[pt] A discussão acadêmica a respeito dos fluxos de investimentos diretos estrangeiros (IDEs) para países em desenvolvimento tem sido ampla, envolvendo aspectos como: seus impactos nas economias receptoras, formas de atração, fatores motivadores e padrões desses investimentos em países periféricos. Entretanto, pouco foi dito a respeito dos investimentos diretos oriundos destas economias em desenvolvimento no exterior. A proposta do estudo é identificar, através de teorias de internacionalização das firmas, o perfil da atividade internacional de uma empresa brasileira que vem buscando ativamente a internacionalização de suas atividades, a Gerdau, apontando primeiramente para as formas e estratégias de entrada nos mercados externos que vem utilizando e, em seguida, detalhando os seus investimentos diretos no exterior, indicando para onde eles vêm sendo destinados e quais suas principais motivações. / [en] Academic discussion regarding foreign direct to developing countries has been broad - involving aspects such as: the impact on receiving nations, forms of incentives, motivating factors and the form of these investments in receiving nations. On the other hand, little has been said regarding foreing investiments originating from these developing countries. The purpose of this study is to identify, through theories of internationalization of firms, the profile of a Brazilian company which has been actively pursuing the internationalization of its activities - the Gerdau Group - focusing intially on the methods and strategies utilized to enter the international market and, secondly, describing is foreign direct investments indicating where they have been destined and which were their motivations.

M.B.A. / The steel industry worldwide is undergoing rapid transformation and this presents an unprecedented opportunity for manufacturers of steel products in South Africa to take advantage of their improved global competitiveness, which has arisen principally as a result of the fall in the value of the South African currency. With global competition at its peek, steel manufacturers in South Africa find it important to reduce costs whilst improving their responsiveness to their clients, especially the foreign export markets. For steel manufacturers such as Iscor Steel, global competitiveness means sharpening the logistics of servicing these complex foreign markets with their intricate demands. This in turn puts pressure on transport suppliers such as Spoornet to provide speedy and efficient movement of cargo through the inland network down to the ports for exports to meet time demands. It is crucial that steel manufacturers, such as Iscor Steel work hand in glove in a collaborative manner with the rail operator Spoornet to achieve superior service delivery levels which consequently will reduce costs of providing such service due to maximum utilization of equipment and infrastructure. The reduction of costs in the provision of logistics services will result in a reduction of operating costs, which will have a positive effect on the operating profits of each steel manufacturer. Consequently the improvement in operating profits will result in improve shareholder value. The following areas of improvement have been identified and form part the recommendations, which will influence positive growth in shareholder value: Iscor Logistics should find ways to work on and improve relationships with Spoornet and other such service providers it makes use of; Iscor Logistics should implement the cost saving initiatives it has identified, such as adopting centralized distribution as in the case of Newcastle Steel as a matter of urgency — there is value in doing so; Iscor Logistics must start proving to its clients that it is adding meaningful value by showing value-add as this will differentiate them from the rest of similar service providers in the market. High level of logistics integration between stakeholders is critical to reduce cost of rendering logistics solutions. This will go a long way in improving shareholder value in organizations such as Iscor Steel.

Abstract Agility – namely, the ability of a supply chain to rapidly respond to changes in market and customer demands – is regarded as the bearer of competitive advantage in today's business world. The need for agility has traditionally been associated with supply chains in high technology industry products. However, traditional industries also face similar challenges in terms of speed, flexibility, increased product diversity and customization. This study contributes to the discussion on agility in supply chain management (SCM) and provides a novel focus on the development of an agile supply chain in a traditional industry. The object of this study is the development of an agile supply chain in a steel product network in the Raahe area in Northern Finland. The case network is undergoing a shift towards project-oriented business, where quick responses are the priority and agility is recognised as the facilitating factor. Using a constructive approach, an agile supply chain for a steel product network, SteelNet system, is developed. SteelNet system functions through the Internet and agent software technology. In identifying the new challenges raised by advanced information and communication technologies (ICT) in the development of an agile supply chain, the study presents some valuable ICT options for SCM. Following a review of the current understanding of agility in SCM literature, the study identifies the key elements of agile supply chains and proposes a four-dimensional agile supply chain framework by which to assess levels of agility. Using the framework, the study describes how the key elements appear in the case network. The study assesses the change process, and the necessary improvement steps, towards agility. It is concluded that agile supply chains have a major role also in traditional industry, and comprehensive implementation of ICT throughout the chain is of utmost importance in the development of an agile supply chain. Further insights to the discussion on agility are provided, and these and the conclusions extend a drawbridge to other companies and business networks in traditional industry to consider the clear advantages to developing their own agile supply chains.

