| Return to Steel News Headlines| Print This Page |

SMS Demag Complete Upgrade
of Former Qualitech Mill

March 24, 2004 — SMS Demag Inc., Pittsburgh, has upgraded the continuous caster and ladle metallurgy furnace (LMF) at Steel Dynamics’ (SDI) newest plant in Pittsboro, Ind., the former Qualitech Steel.

To broaden the product mix for the Pittsboro facility beyond Qualitech’s original SBQ offerings, the caster was fitted with new 7- x 7-inch molds. Expansion of the cast section sizes has allowed SDI to effectively add merchant bar quality (MBQ) grades to the original product mix.

“Part of the plan in buying Qualitech was to move beyond the limitations of the original plant design,” said Tony Faulds, SDI’s Melting & Casting Manager. “The new mold size and expanding into the MBQ market is just part of the overall plan.”

In a move to gain productivity, SDI implemented a conventional arrangement of three electrode arms. Each individually controlled arm is equipped with a single electrode. “We felt that we could get more by reverting to a conventional electrode arm arrangement,” said Mr. Faulds.

The plant was successfully re-commissioned in December 2003.

SMS Demag AG forms part of the Metallurgical Plant and Rolling Mill Technology Business Area of the SMS group. The SMS group is internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering relating to the processing of steel, non-ferrous metals and plastics. The group is divided into the Business Areas of Metallurgical Plant and Rolling Mill Technology, Tube, Long Product and Forging Technology and Plastics Technology. In the year 2002 around 9900 employees worldwide generated a turnover of approximately EUR 2.20 billion.

Close Window