respective engineering and manufacturing capabilities, so as to be able to offer their European customers fast, flexible, tailor-made and secure solutions, which meet the customers’ needs and expectations and are synonym of excellent product quality.