sign in sign up
<<
Home , Steel mill

99

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. chairman and chief executive Lourenco Goncalves (center), along with local officials, lawmakers and other Cliffs executives, broke ground in April 2018 on the company’s US$700 million hot briquetted plant in Toledo, Ohio, USA.

By Sam Kusic

Supported by higher prices, healthy demand and, in the U.S., favorable trade and tax policy, North American steelmakers found confidence to invest in their facilities in 2018. And invest they have — in the U.S. alone, more than 16 million tons of capacity, either through restarts or expansions, could come on-line in the next few years. The investments are designed to improve efficiencies, allow for production of value- added products and to take share from imports. Here’s a look at some of the projects that have been announced in the North American market.

AK Corp.

The integrated producer is making strategic capital AK Steel’s Rockport, Ind., facility also will see investment. investments at multiple facilities, focusing on improving There, the company will install a more modern, operational efficiencies and lowering costs. Among environmentally friendly and lower-cost pickling process. the investments is a nearly US$40 million project at its The project is expected to cost US$6 million. Dearborn, Mich., USA, plant. Through the project, the company will make upgrades to the and steel Also, AK Steel subsidiary Precision Partners has broken shop, with the end goal of providing both production cost ground on an expansion of one of its facilities to APR 2019 and sustainability benefits. accommodate new stamping business. Precision Partners

specializes in the design and of automotive I

In Mansfield, Ohio, AK Steel plans to complete a US$13 tooling and dies and the stamping of complex, hard-to- IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY million investment in the steel casting area to enable the manufacture automotive components. facility to expand the types of steel produced there and further reduce overall costs. Meanwhile, at its nearby The company said that approximately one-third of its 2019 Coshocton, Ohio, stainless steel finishing facility, the capital budget involves improvements specifically designed company plans to invest US$11 million in a new, state-of- to fundamentally transform its competitive cost position I the-art coil buildup line, a project that will reduce costs and and grow downstream operations. AIST.ORG improve throughput while enhancing product quality. 100 APR 2019 I IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY I AIST.ORG ArcelorMittal Technologies Inc. Allegheny Inc. Steel Algoma ArcelorMittal Mexico has begun work 2.5-million- on anew begun has Mexico ArcelorMittal protection, creditor under operating of years three After The Pittsburgh-based stainless and specialty metals producer producer metals specialty and stainless Pittsburgh-based The Inc. plans to invest CA$300 million in its Ontario plant as it looks to expand capacity and product capability. product and capacity to expand looks it as plant Ontario its in million CA$300 to invest plans Inc. Steel Algoma revitalize its steel works in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. The plan plan The Ont. Marie, Ste. Sault in works steel its revitalize the integrated Canadian plate and sheet producer emerged sheet emerged producer and plate Canadian integrated the metric-ton hot strip mill at its Lázaro Cárdenas facility facility Cárdenas Lázaro its at mill hot strip metric-ton emergence, it has developed a CA$300 million plan to to plan million aCA$300 developed emergence, it has is investing US$95 million in a new isothermal forging press press forging isothermal anew in million US$95 investing is product capability, allowing it to meet growing demand for demand it meet growing to allowing capability, product and capacity expand to projects of anumber includes its of part November 2018 independent As entity. in an as facility in Wisconsin. Wisconsin. in facility and associated capacity at its forged products products forged its at capacity treating heat associated and along the Mexican Pacific coast. As of February, the deep of As February, coast. Pacific Mexican the along advanced steel grades. grades. steel advanced

Allegheny Technologies said the three-year project will will project three-year the Technologies said Allegheny 2018, of spring the in project investment the Announcing The projects include installation of a second ladle ladle asecond of installation include projects The new demand arising from the production of next-generation next-generation of production the from arising demand new upgrades are also planned throughout the steel works. works. steel the throughout planned also are upgrades bring about its fourth isothermal press and allow it meet to allow and press isothermal fourth its about bring metallurgy furnace; upgrades to the caster and capacity capacity and caster the to upgrades furnace; metallurgy emissions controls at its works. Extensive technology technology Extensive coke works. its at controls emissions Complex; Production Strip Direct its at enhancements was on schedule. Mill cranes have also arrived. arrived. also have cranes Mill on schedule. was foundations were nearly complete, and building erection erection complete, building and were nearly foundations jet engines. jet automation upgrades to the plate and strip mills; and new new and mills; strip and plate the to upgrades automation

101

ArcelorMittal is installing new walking beam reheat furnaces at its Contrecoeur-East and Contrecoeur-West long products mills in Quebec. The photo shows construction underway at Contrecoeur-East. The furnace there is to come on-line by year’s end.

The project, which includes a 650,000-ton skinpass mill, will energy efficiency while reducing carbon emissions, the allow the plant to roll slabs on-site and take advantage of an company said. anticipated increase in demand from domestic sheet users. It also will allow the company to bring more value-added At the same time, the company is replacing the dust collector products to its offerings and to realize the full production at the Contrecoeur-West steel works, a CA$6 million project potential of its Mexican facilities. that will improve environmental performance.

