ArcelorMittal - the world’s leading steel and mining company announced its plans to invest around $140 million in the hot strip rolling mill at ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor.
According to company press release, ArcelorMittal will install two new state-of-the-art walking beam furnaces at the facility. This will boost the production capacity by at least 40% from current levels to nearly 500 tons of steel per hour. The two new walking furnaces will replace three existing pusher furnaces. The investment will also result in improved fuel efficiency and elimination of coke oven gas at the mill facility. Furthermore, the new furnaces will also result in substantial reduction of maintenance costs, the press release noted.
The construction works on the new furnace foundations have already started. ArcelorMittal expects startup of both furnaces by Q4 2020, with full production scheduled to commence by early 2021.
Jean Louis Muller, senior division manager, hot rolling and finishing, for ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor and Columbus said that the new walking beam furnaces will greatly reduce the risks of defects, as it promises to deliver significant reduction in number of imperfections. The new furnaces walks slabs through it instead of pushing them, he noted.
As per rough estimates, the steelmaker has invested close to $1.25 billion at its U.S. facilities over the past five years.