[pt] Para as indústrias siderúrgicas brasileiras tornarem-se competidoras internacionais é fundamental introduzir novos conceitos de gestão, com visões mais abrangentes, sem fronteiras internas e externas, como o conceito de Gerenciamento da Cadeia de Suprimentos. Essa visão difere de uma concepção anterior, que limitava a logística as suas funções básicas de administração de materiais e distribuição. Com o Gerenciamento da Cadeia de Suprimentos, a visão de negócio se amplia e abrange toda a cadeia de suprimentos, desde o fornecedor de matéria-prima até o cliente e o consumidor final. A pesquisa visa mostrar, por meio do Estudo de Caso da Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional, sua dinâmica dentro das cadeias de suprimentos, utilizando o Modelo de Gerenciamento da Cadeia de Suprimentos de Cooper, Lambert e Pagh. A estrutura do modelo citado é apoiada em três pilares: componentes de gestão, processos de negócio e estrutura da cadeia de suprimentos. Dos pilares citados no modelo, essa pesquisa prioriza a descrição dos processos de negócio e a identificação dos seus subprocessos, bem como os relacionamentos com o conjunto de funções internas da Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional, uma vez que a mesma não participa de nenhuma cadeia de suprimentos gerenciada. Os resultados da pesquisa mostram que é possível identificar a dinâmica da Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional dentro das cadeias de suprimentos, detectando seus pontos fortes, além de constatar a necessidade de implantar ações voltadas para os componentes de gestão citados no modelo, que notadamente contribuiriam para aumentar sua rentabilidade e otimizar seu nível de serviço e uso de seus recursos dentro das cadeias de suprimentos que a mesma faz parte. / [en] In order to the Brazilian steel mills to become international competitors, it is fundamental to introduce new management concepts, with a broader view, without internal and external frontiers, such as the Supply Chain Management concept. This view diverges from a previous conception, which restrained to the logistics the basic material administration and distribution functions. With the Supply Chain Management, the business standpoint increases and comprises the whole supply chain, from the raw material supplier up to the customer and the consumer. The research aims to show, by means of a case study from Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional, its dynamic within the supply chain, using the Supply Chain Management Model of Cooper, Lambert and Pagh. The structure of the aforementioned model is supported on three pillars: management components, business processes and structure of the supply chain. From the mentioned pillars of the model, this research emphasizes the description of the business processes and the identification of the sub-processes, as well as their relationships with groups of internal functions of Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN), considering that CSN does not take part in any managed supply chain. The results of the research show that it is possible to identify the dynamics of Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional within the supply chain, detecting the strong points, in and the need to implement actions aimed to improve the management components highlighted in the model. The proposed corrective actions would contribute to increase the profitability and optimize the service level and the utilization of its resources within the supply chain in which CSN is included.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MSc (Soil Science))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

M. Eng. (Engineering Management) / Total Quality Management (TQM) is a managerial approach that views quality to be a result of integrating all organisational activities e.g. engineering, manufacturing, marketing and administration work. It aims broadly at maintaining and improving quality standards and to achieve customer satisfaction. TQM’s major components are quality planning, quality control and quality improvement. Quality control is responsible for transforming quality planning and quality improvement outcomes into daily routine work. However, quality control can be implemented by systematically going around the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) control cycle, with which organisation may achieve continuous small steps of improvement. An entire enterprise can be better controlled when it is regarded as a set of processes. Process is controlled by the same systematic way of implementing PDCA cycle. Some tools are suggested in this dissertation to control processes. These are statistical process control (SPC), root cause analysis (RCA) and the Feedback Loop. Beyond information gleaned from literature on quality control a case study of a steel manufacturing and construction firm is also presented. Some areas for improvement in the quality arena of this firm are identified based on the results of quality management gained from literature.

