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Italian to English: Rod Mill Details General field: Tech/Engineering Detailed field: Metallurgy / Casting
Source text - Italian [Name], con l’impianto siderurgico di La Louvière e la trafileria di Trebos, rappresenta la massima evoluzione del processo di integrazione di [Name] in Europa.
L’azienda racchiude infatti in un’unica realtà l’intera filiera della produzione dell’acciaio, dalla fusione del rottame per la produzione di bramme e billette da colata continua, alla laminazione a caldo delle billette per la produzione di vergella, fino alla trafilatura e al trattamento termico delle vergelle. Grazie ad una capacità produttiva annua di 900.000mt di acciaio liquido da forno elettrico, trasformate in bramme, billette, vergella e trafilati e grazie alla sua collocazione strategica al centro dell’Europa, vicina ai principali bacini di utilizzo degli acciai speciali per i settori dell’industria automobilistica e meccanica, [Name] costituisce il partner ideale per i più importanti utilizzatori e trasformatori di prodotti lunghi e piani in acciaio di alta qualità. I due stabilimenti belgi, situati in prossimità dei maggiori porti industriali del Nord Europa, internamente integrati con la rete ferroviaria e con canali navigabili, posti entrambi nelle vicinanze delle principali reti autostradali, sono in grado di servire tutti i mercati europei ed internazionali con la massima flessibilità produttiva e logistica. Gli importanti investimenti avviati negli ultimi anni su impianti, tecnologie e personale, la particolare attenzione posta alle giovani risorse e al rispetto dell’ambiente, consentono a [Name] di posizionarsi tra i più qualificati, dinamici ed evoluti produttori di acciaio di qualità europei.
• Parco rottame con una capacità di oltre 100.000mt di stoccaggio, suddiviso su 12 tipologie di rottame differenti per oltre 90 ricette di infornamento;
• forno elettrico con una capacità produttiva di 900.000 mt/anno, 92mt per colata;
• due stazioni di trattamento ed affinazione fuori forno;
• un impianto di trattamento sottovuoto che garantisce tenori di idrogeno inferiori ai 2ppm;
• un treno vergella (sezione tonda da 5,5mm a 17mm) con una capacità produttiva di oltre 320.000mt/anno.
Translation - English With the [Name] steelmaking plant and the Trebos wire mill, [Name] Longs is the culmination of [Name]'s integration process in Europe.
Within a single entity, the company brings together the full steelmaking production chain, from the melting of scrap to produce continuously cast slabs and billets, via the hot rolling of billets to produce wire rod, to the drawing and heat treatment of wire rod. [Name] Longs is the ideal partner for the biggest users and converters of high quality long and flat steel products thanks to an annual production capacity of 900,000mt of liquid steel from electric arc furnaces, which is converted into slabs, billets, wire rod and drawn wire, and its strategic location in the heart of Europe, close to the main users of specialist steels in the automotive and engineering sectors. The two Belgian plants, internally integrated by a system of railway lines and navigable canals, are located close to the main industrial ports of northern Europe and the major motorway networks, enabling them to serve all European and international markets with complete flexibility of production and logistics. In recent years, major investments in plants, technology and personnel, together with a particular focus on young staff and the environment, have positioned [Name] Longs among the most skilled, dynamic and developed quality European steel producers.
• Scrap stockyard with more than 100,000mt capacity, subdivided into 12 different varieties of scrap giving more than 90 charging recipes;
• Electric arc furnace with a production capacity of 900,000mtpa, 92mt per cast;
• Two out-of-furnace treatment and refining stations;
• Vacuum degasser which ensures hydrogen levels of below 2ppm;
• Rod mill (round sections from 5.5mm to 17mm) with a production capacity of more than 320,000mtpa.
French to English: The role of Thomas Fertilizers General field: Tech/Engineering Detailed field: Metallurgy / Casting
Source text - French Le rôle des engrais Thomas
Vers le milieu du 19e siècle, le Luxembourg traversait une époque difficile, marquée non seulement par des problèmes politiques et économiques graves, mais également par la transition démographique. Par les effets d’une meilleure hygiène et des progrès médicaux qui ont fait baisser la mortalité - alors que la natalité est restée aux ancestrales valeurs élevées -, la population s’est accrue, et il en est résulté une pression supplémentaire sur les surfaces agricoles pauvrement dotées par la nature. Le spectre de la famine et de la disette, que l’on pensait disparues depuis des siècles, réapparaissait.
La pauvreté des sols tenait à deux facteurs : d’un côté, à l’acidification des terres, due à leur surexploitation, phénomène récent induit par la surpopulation ; de l’autre, au manque intrinsèque de phosphates. Or, à cette époque, il était impensable pour les agriculteurs appauvris d’importer des phosphates artificiels.
Par une curieuse coïncidence, le phosphore était à cette époque également le sujet de préoccupations de nos maîtres de forges. La fonte résultant de la minette s’avérait en effet de médiocre qualité en raison du phosphore, omniprésent dans les gisements lorrains et luxembourgeois. Co-sédimenté avec le fer, ce phosphore était insoluble dans l’eau, et donc inassimilable par les plantes.
Situation paradoxale donc : le phosphore abondait là où il gênait, mais manquait cruellement là où on l’aurait souhaité.
