News & Press Releases

London, January 18, 2022

In October 2021, EVRAZ Consolidated West Siberian Metallurgical Plant (EVRAZ ZSMK) awarded a contract to Primetals Technologies for an integrated quality control system for its steel mill and rolling mill in Novokuznetsk, Russia. The solution "Through-Process Optimization (TPO)" will improve the quality of rail manufacturing at Russia's largest steel company. Production data are stored centrally, continuously and in a structured way. Immediately after installation of the solution, experts from Primetals Technologies will perform data-driven correlation analyses. The project will take 16 months to implement and will be monitored by a steering committee comprising the management of EVRAZ ZSMK and Primetals Technologies in Austria. The contract also includes a multi-year service contract.

London, December 14, 2021

Recently, two continuous slab casters modernized by Primetals Technologies commenced operation at Chinese steel producer Angang Iron & Steel Group Co. (Angang) in its steelworks No. 2 in Anshan. The objectives of the project were to further improve slab quality by implementing DynaGap soft reduction and to increase the caster´s availability. To these ends, state-of-the art automation features and technological packages were installed. Despite current quarantine challenges for the project team, CCM5 was started 7 days ahead of schedule and CCM4 went in operation 16 days earlier than planned.

London, December 07, 2021

In early November, a KOBM converter, upgraded from a former BOF converter by Primetals Technologies, was started up in the steel plant of HBIS Group Handan Iron and Steel in Handan, China. Compared to a BOF converter, the combined blowing from top and bottom in a KOBM converter results in a better bath mixing and metallurgical reactions are closer to the equilibrium. In addition, lime injection ensures fast slag formation and excellent process and slopping control. Therefore, this process is expected to shorten the blowing process, to lower the carbon-oxygen equilibrium of the steel at tapping, improve the yield by lowering slag amount and iron oxide content in the slag, and to produce cleaner steel with minimum inclusions and impurities. The improved steel quality especially fits requirements from the automotive industry. Furthermore, the new converter has the potential to save ladle additions during tapping as well as costs for lime additions.

London, November 25, 2021

Recently, Primetals Technologies received the final acceptance certificate for the replaced laminar cooling section installed at the 2050mm hot strip mill in the Shanghai, China production site of Baoshan Iron & Steel, Co., Ltd. (Baosteel). The new laminar cooling enables Baosteel to extend its product range up to a thickness of 19 millimeters for high toughness line pipe grades at low temperature, and dual -phase and multi-phase steel grades in a thickness range of 2 to 8 millimeters. The project was executed remotely due the ongoing pandemic conditions.

London, November 23, 2021

Recently, Chinese steel producer Henan Yaxin Steel Group Co., Ltd. (Henan Yaxin) has started up its eco-friendly minimill for flat products consisting of two EAF Quantum electric arc furnaces and an Arvedi ESP line at its Fujian Dingsheng plant. Tapping weight of each EAF unit is maximum 115 metric tons. This set-up allows for 85% CO₂ savings compared to integrated production route. The Arvedi ESP line has a design capacity of 2.5 million metric tons per year and a reproducible strip thicknesses down to 0.8 mm. This enables Henan Yaxin to produce high-quality, ultra-thin strip to enter new market segments with direct application products omitting cold rolling. Coils for the sales market were directly produced during first heat.