This study examines the Uralian iron and steel industry distribution, its changes through time and the reasons for these changes. At present, this is one of the important iron and steel producing regions in the world. At one time it was the most important. In order to obtain the information on which to base this study, it was necessary to resort mainly to published materials, largely Soviet. The American Iron and Steel Institute also supplied some non-published material. In order to collect the published materials it was necessary to make use of the libraries of the University of British Columbia the University of Washington and the Geographical Branch of the Department of Mines and Technical Surveys in Ottawa. Other Ottawa libraries, the personal collections of Dr. Hooson and Dr. Jackson, various bookstores, notably Kamkin's bookstore in Washington, D. C, the bookstore at the United Nations in New York and Davis bookstore in Montreal, were also very useful. The primary problem when conducting a study of this nature is the collecting of sufficient relevant materials for a balanced appraisal of the phenomena being examined. A knowledge of Russian is mandatory and an acquaintance with French is also useful. The information gathered was organized into tables and plotted on maps. These bodies of data were then described and analyzed. Analysis of the Uralian iron and steel industry indicated that this industry was initially essentially located on the iron ore supply. But none of the major plants are at present located on iron ore resources that are large enough to amortize the plant. Also the major plants are on the whole, based on low quality ores. The major economic advantage of the Uralian iron and steel industry production is its association with the Eastern coal supplies. But this advantage is common to all Eastern plants. Expansion at Magnitogorsk will result in more expensive production than the construction of new plants would, even though Magnitogorsk is the most efficient Uralian plant. The Urals is well located for the introduction of natural gas into its metallurgy. This is proceeding. Nevertheless, the use of natural gas is only a partial solution to the fuel problem because it can not completely replace coke. Therefore, the Urals will have to continue bringing in coking coal over great distances. The de-emphasis of iron and steel announced in 1962 will help the Urals to perpetuate its present status as a producer (it supplies about one-third of the Soviet production). On the other hand, no significant increase in its relative importance can be expected. The bulk of the Uralian iron and steel production is located in the Eastern Urals, more particularly in the South Eastern Urals. In 1956, the three largest plants: Magnitogorsk and Chelyabinsk in the South Eastern Urals, and Nizhne Tagil'sk in the Central Urals produced 77 per cent of the Uralian pig iron and 67 per cent of the steel smelted. This has not significantly changed subsequently. Considerable expansion, based on Kachkanar ores, is planned for Nizhne Tagil'sk. But, all things considered, most of the expansion will be located at the major South Uralian plants. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

O setor siderúrgico é um grande consumidor de energia e envolve grandes volumes de insumos, emissões de poluentes e resíduos sólidos. As usinas siderúrgicas semi-integradas são recicladoras de aço, tendo a sucata como sua principal matéria-prima. Os trituradores de sucata são utilizados para minimizar as impurezas e ajustar as dimensões da sucata. Esta etapa de separação gera um grande volume de resíduos que não são aproveitados no processo siderúrgico. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar as frações do resíduo de um triturador de sucata de uma indústria siderúrgica da região do Vale dos Sinos-RS, para fins de um posterior reaproveitamento. Através de estudos de otimização do equipamento foi possível separar o material em quatro frações <20 mm (funil), >20 e <30 mm (EC1), >30 e <100 mm (EC2) e >100 mm (TC9). Estas frações foram analisadas em relação à composição das amostras, distribuição granulométrica, análise térmica, análise imediata, análise elementar, análise do poder calorífico superior, microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) e a concentração de metais. Pode se concluir que a fração fina (<20 mm), possui potencial para incorporação em blocos cerâmicos estruturais. A fração entre 20 mm e 30 mm apresentam características compatíveis para o uso na indústria cimenteira. As amostras de maior granulometria, fração entre 30 e 100 mm e > 100 mm, apresentam potencial de uso para o reaproveitamento energético. Apontou-se oportunidade na recuperação de ferrosos e não ferrosos em todas as frações estudadas. Para o reaproveitamento do resíduo do shredder é necessário a separação deste em granulometrias diferentes. / The steel sector is a major consumer of energy and involves large volumes of inputs, pollutant emissions and solid waste. The semi-integrated steel mills are steel recyclers, with scrap as their main raw material. Scrap grinders are used to minimize impurities and adjust scrap dimensions. This separation stage generates a large volume of waste that is not used in the steelmaking process. Therefore, the objective of this work was to characterize the fractions of the waste from a scrap crusher from a steel industry in the Vale dos Sinos-RS region, for purposes of subsequent reuse. By means of equipment optimization studies it was possible to separate the material into four fractions <20 mm (funnel),> 20 and <30 mm (EC1),> 30 and <100 mm (EC2) and> 100 mm (TC9). These fractions were analyzed in relation to the composition of the samples, particle size distribution, thermal analysis, immediate analysis, elemental analysis, higher calorific value analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and metal concentration. It can be concluded that the fine fraction (<20 mm) has potential for incorporation of the raw material for the production of structural ceramic blocks. The smaller fractions (<20 mm and <30 mm) have compatible characteristics for use in the cement industry. Samples with higher grain size (> 30 mm and> 100 mm) show potential for use in energy recovery. It was pointed out an opportunity in the recovery of ferrous and non-ferrous in all fractions studied. For the reuse of the shredder residue it is necessary to separate it in different granulometry.