When the project is completed in 2020, ArcelorMittal Elsewhere in Canada, ArcelorMittal Dofasco G.P. is nearing Mexico will be able to produce 2.5 million metric tons completion of its hot strip mill modernization project. The of sheet, 1.8 million metric tons of long products and project includes new downcoilers, a new inspection and 1.1 million metric tons of semi-finished slabs. sampling line to reduce manual interactions and save yield, and laminar cooling sprays. The sprays utilize high-pressure, In Canada, work is progressing on nearly CA$160 million ultrafast cooling technology to improve metallurgical worth of upgrades to its Contrecoeur, Que., long products capabilities. The project is intended to improve coil quality mills. for customers, increase the reliability of the coiler area and reduce conversion costs. At its Contrecoeur-East wire rod mill, the company is investing CA$89 million in upgrades that will allow it to The project is expected to be completed in 2020. The strip APR 2019 produce larger coils. The investment includes new mill upgrades, along with several others being made to U.S.

stands, a new compactor and a new conveyor. The project plants, are part of a US$500 million package of automotive- I will lift the mill’s capacity by more than 100,000 metric tons focused investments. IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY to 560,000 metric tons annually. Those aside, Dofasco also is nearing completion on a In addition, both Contrecoeur-East and the Contrecoeur- US$112 million boiler replacement project. Under the West bar mill are receiving new reheat furnaces, one for project, the company is replacing three boilers with a single each facility. The walking beam furnaces will have capacities high-pressure unit, a 20-mW turbine and water treatment I of 130 metric tons per hour. The furnace replacements are plant. The new boiler will lower nitrogen oxide emissions AIST.ORG expected to cost CA$63 million, and work is to conclude and consume less natural gas. The project is expected to this year. The new furnaces will increase productivity and 102 APR 2019 I IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY I AIST.ORG LLC Calvert AM/NS The joint-venture processing plant is this year completing completing year this is plant processing joint-venture The The furnaces, which are replacing three pusher furnaces, furnaces, pusher three replacing are which furnaces, The Indiana. Aside from installation of the furnaces, the project project the furnaces, the of installation from Aside Indiana. new two of installation on the work continued U.S., the In No. 3 hot-dip galvanizing line. line improvements improvements line Annealing line. galvanizing No. 3hot-dip yield 129 mWh of annual electricity savings. Work is to wrap Work wrap to is savings. electricity annual of mWh 129 yield upgrades to the No. 2 continuous annealing line and the the and line annealing No. 2continuous the to upgrades up this year. up this to be completed by the end year. next of completed the by be to meet the requirements of its automotive customers. Work is customers. automotive its of requirements meet the cooling section, the addition of a partitioning section and section a partitioning of addition the section, cooling entails new recuperators and stacks, new foundations, and and foundations, new stacks, and recuperators new entails walking beam furnaces at the Burns Harbor facility in in facility Harbor Burns the at furnaces beam walking include steam injection, hydrogen injection to the rapid rapid the to injection hydrogen injection, steam include quench- cold-rolled, of for production allow improvements section cooling a final section, nickel pickle a new include 3.3 million tons annually. annually. tons million 3.3 Big River Steel is adding a second , caster and strip mill at its Arkansas plant, a project that will take its annual capacity to capacity annual its take will that aproject plant, Arkansas its at mill strip and caster furnace, arc electric asecond adding is Steel River Big and-partition grades. Upgrades to the galvanizing line line galvanizing the to Upgrades grades. and-partition The section. cooling rapid the to injection hydrogen and also is intended to improve product surface quality to better better to quality surface product improve to intended is also It costs. energy reduce and productivity mill improve to aim building. mill strip the of extension an

And at the Indiana Harbor facility, the company has installed installed has company the facility, Harbor Indiana the at And equipping is company the mill, Ohio, Cleveland, its At Metal Corp. Corp. Metal that steel from the upgraded line will be available by 2020. 2020. by available be will line upgraded the from steel that enabling jet cooling, gas with line galvanizing hot-dip the to process high-strength in-house. The company said said company The in-house. steels high-strength process to the company will be able to reduce conversion costs and and costs conversion reduce to able be will company the owned by ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel & Sumitomo &Sumitomo Steel Nippon and ArcelorMittal by owned equipment and had been sending coils to an outside outside an to coils sending been had equipment and improvements to the galvanneal furnace. The plant is jointly jointly is plant The furnace. galvanneal the to improvements production of advanced steel grades. The company expects expects company The grades. steel advanced of production it was struggling to consistently control shape on existing on existing shape control consistently to struggling it was improve delivery times. times. delivery improve equipment, new the Butwith leveling. for tension processor a tension leveler, quench system and strip transport control control transport strip leveler, and a tension quench system system on the No. 3 continuous annealing line, allowing it allowing line, annealing No. 3continuous on the system

103

California Steel Industries has plans on the drawing board for upgrades to its strip mill and No. 2 galvanizing line. The strip mill upgrades will focus on the finishing stands. The photo shows the finishing mill’s motor room.

