Webinar—March 2024
The AIST MENA Member Chapter hosted a webinar for 97 registrants on Wednesday, 28 February 2024. The webinar, moderated by the chapter’s programming chair, Ashraf Hanna, director primary metallurgy, RHI Magnesita, focused on “Production of Special Grade Alloy Steel in Egypt.”
Presentations: 

• “Metallurgical Concepts of Alloyed Steels and Their Applications,” by Iman El-Mahallawi, Cairo University and The British University of Egypt.

• “Overview of Product Portfolio of Low-Alloy Steel and Main Production Challenges at Arcosteel,” by Ahmed Hammam, Arcosteel.

• “Market Review of Alloy Steel Supply and Demand in Egypt,” by Taha Mattar, Galala University and CMRDI.

• “Principles of the Various Vacuum Degasser Units in the Production of Alloy Steels,” by Christian Redl, INTECO Melting and Casting Technologies GmbH.

AIST Mena Steel Forum—June 2023
The Middle East North Africa Chapter hosted their AIST MENA Steel Forum in Cairo, Egypt, on 6–8 June 2023, at the Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski Cairo Hotel with 180 registrants in attendance. 

Rolling Mill Webinar—June 2022
The AIST Middle East North Africa (MENA) Member Chapter conducted a rolling mill webinar on Wednesday, 22 June 2022. Chapter program chair Ashraf Hanna, director primary metallurgy, RHI Magnesita, organized the event for the 40 registered attendees. The webinar presented recent innovation ideas, trials, and developments in rolling mill technology and applications from professionals working in the MENA region.
Moderator:

• Mohamed Shahtout, Manager — Continuous Improvement — Mega Projects, Emirates Steel.

Presentations:

• “Boosting Technology Pack­ages for the Production of Premium Rebar,” by Ricardo Masini, Head of Sales and Service, Pomini Long Rolling Mills.

• “The New Rolling Technology in MIDA Plant,” by Khaled Taha, Beni Suef Plant General Manager, Egyptian Steel.

• “Latest Achievements on Rolling Mill Technology for the Production of Bars, Wire Rods and Profiles,” by Andrea Diasparro, Vice President — Key Account Management, Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche S.p.A.

• “Introducing and Production of New Steel Grade in Egyptian Local Market B500DWR,” by Maged Eltonsy, EFS Rolling Mill Rebars Executive Manager, EZZ Steel.

Joint Webinars—March 2022
The MENA Member Chapter and Mexico Member Chapter hosted joint webinars on 23 and 24 March 2022. The theme for the two webinars was “Steel Industry From Young Professionals’ Perspectives.” The two-day event featured a total of 13 presentations from members of each of the chapters, including chapter officers and Young Professional members. There were 104 registered attendees for the webinars.
Presenters: 

• Mexico Member Chapter treasurer Jorge Fernandez, AMI Automation.

• MENA Member Chapter public relations officer Adel Skawkat, Sami Soybas Steel Industry & Trade Inc.

• Mexico Member Chapter Young Professional chair Monserrat Lopez Cornejo, Instituto Tecnológico de Morelia.

• Ahmed Adel, Zamil Steel Egypt.

• Daniela Mendoza, Ternium Mexico.

• Jose Perez, Ternium Mexico.

• MENA Member Chapter chair Mohamed Saied, EZDK Flat Steel.

• MENA Member Chapter membership chair Ahmed Mansour, EZZ Steel.

• MENA Member Chapter women in steel committee chair Marwa Abbas, Suez University.

• Grecia Guevara Flores, Ternium Mexico.

Annual Gathering—February 2022
The MENA Member Chapter hosted their annual gathering at the Kempinski Nile Garden City Hotel in Cairo, Egypt, on Friday, 25 February 2022. The gathering was the first in-person chapter event since the chapter’s founding in 2021.
The evening included presentations from chapter officers, dinner and networking among the 46 attendees. Chapter officers gave presentations on AIST, current and upcoming programming for the MENA Member Chapter, and their vision for the future growth of the chapter.

Steel Forum—30 November–2 December 2021
The Middle East North Africa (MENA) Member Chapter hosted its second virtual Steel Forum on 30 November–2 December 2021. The forum included five sessions and 102 registrants. ►Read more

Webinar—May 2021
The Middle East North Africa Member Chapter conducted an Environmental Sustainability and Energy Conservation webinar on Tuesday, 25 May. Karim Alshurafa, SMS group Inc., moderated four presentations for the audience of 133 attendees.
The webinar provided an overview of recent steel industry carbon emission reduction innovations from steel producers, academia and suppliers. Topics included: reduction in blast furnace production and the trend toward electric arc furnace steelmaking with scrap or direct reduced iron; hydrogen use in direct reduced iron processes with hydrogen created via green electricity; European developments under the Ultra-Low CO2 Steelmaking (ULCOS) program; and chemical production from waste gases.

Presentations:

• “Review of Hydrogen Steelmaking Routes,” by Karim Badr, RHI Magnesita.

• “CO2 Neutral Steelmaking Efforts Over the Past Decade,” by Thomas Bürgler, voestalpine Steel Division.

• “The Combined Efficiency of Green HBI/DRI With Smelting Technology in the MENA Region,” by Alberto Bregante, SMS group Inc.

• “Steps to Produce Greener Iron in the MENA Region,” by Amr Abdelghany, Cairo University.

Webinar — February 2021
The AIST MENA Provisional Member Chapter conducted a webinar focused on direct reduced iron (DRI) technology on Tuesday, 23 February 2021. Ashraf Hanna, RHI Magnesita and MENA Member Chapter programs chair, moderated four presentations for the audience of 95 attendees.
Presentations:

• “Effect of DRI on EAF Operation,” by Ali El-Keshawy and Omar Ahmad, EZZ Steel Mill.

• “The Direct Reduction Technology for a Sustainable Steel Industry,” by Jorge Martinez, Tenova HYL.

• “MIDREX^® Technology: The World Standard for Direct Reduction Ironmaking,” by David Oswald, Midrex

• Technologies Inc.

• “Tosyali Algérie, Largest DRI Plant in the World,” by Mohammad R. Siddiqui, Tosyali Algérie Fer et Acier.

Steel Forum—10–12 November 2020
The Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region is rich with steel production and is home to many active AIST members. AIST hosted a virtual Steel Forum specifically tailored to those in the MENA region on 10–12 November 2020. ►Read more