South Korean steel producer Dongkuk Steel has announced that it has started test runs at its new rebar mill at its Incheon plant.

Construction started on the new rebar mill in April 2011 with a budget of KRW 190 billion (US$164.2 million). The designed annual output is 1.2 million tonnes. The start-up of commercial production is scheduled for September this year.

The new mill will produce extra-high-tensile rebars (SD800) and vibration-resistant rebars (KS D3688) up to 57 mm diameter.

The mill is equipped with a 40 m water-cooling system to maximize output of high-tensile rebars. It will be able to roll 42 m per second of 10-mm rebar, compared with the general rolling speed of 26 m/s of domestic rolling mills.

To date, Dongkuk Steel has been able to produce a maximum of 1.4 million tonnes of rebars per year at its rolling lines. No. 1 and No. 2, which have respective annual output capacities of 750,000 tonnes and 650,000 tonnes.