Big River Steel

Big River Steel is doubling down on its Arkansas plant, grain-oriented electrical steels, a product that it might add announcing last year that it would undertake a US$1.2 either through the expansion or a future project, it said. billion expansion of the existing facility. Major construction activity has begun and will take place The plant currently can make around 1.65 million tons over 24 months. annually, and the expansion would lift that capacity to around 3.3 million tons. The project includes a second On another front, company executives have said they are electric arc furnace (EAF), ladle metallurgy furnace, tunnel considering whether to build a next-generation, automotive- furnace and hot strip mill. focused coating line, possibly in conjunction with a steel partner. Big River said the expansion will not only double its hot rolled capacity, but will allow it to expand its electrical steel Additionally, Big River is weighing construction on a second offerings. The company is looking to eventually produce flat rolled facility in Texas. APR 2019 California Steel Industries Inc. CALIFRIA STEEL IDUSTRIES, IC. I

The West Coast re-roller is upgrading its 86-inch hot strip As for the galvanizing line, the company plans to upgrade IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY mill and the No. 2 galvanizing line at its plant in Fontana, the electrical and automation systems and will replace Calif., USA. obsolete equipment. New AC and DC drives will be installed, and it will upgrade the level 1 and level 2 automation systems. Through the project, the company will upgrade the strip A new user interface will be installed, too. That project is to mill’s finishing stands, installing new drives and motors be completed next year. I and a power distribution system. The upgrade will allow AIST.ORG for an expanded product mix, improve mill utilization and minimize delays. That project is to be completed by 2022. 104 APR 2019 I IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY I AIST.ORG The specialty alloys manufacturer announced plans last last plans announced manufacturer alloys specialty The The company last fall began receiving shipments of of shipments receiving began fall last company The The Toledo plant will employ Midrex technology and is is and technology employ Midrex ToledoThe will plant Work is continuing on the miner’s planned US$700 US$700 miner’s ore iron planned on the Work continuing is Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. Inc. Cleveland-Cliffs Corp. Technology Carpenter A rendering of Cleveland-Cliff’s hot briquetted iron plant. iron briquetted hot Cleveland-Cliff’s of A rendering Pa., plant, expanding its capability to produce soft magnetic magnetic soft produce to capability its expanding plant, Pa., Lakes region. region. Lakes Cliffs is building the plant to displace the imported imported the displace to plant the building is Cliffs the vertical shaft reduction furnace. The tower is to be be to tower is The furnace. reduction shaft vertical the being built on a brownfield property along the Maumee Maumee the along property on abrownfield built being million hot briquetted iron (HBI) plant in Toledo, in plant (HBI) Ohio. iron hot briquetted million engineering and electronics. Making them requires requires them Making electronics. and engineering merchant and alternative iron units that are being being are that units iron alternative and iron pig merchant completed year’s by end. consumed by electric arc furnace steelmakers in the Great Great the in steelmakers furnace arc electric by consumed parts of the plant — the 400-foot tower that will support support will tower that 400-foot —the plant the of parts Soft magnetics are materials that can be easily magnetized magnetized easily be can that materials are magnetics Soft and de-magnetized and are used in modern electrical electrical modern in used are and de-magnetized and alloys. spring to build a US$100 million hot strip mill at its Reading, Reading, its at mill hot strip million aUS$100 build to spring for what will be one of the most visible visible most one the of be will for what steel structural The new mill will increase the plant’s overall capacity capacity plant’s the overall increase will mill new The The project is on budget and slightly ahead of schedule. schedule. of ahead slightly and on budget is project The refinery. Oil aGulf once was which Terminal, HBI facilities. River, which empties into Lake Erie. The property is part part is property The Erie. Lake into empties which River, Cliffs will supply the plant with direct reduction (DR)–grade (DR)–grade reduction direct with plant the supply will Cliffs Cliffs will begin to ship pellets to Toledo in the fourth Toledo to fourth the pellets ship in to begin will Cliffs to produce 3.5 million tons of DR-grade pellets annually, annually, pellets DR-grade of tons million 3.5 produce to controlled atmospheric conditions, the company said. said. company the conditions, atmospheric controlled of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority’s Ironville Ironville Authority’s Port County Toledo-Lucas the of produced for sale into the aerospace, consumer electronics electronics consumer aerospace, the into for sale produced which it will sell only to itself and steelmakers with in-house in-house with steelmakers and itself to only sell it will which plans Cliffs capacity. upgrade equipment to installing it is where Minnesota, in operation Northshore its from pellets quarter of this year in order to build inventory. inventory. build order to in year this of quarter and electric vehicle markets. markets. vehicle electric and magnetics soft in processing flexibility it greater give and sophisticated equipment, special processes and highly highly and processes special equipment, sophisticated

105

Commercial Metals Company is equipping its two micro-mills in Arizona and Oklahoma with rebar spooling capabilities.

Commercial Metals Company

The long products manufacturer ramped up its new US$250 from a single, uninterrupted strand. The method allows for million micro-mill in 2018 and shipped nearly 60,000 tons higher yields and lower energy costs than the traditional during the company’s first quarter of fiscal 2019. At the time mini-mill process. of this writing, the company had hired a fourth operating crew and was starting to train up the new employees. Elsewhere, the company expects to complete work on a new rebar spooling line at its Arizona micro-mill this summer. The Durant, Okla., mill has a nameplate capacity of 350,000 Commercial Metals Company already has rebar spooling tons annually. capabilities at the Oklahoma plant, and the product is being well received by its own downstream rebar fabrication shops Micro-mills are unique in that they utilize a “continuous- and outside customers, the company said. continuous” process in which is melted, cast and rolled

