According to SMS group, which built the converter shops in association with WISDRI Engineering & Research Inc. Ltd., the commissioning of the fourth basic oxygen furnace (BOF) converter marked completion of the new shops. 

“Thanks to comprehensive remote support from SMS group, the commissioning went very smoothly despite the travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it extremely difficult for people to be present on the site,” SMS group said in a statement. 

The four 120-ton BOF converters are together capable of producing 4 million metric tons of liquid steel annually. SMS group supplied the converters, oxygen lance systems, sublance systems, refractory lining devices, converter tilt drives, maintenance-free suspension systems and pneumatic slag stopper systems. 

The new shops are part of Hoa Phat's expansion into hot-rolled coil production.