Sidney Gilchrist Thomas, métallurgiste et inventeur britannique, était au courant de ces difficultés, car bien des régions anglaises souffraient du même phénomène. Comme tout naturaliste anglais, il connaissait les sombres prédictions de son compatriote Malthus selon lesquelles la population mondiale irait inévitablement à sa perte, car elle augmenterait de façon exponentielle, alors que les rendements agricoles ne suivraient au mieux que de façon linéaire. Par ailleurs, Thomas était bien au courant de l’incapacité du nouveau procédé Bessemer d’affiner la fonte phosphoreuse. Ce sont ces motivations puissantes qui l’ont poussé à inventer sa propre technologie, le fameux procédé basique, qui lui permit de réussir où Bessemer avait échoué. L’insigne valeur du nouveau procédé, au-delà de son intérêt pour les maîtres de forges, résidait dans le fait que le laitier issu des cornues Thomas contenait des phosphates solubles, donc assimilables par les plantes. Les scories Thomas, finement broyées en farine ou Thomas-Miel, allaient devenir le meilleur engrais du monde, abondant et bon marché.
Le procédé basique fut introduit au Luxembourg, et les premiers tonnages d’engrais devenaient disponibles en 1887. Pendant quelque temps, les paysans hésitaient, regardant avec méfiance ces déchets industriels qu’on leur suggérait de répandre sur leurs champs. Mais suite aux efforts des associations syndicales agricoles - et l’Etat aidant, dans le cadre des lois sur les concessions minières, avec des prix largement subventionnés -, les réticences fléchirent, et ô miracle, les récoltes augmentaient. Le bétail perdit son rôle premier de fournisseur de fumier et put dès lors être élevé pour la production de viande et de produits laitiers. Une grande étape agricole était accomplie.
Translation - English The role of Thomas fertilizer
The middle of the 19th century was a difficult time for Luxembourg, marked not only by serious political and economic problems but also by demographic transition. Improvements in hygiene and medicine had reduced the mortality rate - whilst the birth rate remained at the same high rates of the past – meaning that the population grew and, as a result, increased pressure was placed on the limited agricultural land that was available. The spectre of famine and food shortages, which were thought to have disappeared centuries before, returned.
The poor quality of the soil was down to two factors: on the one hand, the acidification of the earth, caused by the recent phenomenon of over-exploitation, resulting from over-population; on the other, there was an inherent lack of phosphates. At that time, it was unthinkable for impoverished farmers to import artificial phosphates.
By curious coincidence, at that time phosphorous was also a cause for concern for our iron-making forefathers. The hot metal derived from the minette ore was of a poor quality due to the phosphorous, which was pervasive throughout the Lorraine and Luxembourg deposits. This phosphorous, which was sedimented with the iron, was insoluble in water and, as a result, could not be absorbed by crops.
This created a paradox: phosphorous was abundant where it was a hindrance but was cruelly lacking where it was wanted.
Sidney Gilchrist Thomas, the British metallurgist and inventor, was aware of these difficulties since many English regions suffered from the same phenomenon. Like any English naturalist, he was familiar with the grim predictions of his compatriot Malthus, according to which the global population was heading inexorably for disaster since it was growing exponentially whilst agricultural resources were only following a linear progression. Furthermore, Thomas was also fully aware that the new Bessemer process was incapable of refining phosphoric pig iron. These powerful motivating factors drove him to develop his own technology, the famous basic process, which enabled him to succeed where Bessemer had failed. The great value of the new process, beyond its interest to ironmasters, lay in the fact that the slag arising from the Thomas converters contained soluble phosphates, which were absorbable by plants. Thomas slags, finely ground into a powder or “Thomas-Meal”, went on to become the best fertilisers in the world, abundant and cheap.
The basic process was introduced into Luxembourg and the first tonnes of fertilizer became available in 1887. The farmers were initially hesitant, wary of the idea of spreading industrial waste on their fields. However, following efforts by farmers’ unions - and with support from the State, as part of laws on mining rights, with greatly subsidised prices - their reticence weakened and, lo and behold, harvests improved. The primary role of livestock was no longer to produce manure; instead animals could be raised to produce meat and dairy products. An important step forward for agriculture.
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Translation education
Master's degree - University of Leeds
Experience
Years of experience: 14. Registered at ProZ.com: Aug 2012. Became a member: Aug 2012.
Credentials
French to English (University of Leeds, verified) Italian to English (University of Leeds, verified)
I am a fully qualified translator, with a Master's degree in Applied Translation Studies from the University of Leeds.
I am a full member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists and am also a member of the Proz.com Certified Pro network.
I have more than 5 years of experience. I began with an in-house position, which involved translating large volumes of official documentation, court papers, technical reports and marketing brochures.
I have now worked for more than 2 years as a freelance translator. I have a range of clients, including manufacturers of supply chain equipment, financial institutions, a law firm and an architect's office. I also write for a tour guide publisher.
Whilst I have developed a number of technical specialisms, I am also very happy to consider projects of a more general nature, such as company reports, presentations, certificates and letters.
In addition to my experience as a translator, I have also spent 5 years working as a contract manager in the steel and power generation industries. My work was focused on supply chain, in particular international shipping, road and rail freight and inventory management.
Member since Aug '12
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