New Steel Capacities Overview October 2021

Europe
ArcelorMittal announced that it is investing € 1.1 billion in the construction of a new DRI plant with two arc furnaces in Ghent. The recently refurbished blast furnace B will remain in operation and the facility will be converted to a steelmaking facility with less carbon-intensive production. Overall, the company hopes to reduce its annual CO2 production by three million tonnes by the end of this decade. ArcelorMittal also said it plans to replace the oxygen furnaces at its long products mill in Duisburg with EAFs.

Spanish steelmaker Megasa intends to invest 60 million euros in further modernization of its plant in Zaragoza. The project involves the complete reconstruction of one of the two rolling mills of the plant, the second has recently been renovated. The company expects to produce about 600,000 tonnes of long products, mainly commercial products, at the Zaragoza plant in 2021.

The construction of a new integrated pickling line has begun at voestalpine in Linz, Austria. The € 188 million unit is expected to have an annual production capacity of up to two million tonnes when it becomes operational in the second half of 2023.

North America
Nucor has approved the construction of a new smelter at one of its long products in the western United States. The company currently has three such facilities operating in the region - one each in Arizona, Utah and Washington DC. Nucor is investing US $ 100 million in the project, which will have an annual production capacity of 600,000 short tons when it becomes operational in 2024.

American long products manufacturer, Commercial Metals Company (CMC), has begun construction of a new micro-mill in Mesa, Arizona. The $ 300 million facility is expected to open in mid-2023. Its annual production capacity will be 500,000 short tons of steel, thirty percent of which will be commercial products. CMC plans to fund the project with proceeds from the sale of a used Rancho Cucamonga rebar plant in California, which ceased operations in December 2020.

ATI has commissioned a new EAF at its specialty steel mill in Latrobe, PA. The new unit expands the range of products that can be manufactured locally while reducing energy consumption and maintenance requirements. It is optimized for the processing of small batches of steel with varying loading volumes and intermittent operation. The furnace is replacing equipment that has reached the end of its service life.

Asian Companies
Tokyo Steel has modernized electric arc and ladle furnaces at its Kyushu steel mill. The furnaces now operate more efficiently than before, reducing the overall energy consumption of the installation by twelve percent. Steel sheet, profiles and sheet piling are produced in the Kyushu factory.

The new high speed rolling mill has successfully passed hot tests at Chengdu Changfeng Iron & Steel in Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province. The new equipment produces steel bars with diameters ranging from 12 mm to 40 mm. Its annual production capacity is up to 1.5 million tons. The company is also close to completing a major overhaul of its existing electric arc furnaces.

Fujian Fuxin Special Steel has opened a new cold rolling mill at its Zhangzhou facility. The project includes three rolling mills and an annealing and pickling line. Its annual production capacity is up to 300,000 tons.

Fujian Baotai Stainless Steel has begun construction of a new cold rolling mill at its Fuzhou site. The construction of the facility with a capacity of 1.1 million tons per year will take place in two stages. The company is investing $ 775 million in the project, which is scheduled for completion in 2024.