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(11)

EP 3 870 731 A1

(12)

(43) Date of publication: 01.09.2021 Bulletin 2021/35 (21) Application number: 19784101.8 (22) Date of filing: 16.10.2019

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):  C23C 2/06(2006.01) C23C 2/26(2006.01) C22C 18/00(2006.01) C23C 2/12(2006.01) C23C 2/38(2006.01) C22C 18/04(2006.01) (86) International application number: PCT/EP2019/078073 (87) International publication number: WO 2020/083722 (30.04.2020 Gazette 2020/18)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR Designated Extension States: BA ME Designated Validation States: KH MA MD TN (30) Priority: 25.10.2018 EP 18202470 11.09.2019 EP 19196741 (71) Applicant: Tata Steel Nederland Tubes BV 4903 RH Oosterhout (NL)	(72) Inventors: BEENTJES, Petrus Cornelis Jozef 1970 CA IJmuiden (NL) KAMP, Arjen 1970 CA IJmuiden (NL) HARMSEN, Arno Harold René 1970 CA IJmuiden (NL) (74) Representative: Group Intellectual Property Services  c/o Tata Steel Nederland Technology B.V. P.O. Box 10000 - 3G.37 1970 CA IJmuiden 1970 CA IJmuiden (NL)