Gerdau Completes Construction of Vacuum Degasser at Michigan Mill
08/04/2014 - Gerdau’s capital improvement projects at its special steel producing mill in Monroe, Mich., are making progress. In May 2014, the global steel company completed construction and start-up of its new twin tank vacuum degassing system, which was supplied by Danieli.
The new equipment is part of the facility’s overall US$155.6 million investment project that was announced in May 2010. Completion of the overall capital improvement project will bring the mill’s production capacity to approximately 800,000 tons per year.
Also included in this project is a continuous caster that became operational in October of 2012; the installation of six additional rolling mill stands and a new walking beam reheat furnace that will be completed in the fourth quarter of this year; and new straightening and quality inspection equipment that will be in use by the end of 2014. In conjunction with the rolling mill upgrades, the input billet size will increase to 210 mm squares, which will result in a higher reduction ratio that will allow Gerdau to develop new products.
“This is a time of transformation for us,” said Jack Finlayson, president of Gerdau’s North American special steel division. “We have experienced a few setbacks including weather and construction-related issues during this transition, but we have corrected them and are prepared to meet the growing demands of our customers.”
Gerdau’s North American special steel division specializes in producing special bar quality (SBQ) steel for the automotive, commercial vehicle, agricultural, service center, and energy markets. The division is headquartered in Jackson, Mich., and has steel manufacturing plants in Jackson and Monroe, Mich., and Fort Smith, Ark. Additional steel processing facilities are located in Lansing, Mich., North Vernon and Huntington, Ind., Pleasant Prairie, Wisc., and Canton, Ohio.
Gerdau is the leading manufacturer of long steel in the Americas and a major global supplier of special long steels. The company recently began operations in two new Brazilian markets, with the production of flat steel and the expansion of its iron mining activities, initiatives that are expanding its product mix and the competitiveness of its operations. With more than 45,000 employees, Gerdau has industrial operations in more than 14 countries — the Americas, Europe and Asia — with a combined installed capacity of more than 25 million tons of steel a year. It is also Latin America’s biggest recycler and, worldwide, transforms millions of tons of scrap metal into steel every year, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates. With more than 120,000 shareholders, Gerdau’s shares are listed on the New York, São Paulo and Madrid stock exchanges.
Also included in this project is a continuous caster that became operational in October of 2012; the installation of six additional rolling mill stands and a new walking beam reheat furnace that will be completed in the fourth quarter of this year; and new straightening and quality inspection equipment that will be in use by the end of 2014. In conjunction with the rolling mill upgrades, the input billet size will increase to 210 mm squares, which will result in a higher reduction ratio that will allow Gerdau to develop new products.
“This is a time of transformation for us,” said Jack Finlayson, president of Gerdau’s North American special steel division. “We have experienced a few setbacks including weather and construction-related issues during this transition, but we have corrected them and are prepared to meet the growing demands of our customers.”
Gerdau’s North American special steel division specializes in producing special bar quality (SBQ) steel for the automotive, commercial vehicle, agricultural, service center, and energy markets. The division is headquartered in Jackson, Mich., and has steel manufacturing plants in Jackson and Monroe, Mich., and Fort Smith, Ark. Additional steel processing facilities are located in Lansing, Mich., North Vernon and Huntington, Ind., Pleasant Prairie, Wisc., and Canton, Ohio.
Gerdau is the leading manufacturer of long steel in the Americas and a major global supplier of special long steels. The company recently began operations in two new Brazilian markets, with the production of flat steel and the expansion of its iron mining activities, initiatives that are expanding its product mix and the competitiveness of its operations. With more than 45,000 employees, Gerdau has industrial operations in more than 14 countries — the Americas, Europe and Asia — with a combined installed capacity of more than 25 million tons of steel a year. It is also Latin America’s biggest recycler and, worldwide, transforms millions of tons of scrap metal into steel every year, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates. With more than 120,000 shareholders, Gerdau’s shares are listed on the New York, São Paulo and Madrid stock exchanges.
