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Georgsmarienhütte GmbH (GMH) is one of the leading European producers of quality refined bar steel, semi-finished and bright steel. The plant's secondary metallurgy includes one ladle furnace, one vacuum degassing station and two stirring stations. The out-dated automation was not able to fulfill the state-of-the-art requirements for process control and process optimization in a modern meltshop. GMH awarded Siemens VAI a contract for the implementation of a complete process optimization system for the secondary metallurgical treatment facilities in November 2005. The implemented package of automation functions can be divided into to different areas: Basic system functionality and SteelExpert process models. An accurate acquisition of actual process data, better quality evaluation methods, a standardized automation environment as well as improved optimization algorithms have been introduced in order to meet the overall project targets. The benefits of the installed system imply: assistance in the planning of operational process steps; cost reduction by the dynamic optimization of material properties; staff relief by the dynamic instructions of setpoints by focusing on the next important process step; improvement of product quality due to the automated, uniform execution of the process steps; analysis, linkage and visualization of relevant data during process; optimized steel bath temperature management and aggregate time scheduling due to prediction of plant unit allocation.