Plant Operations

News items on technologies necessary to ensure the smooth operation of iron and steel mills.

Latest News

Great Lakes' Soo Locks Open Next Week

11 March 2024 - It’s an unmistakable sign of spring – iron ore shipping resumes on the Great Lakes. And this year, the season is beginning early. According the (Minneapolis, Minn.) Star-Tribune, the Soo Locks, a gateway between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes, will open on 22 March, three days ahead of schedule.

Refractories Producer to Open Tennessee Plant

06 March 2024 - German refractories manufacturer INTOCAST has broken ground on a US$20 million plant in Huntingdon, Tenn., planting its flag in the U.S. market.

Under New Ownership, HWI Expands Manufacturing Capacity

20 December 2023 - Refractories maker HWI is completing a slate of investments – and eying more in the year ahead, the company reports.

JSW Steel USA Rail Project Secures US$500K Grant

13 November 2023 - JSW Steel USA has been awarded a US$500,000 grant that will help cover costs of two rail projects at its Mingo Junction, Ohio, facility.

U. S. Steel Unveils Electric Locomotives at Two Pennsylvania Facilities

30 October 2023 - Taking a step toward meeting its sustainability goals, United States Steel Corporation has converted two diesel switcher locomotives to battery-operated locomotives, the steelmaker said Monday.

Refractory Products Distributor Opens Midwest Location

27 October 2023 - Chiz Bros., a Pittsburgh, Pa., USA, provider of custom refractory solutions, has opened a new warehouse in suburban Detroit, the company has announced.

Sarralle Bags Order for Fume Extraction System

23 October 2023 - JSW Steel subsidiary Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd. has placed an order with Sarralle for a new fume extraction system at its Tehsil, Odisha, India, facility.

SAIL Mill Contracts Japan’s Air Water for Industrial Gases

09 October 2023 - Japanese industrial gas supplier Air Water will invest the equivalent of US$90.6 million in an air separation unit as part of a new supply contract with an Indian steel mill.

SCHADE Appoints New Managing Director

09 October 2023 - AUMUND Group’s SCHADE Lagertechnik has named Jan Weckes as managing director, the German company has announced.

Acquisition Expands Primetals Technologies Cutting Tech Know-How

07 September 2023 - Primetals Technologies has acquired the assets and intellectual property of Spain’s Torch-Cutting Technologies (TCT) in a deal that will complement its offerings in cutting technology.

Tenova Roll Grinders Selected for Vietnamese Mill

01 August 2023 - Vietnam’s Hoa Phat Group has contracted Tenova Pomini to supply roll grinders at the steelmaker’s new hot rolling mill in Dung Quat, Quang Ngai province.

Brazilian Producer Adds PSI Metals’ Production Management Software

05 June 2023 - Brazil’s Villares Metals has installed PSI Metal’s production management software on a hot rolling mill as part of an effort to improve quality control, reduce operational failures and better synchronize the equipment with other assets.

PGT Trucking, Nucor Celebrate a First — A Shipment of Steel on an Electric Truck

30 May 2023 - Flatbed trucker PGT Trucking Inc. recently celebrated a milestone, hauling a shipment of steel from Nucor Corp.’s Brandenburg, Ky., USA, plant to a fabricator via a battery electric tractor, reports The Trucker newspaper.

Coatings Maker Reports Early Success With Reduced-Wear Electrode Coating

10 May 2023 - Ceramic coatings specialist ITC Coatings is trialing a dually developed graphite electrode coating and application system that so far is showing remarkable performance, the company reports.

Howe Memorial Lecture: Fiber Optic Sensorization Could Unlock New Insights

08 May 2023 - As steelmakers further digitize steel production, the need for inexpensive and densely located sensors that can withstand harsh mill environments will grow, creating an opening for optical fiber-based sensors, a leading steelmaking expert said Monday.