Bakgrund:Vi konsumerar redan idag en och enhalv gånger jordens bärkapacitet,ochkommer 2030behöva två jordklotför att stödja vår konsumtion.Dettamedförockså en ännu högre konsumtionsökning som kommer att sätta ett ännu högretryck på jorden. Den linjära ekonomin som bygger på att utvinna resurser,producera, konsumera och sen bli kvitt avfalletfungerar helt enkeltinte i längdenoch framtiden stavas därför nu cirkulär ekonomi. En industri som spelar en storrollinomsamhället ochsomdessutomärdenstörstautsläpparenav alla industrieri Sverige är stålindustrin. Stålindustrin är därför den industri som genom enomställning från linjär till cirkulär ekonomi kan spela en viktig roll iimplementationen av ett mer cirkulärtsamhälle. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att mot bakgrunden av det allt mer pressadevärldsläget undersöka omställningen från linjär till cirkulär ekonomi inomstålindustrin. Frågeställning:Vadhar företaginomstålindustrinsåsomSandvikgjortförattlyckas implementera en mer cirkulärekonomi? Metod: Studien är en kvalitativ fallstudie där primärdata samlades in via tresemistruktureradeintervjuer.Studienharettinterpretativistisktperspektivsamten abduktiv ansats. Slutsats: Studiens resultat visar att Sandvik genom existerande kanaler ochproduktionsanläggningarhaftengodgrundföratt smidigtkunnaställaomderasproduktionmot att blimer cirkulär.Företagets industriparkdärde kontrollerarflera steg av produktionskedjan blirdärför enklare att anpassa och ställa om motcirkulär ekonomi.Vidare har företagets relativt platta organisationsstrukturIVfrämjat innovation bland de anställda och skapat en företagskultur där nyacirkulärekonomiskaprojektochinnovationersnabbtkanomsättastillverklighet. Kunskapsbidrag: Denna studie har bidragit med att skapa en djupare förståelseför hur det affärsmässiga perspektivet och cirkulär ekonomi kan fungera ihopgenom praktiska exempel hos fallföretaget. Den har också bidragit medinformationkringstyrningsmetoderochorganisationsstrukturersompåolikasättkan främja implementationen av cirkulärekonomi. / Background:We are already consuming one and a halftimes the earth's carryingcapacity today, and by 2030 we will need two globes to support our consumption.This will result in an even higher consumption increase which will put a higherpressure on the globes resources. The linear economy thatis based on extractingresources, producing, consuming and then getting rid ofthe waste does not workin the long run.Instead,the future is now spelled circular economy.An industrythat plays a major role in society and which is also the biggest emitter of allindustries in Swede is the steel industry. The steel industry is therefore theindustry that,through a conversion from linear to circular economy, can play animportant role in how the circular economy is implemented in order to lead theway towards a circular society. Purpose: The purpose ofthis study is to examine the shiftfrom linear to circulareconomy in the steelindustry againstthe background ofincreased pressure on theglobal situation. Researchquestion:What have companies inthe steelindustry such as Sandvikdone to successfully implement a more circular economy? Methodology: The study is a qualitative case study where primary data wascollected via three semi-structured interviews. The study uses a perspective ofinterpretivism and an abductive approach.VI Conclusion:The study's results showthat Sandvik through existing channels andproduction facilities, had a good basis for smoothly adjusting their productiontowards becoming more circular. The company's industrial park, where theycontrol several stages of the production chain, is therefore easier to adapt andreadjust to circular economy. Furthermore, the company's relatively flatorganizational structure has facilitated innovation among its employees andcreated a corporate culturewherenewcircular economic projects and innovationscan quickly be translated intoreality. Contributions: This study has helped create a deeper understanding of how thebusiness perspective of circular economy can work through practical examplesfrom the case company. It has also contributed information on managementcontrolmethods andorganizational structures thatinvariousways canpromotethe implementation of circulareconomy.

In this thesis, a proof of concept of a digital twin of a type of reheating furnace, the walking beam furnace, is presented. It is created by using a machine learning concept called a neural network. The digital twin is trained using real data from a walking beam furnace located in Swerim AB, Luleå, and is taught to predict the temperature in the furnace using air, fuel and pressure as inputs. The machine learning technique used is an artifical neural network in the form of a multilayer perceptron model. The resulting model consists of 3 layers, input, hidden and output layer. The hyperparameters is decided by using grid search cross validation. The hyperparameters chosen to use in this thesis was amount of epochs, optimizer, learning rate, batch size, activation function, regularizer and amount of neurons in the hidden layer. The final settings for these can be found in table. The digital twin is then evaluated comparing predicted temperatures and actual temperatures from the measured data. The end result shows that the twin performs reasonably well. The predictions differs from measured temperature with a percentage around 0.5% to 1.5%.