EVRAZ North America

The Russian steelmaker’s North American subsidiary is The mill would be on the site of the facility’s shuttered coke weighing construction of a new US$480 million rail mill at plant, which closed in the early 1980s. The project, if built, APR 2019 its Rocky Mountain Steel facility in Pueblo, Colo., USA. would be supported by US$75 million in tax-increment

financing plus an additional US$15 million incentive from I

According to the company, the mill would be capable of the city of Pueblo. IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY annually producing 600,000 tons’ worth of rail in lengths of up to 100 m, helping the company to maintain its technical leadership. The company claims about 40% of the North American rail market. I AIST.ORG 106 APR 2019 I IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY I AIST.ORG Deacero Those investments include a new continuous caster that was was that caster continuous anew include investments Those plant’s the improve hot work will the said company The The steelmaker has launched a three-year, US$70.3 million million US$70.3 athree-year, launched has steelmaker The Gerdau In this concluding series of projects, Gerdau will install install will Gerdau projects, of series concluding this In flats; and T-profiles. and T-profiles. flats; Deacero in September started up a 500,000-ton rolling rolling up a500,000-ton started September in Deacero lineup includes No. 3 to No. 16 rebar; smooth rounds; 0.5- 0.5- rounds; No. No. smooth 3to 16 includes lineup rebar; rounding out a complete overhaul of the facility. facility. the out of acomplete overhaul rounding to 2-inch squares; 1-inch to 3-inch angles, channels and and channels angles, 3-inch to 1-inch squares; 2-inch to beam reheat furnace, six additional rolling mill stands, stands, mill rolling additional six reheat furnace, beam metal capacity, allowing it to fully capitalize on previous on previous capitalize it fully to allowing capacity, metal mill at its Ramos Arizpe mill in Mexico. The rolling mill is is mill rolling The Mexico. in mill Arizpe Ramos its at mill installed in 2012, a new twin-tank vacuum degasser, walking walking degasser, vacuum 2012, twin-tank anew in installed investments. EAF. the to upgrades mechanical unspecified make will project at its Monroe, Mich., USA, special steel plant, plant, steel special USA, Mich., Monroe, its at project designed to produce both bars and light sections. Its product product Its sections. light and bars both produce to designed Deacero’s new bar mill at its Ramos Arizpe facility is capable of 5-strand slit rolling. slit 5-strand of capable is facility Arizpe Ramos its at mill bar new Deacero’s advanced quality inspection equipment. equipment. inspection quality advanced and straightening bar with building finishing anew and handling material furnace, metallurgy twin-ladle a new system, a new EAF transformer and furnace controls. It also It also controls. furnace and transformer EAF anew system,

Also last year, Gerdau completed modifications to its caster caster to its completed modifications year, Gerdau last Also plant’s the shipping increase will improvements the told, All The 20-pass mill is fed with 160- and 180-mm square billets billets square 180-mm and 160- fed with is mill 20-pass The larger section size will result in a greater reduction ratio, ratio, reduction a greater in result will size section larger rebar in five strands. strands. five in rebar the ’s demand for lightweight steel parts parts steel for lightweight demand industry’s automotive the cleaner steels. steels. cleaner tons. 720,000 to 33% by capacity with longer fatigue life, in turn necessitating production of of production necessitating turn in life, longer fatigue with by prompted was upgrade the said company The inclusions. fewer with steel cleaner and quality surface improved in hot and cold charge modes. It is equipped to split roll roll split to equipped It is modes. cold hot charge and in and began producing 240-mm blooms. Gerdau said the the said Gerdau blooms. 240-mm producing began and 107

Grupo Simec’s new special bar quality mill in Apizaco has a capacity of 600,000 tons.

Grupo Simec

The Mexican long products maker ramped up production The plant features a 90-ton electric arc furnace, a twin- at its greenfield special bar quality mini-mill in Apizaco ladle metallurgy furnace, a twin-vacuum tank degasser and during 2018. The plant has a capacity of 600,000 tons a 3-strand multi-bending radius caster, which can produce annually and makes large round blooms, bars and wire rod blooms in diameters of 300 mm, 450 mm and 500 mm. for the automotive industry.

JSW Steel

The Indian steelmaker’s U.S. subsidiary began executing In Ohio, the company late last year restarted the electric arc a US$1 billion investment plan to grow its U.S. footprint, furnace at a former Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel mill in Mingo breaking ground on a US$500 million expansion at its Junction. The restart is part of a US$250 million investment Texas plate and mill and restarting the electric arc plan that allowed JSW to acquire the facility, modernize the furnace at its Ohio sheet mill. hot strip mill, and restart the EAF and slab caster.

In October, the company formally marked the start of Through a second US$250 million phase, the company, if improvements to its Baytown, Texas, plate and pipe rolling it proceeds, may install a second EAF and other equipment, APR 2019 mill. Improvements to the pipe mill already were underway, taking the mill’s capacity to 3 million metric tons annually.

