Cold Strip Mills also were supplied to Nucor Hickman and Usinor, Sidmar, and Strip Processing Lines to Worthington Steel,
US Steel, Galvak, Hoogovens, Sidmar (now Arcelor) and Stahlwerke Bremen. Thin Slab Casters and Plate Mills were supplied to Nucor and IPSCO in the USA, resulting in a 30% market share in 1999. Danieli’s world leadership for long products in commercial and special steels was consolidated with an international market share of 65%. In 1997 a major research project for the first endless casting and rolling plant for long products was given the go-ahead, the results of which would be seen in the year 2000. In 1999 Danieli entered into a joint venture with Corus Technical Services to integrate its product lines with Blast Furnaces, converter meltshops and associated services. In the same year Danieli also acquired the patents of the "Arex" direct reduction process, an innovative technology that improves the efficiency of iron ore reduction, with lower production and depreciation costs. Josef Fröhling, a German company specialized in narrow cold strip rolling mills and finishing plants for stainless steels and non-ferrous metals, was acquired. On June 17, 1999, at the age of 56, Mrs. Cecilia Danieli passed away; her contribution to the development of the company was invaluable. Danieli acquired Davy Distington, UK, a company specialized in engineering and design of slab and bloom casters. In 2000 Danieli had a sales revenue of over
930 M Euro, with some 3,200 employees in Italy, Sweden, Germany, USA, UK and France. The most revolutionary endless castingrolling minimill for specialty steel long products was started up at ABS, Italy. Orders for thick slab casters were placed by ThyssenKrupp and Sidmar (for the most technologically-advanced thick slab caster in Europe). An order for Blast Furnace revamping was placed with Danieli Corus by Açominas, Brazil, following the ones from Riva Acciai and Corus UK. During this period Danieli completed its product range covering the whole spectrum of steel production from iron ore to finished products. Danieli controls 100% of ABS. At the end of these years an innovative casting-rolling plant “Luna” is installed.