According to SMS group, the mill will be built for the Estrella Group, one of the largest construction services and products group in the country. With the project, the company is vertically integrating and aims to serve growing demand domestically as well as in the Caribbean and Central America. 

The mill is to be built in two phases, with a rolling mill coming on-line first. The first phase include a billet reheat furnace and a continuous single-strand rolling mill.

“The entire rolling mill will be controlled by SMS automation, including level 1 and 2, connected to the SMS Mercury process optimization system,” SMS group said. 

The second phase of construction will center on installation of a scrap-based meltshop. 

“The scrap charging-based electric arc furnace will be equipped with the latest SMS technologies for safe and automatic operation aimed at reducing the carbon footprint. The entire melting-refining-casting process line is monitored by X-Pact level 2 system, which ensures the perfect and smooth interface with the phase-one rolling mill,” the company said. 

Commissioning is scheduled for the beginning of 2025.