AK Steel Recognized for Operational Improvements at Butler, Zanesville
06/23/2011 - AK Steel has received an award from American Metal Market for ‘Best Operational Improvements’.
AK Steel has received an award for "Best Operational Improvements" from American Metal Market.
The company received the award in recognition for making more than $180 million in capital investments at its steel plants in Butler, Pa., and Zanesville, Ohio. Investments included a new electric arc furnace, ladle metallurgy furnace and additional electrical steel finishing equipment, and are expected to help AK Steel lower production costs, enhance product quality, increase steelmaking capacity and improve self-sufficiency.
"It is an honor to receive this outstanding recognition from American Metal Market," said James L. Wainscott, Chairman, President and CEO of AK Steel. "The award reflects our ongoing efforts to continuously improve our products, processes and overall competitiveness."
At Butler Works, AK Steel expanded its steelmaking capacity by about 40% when it replaced three 1960s-vintage electric arc furnaces with a single furnace capable of melting 1.4 million tons of steel annually. The new furnace also allows the plant to now utilize the most energy-efficient electric arc furnace technology available. The company tapped its first heat of steel from the new furnace on March 4, 2011.
The new ladle metallurgy furnace at Butler Works will help improve the quality and productivity of all of that plant's melt capacity, where the company produces carbon, stainless and electrical steels. Additional annealing and coating equipment will also help the company increase shipments of its highest quality electrical steel products. And, if warranted by market conditions, the additional capacity at Butler Works could be used to produce approximately 400,000 tons of carbon steel slabs annually, thus improving the company's self-sufficiency by reducing its need to purchase carbon steel slabs on the open market.
AK Steel was also a finalist for AMM's 2011 award for "Environmental Stewardship." In 2010, the company received AMM awards for "Steel Producer of the Year" and "Best Turnaround of the Decade."
AK Steel produces flat-rolled carbon, stainless and electrical steels, primarily for automotive, appliance, construction and electrical power generation and distribution markets. The company employs about 6200 men and women in Middletown, Mansfield, Coshocton and Zanesville, Ohio; Butler, Pa.; Ashland, Ky.; Rockport, Ind.; and its corporate headquarters in West Chester, Ohio.
AK Tube LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of AK Steel, employs about 300 men and women in plants in Walbridge, Ohio, and Columbus, Ind. AK Tube produces carbon and stainless electric resistance welded (ERW) tubular steel products for truck, automotive and other markets.