but it also intends to build an advanced plate mill and I backward integrate by installing a new meltshop. Of the IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY US$500 million investment, US$150 million is being put toward the plate and pipe mill, with work set to conclude next year. The remainder, should the company proceed, is to be put toward the new meltshop. I AIST.ORG 108 APR 2019 I IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY I AIST.ORG Corp. Nucor Corp. Steel BlueScope Star North At its Blytheville, Ark., plant, the company is erecting erecting is company the plant, Ark., Blytheville, its At is company the mill, rebar Nucor’s Ohio, At Marion, As of February, the Ohio sheet plant’s Australian corporate corporate sheet plant’s Ohio the Australian February, of As The projects will be coming on-line this year and on into on into and year this on-line coming be will projects The major of midst the in is operator EAF largest country’s The The project, if approved, would boost capacity by an an by capacity boost would approved, if project, The US$700 million expansion of the mill, one that could lift its its lift could one that mill, the of expansion million US$700 2022. Of the projects, three are to be completed in the first first the completed in be to are three projects, the Of 2022. hot-dipped galvanizing line in Kentucky and a specialty cold aspecialty and Kentucky in line galvanizing hot-dipped anew Ohio, in mill rebar to —upgrades year this of half high-strength, low-alloy; motor lamination; and advanced advanced and motor lamination; low-alloy; high-strength, recuperative reheat furnace and a new water cooling system system cooling water anew and reheat furnace recuperative the company is replacing the cross country rolling mill with with mill rolling country cross the replacing is company the a new includes project The costs. operating reduce to and significant enhancements to its hot band output. output. band hot its to enhancements significant and meant to improve cooling efficiency. But most importantly, importantly, But most efficiency. cooling improve to meant Arkansas. in mill investment. capital in billion US$3.6 more than of producing a variety of advanced steels, including including steels, advanced of avariety producing of wrapping up an US$85 million modernization intended intended modernization million US$85 up an wrapping installation of a third electric arc furnace and a second asecond and furnace arc electric athird of installation to million on a US$600 decision afinal nearing was parent growth initiative, with 10 projects on the books representing representing books on the 10 projects with initiative, growth Nucor Corp.’s Gallatin sheet mill in Kentucky is undergoing a major expansion that will bring about a new pickling and galvanizing line line galvanizing and pickling anew about bring will that expansion amajor undergoing is Kentucky in mill sheet Corp.’s Gallatin Nucor a US$230 million specialty cold mill. It will be capable capable be It will cold mill. specialty million a US$230 an in-line rolling mill. additional 800,000 to 900,000 metric tons through capacity by as much as 43%. 43%. much as as by capacity steelmaking

At Gallatin, Nucor intends to double hot band production production double to hot Nucor band intends Gallatin, At The 72-inch pickling and galvanizing line is going in the the in going is line galvanizing and pickling 72-inch The US$890 million.US$890 US$50 million for detailed design and engineering work work engineering and design for detailed million US$50 2.1 million metric tons annually. Both mills also are in line for additional investments totaling totaling investments for additional line in are also mills Both Executives said they expect to make a final decision later later decision a final make to expect they said Executives Nucor Steel–Arkansas will also install a US$240 million, million, aUS$240 install also will Nucor Steel–Arkansas Gallatin sheet mill in Kentucky. The US$176 million line line US$176million The Kentucky. in sheet mill Gallatin Company executives said this winter that they have budgeted budgeted have they that winter this said executives Company high-strength steel grades. The mill will have a nameplate anameplate have will mill The grades. steel high-strength higher-strength sheet. higher-strength third-generation flex galvanizing line. The line will process process will line The line. galvanizing flex third-generation that Nucor does not currently serve and expand its presence presence its expand and serve not Nucor currently does that this year. this capacity from 1.6 million ton to about 3 million tons and and tons 3 million about to ton 1.6 million from capacity hot band annual take will 2021. project completion in The for set expansion million a US$650 through capacity capacity of 500,000 tons and its cold reduction technology technology cold reduction its and tons 500,000 of capacity increase its maximum coil width to about 73 inches. 73 inches. about to width coil maximum its increase in the Midwest market. market. Midwest the in segments market automotive several into entry provide will and lighter-gauge make to Nucor’s expand ability will and have initiated the final phase of a feasibility study. of a feasibility phase final the initiated have and slab caster. The plant is currently is capable of making making of capable is currently is plant The caster. slab

109

Nucor has more than US$3 billion worth of capital investments either on the drawing board or underway throughout the U.S. Its single largest project is a new US$1.35 billion plate mill.

cold-rolled sheet from the new cold mill and will produce coated in the facility. The mill is estimated to cost US$270 a wide variety of grades to support demand for coated and million. third-generation advanced high-strength steel. It will have a capacity of 500,000 tons. Of all the projects, Nucor’s single largest is a greenfield plate mill capable of producing 1.2 million tons annually. In the back half of 2019, Nucor expects to complete two Nucor revealed plans for the project at the beginning of this more projects — expansion of its Kankakee, Ill., bar mill year and expects that it will enter service in 2022. and construction of a new rebar micro-mill in Sedalia, Mo. The US$1.35 billion mill will make cut-to-length, coiled, At Kankakee, Nucor is adding a US$180 million merchant heat-treated and discrete plate in widths ranging from bar mill capable of producing 500,000 tons annually. Its 60 inches to 160 inches and in gauges ranging from 3/16 inch products will include equal and unequal angles from 3 to to 14 inches. 7 inches, channels from 3 to 10 inches, flats up to 12 inches, rounds up to 3 5/8 inches and No. 14 to No. 18 rebar. Nucor hasn’t yet chosen a site for the mill, but is considering locations in four states — Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia The mill will utilize 16 stands. It includes a multi-line and Ohio. straightening machine with automatic bar positioning and feeding, an automatic roll-change system, a 700-ton cold The mill primarily will consist of an electric arc furnace shear, two cold saws, an 80-foot automatic magnetic stacker meltshop with a twin-ladle metallurgy furnace and vacuum with four independent 20-foot sections, and a profile gauge degassing, a caster, a Steckel mill, and in-line heat treatment. equipped with surface defect detection. The mill also is being designed to produce ingot-based plate and therefore will be equipped with ingot pouring At Sedalia, Nucor is building a US$250 million Danieli capabilities. micro-mill. A second micro-mill also is planned for Frostproof, Fla., the first half of 2020. Each will be able to The company said the mill will have 65,000 tons of ingot produce around 350,000 tons annually. So-called micro- plate capacity and 120,000 tons of heat-treat capacity. mills are based on a continuous, uninterrupted process that APR 2019 combines melting, casting and rolling into a single step. Beyond those 10 projects, Nucor is additionally spending

