Qatar Steel Company (Qasco) has awarded a contract to a unit of Siemens to modernise its steelworks in Mesaieed. According to the contract, Siemens is to supply a 95 tonne electric arc furnace, a 95 tonne ladle furnace, a five-strand continuous billet casting plant and the associated ancillary equipment for the plant. A new dedusting plant is also being installed in the works, which will considerably reduce emissions from steel production. The contract is part of company plans to push billet production capacity by up to 30%. The modernized plant is scheduled to start production in the middle of 2012.