US$200 million in capital improvements to its direct I

Both are intended to capitalize on logistical advantages. As reduced iron plant in Louisiana. Those improvements IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY it is, rebar has to be shipped in to the central Florida and include a new process gas heater. The project also includes Kansas City markets. Nucor also controls regional scrap a new raw material storage yard. supplies through its David J. Joseph scrap business. The bulk of the work is to be completed by year’s end. Also this year, Nucor expects to complete a joint-venture I galvanizing line in Mexico with partner JFE Steel. Output AIST.ORG from the 400,000-ton line is intended for the Mexican automotive market. Nucor will supply half of the steel to be 110 APR 2019 I IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY I AIST.ORG Nucor-Yamato Steel Co. Co. Nucor-Yamato Steel Co. Coating PRO-TEC The company is undertaking a multi-million-dollar a multi-million-dollar undertaking is company The universal the replacement of entails largely project The undertaking is mill structural and beam joint-venture The Work continued on the joint-venture galvanizer’s US$400 US$400 galvanizer’s joint-venture Work on the continued Hammond, Ind., USA. USA. Ind., Hammond, high-performance equipment and infrastructure, which which infrastructure, equipment and high-performance has two galvanizing lines and a continuous annealing line line annealing a continuous and lines galvanizing two has roughing and edging and universal finishing stands at stands finishing universal and edging and roughing tandem reversing mill built around the Compact Cartridge Cartridge Compact the around built mill reversing tandem a with replaced be will stands mill The 2. plant’sthe Mill to meet the rising demand for advanced high-strength high-strength for advanced demand rising meet the to capable of producing 1.5 million tons. This third line will will line third This tons. million 1.5 producing of capable built being is line The line. galvanizing continuous million details were available, but the company said the new new the said company but the were available, details No further capabilities. operating facility’s the improve will investment at its Niagara LaSalle cold-finished bar plant in plant bar cold-finished LaSalle Niagara its at investment plant. Arkansas its at mill No. 2 rolling the to improvements SSWI said the investment will entail installation of new new of installation entail will investment the said SSWI Stands technology from SMS group. group. SMS from technology Stands add 500,000 tons of new capacity. capacity. new of tons 500,000 add (SSWI) Works Inc. Steel Specialty steels. As it is currently configured, PRO-TEC’s Ohio plant plant Ohio PRO-TEC’s configured, currently it is As steels. Nucor-Yamato Steel Co. is swapping out the finishing stands on its No. 2 rolling mill. The project is to be completed in 2020. 2020. in completed be is to project The mill. rolling No. 2 its on stands finishing the out swapping is Co. Nucor-Yamato Steel The mill makes wide-flange beams and H-piling. The project The project H-piling. and beams wide-flange makes mill The production expand to plant the allow will upgrade The PRO-TEC is a joint venture of United States Steel Corporation Corporation Steel States United of venture ajoint is PRO-TEC will line the said have companies partner PRO-TEC’s third quarter of this year. this of quarter third be equipped with first-of-its-kind advanced heating and heating advanced first-of-its-kind with equipped be equipment will be installed over the next 12 months. The The 12 next overmonths. the installed be equipment will company said. said. company capabilities and include new high-strength steel grades. grades. steel high-strength new include and capabilities project will enhance the facility’s long-term viability, the the viability, long-term facility’s the enhance will project capabilities, enabling production of high- of production enabling capabilities, quenching is to be completed in the second half of 2020. 2020. of half second the completed in be to is formability, ultrahigh-strength, Generation 3steels. Generation ultrahigh-strength, formability, and Japan’s Kobe Steel Ltd. Start-up is expected to occur in in occur to expected is Start-up Ltd. Japan’sand Steel Kobe

111

Steel Dynamics is adding a third galvanizing line to its Columbus, Miss., sheet mill. Pictured is the mill’s coil yard.

SSAB

In a bid to improve capacity and quality of quenched-and- Additionally, SSAB is planning a parallel project in which it tempered (Q&T) steels, the Swedish steelmaker is planning will install a new, accelerated cooling system on the rolling a US$110 million investment in its Mobile, Ala., USA, plant. mill.

In an announcement last fall, the company said it is eyeing The company said the project includes the potential to a number of targeted improvements to its formatting, build additional Q&T capacity through direct quenching blasting and painting, and shipping operations to boost its technology similar to what is currently being used at SSAB’s Q&T capacity. The upgrades would eliminate production mills in Finland and Sweden. bottlenecks and lift the plant’s Q&T capacity 33% to about 440,000 tons annually.

Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI)

The Indiana-based EAF operator in November revealed Meanwhile, SDI has begun work on an expansion of its plans to expand its fleet of flat-rolled facilities, announcing Columbus, Miss., USA, sheet plant, where it is adding a that it will build an advanced sheet mill somewhere in galvanizing line and making US$90 million to US$100 the southwestern U.S. at a cost of between US$1.7 and million in other improvements there. The addition of a US$1.8 billion. third galvanizing line is meant to allow the plant to serve new and existing customers in the region, and further Steel Dynamics said the mill would be capable of producing reduce its exposure to the more cyclical hot roll market. about 3 million tons annually. Its products would include advanced high-strength steels, hot-rolled and cold-rolled The line, estimated to cost US$140 million, will have a grades, galvanized sheet, Galvalume®, and painted steel. capacity of 400,000 tons annually. It will produce sheet in APR 2019 thicknesses of between 0.013 inch and 0.160 inch and in

Production would target the energy and construction widths of between 36 inches and 72 inches. I sectors in the U.S. and the appliance and automotive sectors IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY in northern and mid-central Mexico. Start-up is scheduled for mid-2020.

At the time of this writing, the company hadn’t announced In addition to the galvanizing line, Steel Dynamics said it where it would build the plant, but chief executive Mark will upgrade certain process lines and the hot strip mill in Millett said SDI was eyeing sites in Texas and Louisiana. an effort to improve efficiencies and product offerings. I AIST.ORG Construction is expected to start in 2020, with start-up to occur in the second half of 2021. 112 APR 2019 I IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY I AIST.ORG Ternium Ternium United States SteelUnited Corporation States 1.6 The integrated steelmaker has resumed work on its planned planned work on its resumed has steelmaker integrated The Pesquería, its at built be to mill, new the Ternium said fall last plans revealed steelmaker American Latin The U. S. Steel announced plans to build the furnace in March March in furnace the build to plans announced U. Steel S. U. S. Steel said it expects to spend around US$215 million million US$215 around spend to it expects said U. Steel S. On another front, the company is continuing to execute on execute to continuing is company the front, another On 2015, but halted the project nine months later on account on account later months nine project 2015, the but halted N.L., facility, will allow it to offer both a broader range of of range abroader both it offer to allow will facility, N.L., targeted assets the among are mill strip hot and furnace blast facility’s The Michigan. in Works Lakes Great its is Pictured assets. flat-rolled to complete the furnace and to modernize the rounds rounds the modernize to and furnace completeto the to build a new hot rolling mill in Mexico, allowing for an for an allowing Mexico, in mill hot a new rolling build to the automotive industry, as well as the home appliance, home appliance, the as well as industry, automotive the better meet the needs of its customers while improving its its improving while customers its of needs meet the better be to displace the value-added steel imports supplying supplying imports steel value-added the displace to be conditions will allow the project to proceed. to project the allow will conditions market improved and actions trade strong said company The industries. steel and gas and oil the in a downturn of of acapacity have will furnace The serve. it will that caster cost structure and long-term profitability. long-term and structure cost The plant. steel Ala., Fairfield, its at furnace arc electric sectors. construction and energy machinery, portfolio. product expanded it intends to update key flat rolled equipment in the U.S. the in U.S. equipment rolled flat key update to it intends which through program, revitalization asset billion US$2 its dimensions and advanced grades. The goal, it said, will will it said, goal, The grades. advanced and dimensions United States Steel Corporation continued to execute on its US$2 billion asset revitalization the program. The program is focused on its U.S. U.S. its on focused is program The program. the revitalization asset billion US$2 its on to execute continued Corporation Steel States United furnace will supply steel for its tubular business and help and to business tubular for its steel supply will furnace for investment. million tons.

Although the project is targeting flat-rolled assets assets flat-rolled targeting is project the Although The goal is to meet the increasing demands of customers customers of demands increasing meet the to is goal The Ternium said the project is expected to cost US$1.1 billion billion US$1.1 cost to expected is project the Ternium said U. S. Steel has allocated US$600 million on a variety on avariety million US$600 allocated has U. Steel S. Initially, the mill will be capable of producing 3.7 million 3.7 million producing of capable be will mill the Initially, Michigan; and the steel shop, hot strip mill and cold mill cold mill and mill shop, steel hot strip the and Michigan; EBITDA by the end of 2020. To that end, the company is is To company end end, the 2020. of the by that EBITDA toward its asset revitalization program goals, including including goals, program revitalization asset its toward it what to emphasis special giving it is U.S., the throughout blast furnace and hot strip mill at its Great Lakes Works in Works in Lakes Great its at mill hot strip and furnace blast million on finishing equipment. on finishing million equipment; US$500 million on hot strip mills; and US$400 US$400 and mills; on hot strip million US$500 equipment; steelmaking and on ironmaking focused projects of company reported that it is making significant progress progress significant making it is that reported company the Indiana; Works in Gary its at mill hot strip and caster shop, steel furnaces, blast the assets: 13 critical its most calls metric tons annually, but a potential future expansion expansion future but apotential annually, tons metric could lift that capacity to 4.8 million metric tons. The mill mill The tons. metric million 4.8 to capacity that lift could focused on improving safety, quality, delivery and cost. cost. and delivery quality, safety, on improving focused facilities at the Pesquería plant. plant. Pesquería the at facilities at its Mon Valley Works in Pennsylvania. In January, the the January, In Pennsylvania. Works in Mon Valley its at annual in million US$325 to million US$275 drive and and is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2020. of half second the for completion in scheduled is and finishing advanced the and Brazil in mill slab acquired substantial improvements in quality and reliability. reliability. and quality in improvements substantial sits between the high-end steelmaking facility at its recently recently its at facility steelmaking high-end the between sits

113

Vinton Steel is investing in the finishing end of Texas bar plant, installing equipment that will allow it to handle and package longer lengths of rebar.

Among the projects completed last year was a rebuild of the section improvements, as well as electrical upgrades. These D4 blast furnace, including the #1 stove at U. S. Steel – Great projects substantially improved the surface quality, flatness Lakes Works. Under the project, the furnace refractory and and reliability of the products to better serve customers in cooling system were upgraded and the stove refractories, the packaging industry. dome shell, and valves and piping were replaced. The project improved overall furnace reliability and Additionally at the Gary and Great Lakes Works steelmaking temperatures, reducing costs. facilities, the company made several investments on multiple caster strands to improve steel cleanliness and downstream At Gary Works, the company completed enhancements surface quality for exposed applications. The work included to multiple electrolytic line assets. These projects new mold level control systems, hydraulic stopper rod included the installation of new induction melters and systems and an automatic tube changer. quench tanks, new tension levelers, cleaner and pickling

Universal Stainless & Alloy Products Inc.

The Pittsburgh-based stainless steel producer began accomplish in a period of 20 minutes what had previously commissioning a new midsize bar cell at its Dunkirk, N.Y., taken days. At the same time, it has noted improvements in finishing facility late last year. As of January, the company said surface finish and overall quality. the new processing line had run about 100,000 lbs. of bar. The company said the equipment, which can process The US$10 million project is expected to reduce costs and round bar in diameters ranging from just under 0.75 inch inventory and improve quality and cycle times. Indeed, to 3 inches, consolidates six workstations into one fully the company said that in some cases, it has been able to functioning, automated station. APR 2019 I Vinton Steel IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY

The Texas rebar plant is upgrading its bar handling and counter with positional layer separation capabilities also is packaging capabilities, installing new equipment that will to be installed. allow it to handle longer-length bar, reduce delays, increase productivity and improve bundle quality. Set for completion early next year, the project will allow the mill to handle bar in lengths up to 80 feet. I The project entails installation of a 660-ton cold shear, cold AIST.ORG shear runout table, gauge beam, short bar handling system, Vinton Steel is a subsidiary of Japanese mini-mill operator and bundle forming and tying equipment. An optical bar Kyoei Steel Ltd. Kyoei acquired the facility in late 2016. 114 APR 2019 I IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY I AIST.ORG Among the initiatives is a US$30 million investment to to investment million a US$30 is initiatives the Among Industries Zekelman The upgrades also will allow the company to geographically geographically to company the allow will also upgrades The is producer tube and pipe Canadian and U.S. The region and allow it to increase production at no additional no at additional production it increase to allow and region mill, HSS Ill., Chicago, its at production rationalize hollow USA, Ark., Blytheville, its modernize and restart to growing demand for structural tubing in the southeast southeast the in tubing for structural demand growing to better to intended to projects of anumber undertaking capital cost. capital annually. tons 390,000 to capacity its production on the needs of the Midwest/Great Lakes Lakes Midwest/Great the of needs on the production its focus to able be will facility Chicago the restarts, plant Midwest the both for the producing currently is which market. tube and pipe arebounding in business the position With growing demand for structural tube in the southern U.S., Zekelman Industries is restarting and modernizing its Blytheville, Ark., USA, mill. mill. USA, Ark., Blytheville, its modernizing and restarting is Industries Zekelman U.S., southern the in tube structural for demand growing With and southeastern U.S. markets. Once the Blytheville Blytheville the Once markets. U.S. southeastern and plant’s the take to expected work is The southwest. and structural sections (HSS) plant. The project is in response response in is project The plant. (HSS) sections structural The company also said that it could add finishing equipment finishing add it could that said also company The US$14 million HSS mill at its Harrow, Ont., plant. The mill mill The plant. Ont., Harrow, its at mill HSS million US$14 In Canada, the company has begun building a new anew building begun has company the Canada, In Mich., USA, plant. The company said the new mill will will mill new the said company The plant. USA, Mich., reduce cross-border shipments from Plymouth into Canada, Canada, into Plymouth from shipments cross-border reduce 2020. in production full reach should plant the the large end of the HSS size range. The company said that that said company The range. size HSS end the of large the of structural tubing, similar to sizes it makes at its Plymouth, Plymouth, its at it makes sizes to similar tubing, structural of met by imports, mostly from Japan, the imposition of the the of imposition the Japan, from mostly met imports, by is designed to produce 80,000 tons annually of smaller sizes sizes smaller of annually tons 80,000 produce to designed is at produce to ability it the giving Blytheville, at expansion diameter tubular goods for the energy market. market. energy for the goods tubular diameter infrastructure could create an opportunity for a domestic for adomestic opportunity an create could infrastructure freight costs. Commissioning is to occur later this year, and this later occur to is Commissioning costs. freight reducing and capacity facility’s Plymouth up the freeing Section 232 tariffs and anticipated government spending on spending government anticipated and tariffs 232 Section million a US$125 weighing is company the Separately, as part of the project that would allow it to make large- it make to allow would that project the of part as although domestic demand for HSS at that size has been been has size that at for HSS demand domestic although supplier. supplier.

F