Iron & Steel Review March 2012 Issue

Highlights of the Issue

Indian Steel Industry - A Perspective

VIEWPOINT

Budget 2012-2013 'pragmatic for steel growth'
The Union Budget for the financial year 2012 - 13 has evoked mixed reactions from industries.In general, the Budget is neither disappointing nor enthusiastic.

SPECIAL FEATURE

Indian Steel Industry - A Perspective
India's IIP (Index of Industrial Production) grew by a meager 1.9 per cent in September, 2011 over 6.1 per cent in the same month of 2010. The IIP growth during April-September (H1 of 2011-12) rose by 5.0 per cent over 8.2 per cent in the same period of 2010-11. The manufacturing sector, having a weight of 75.5 per cent in the IIP grew 5.4 per cent over 8.8 per cent in H1 of 2011-12 vis-à-vis H1 of 2010-11.

NATIONAL TRENDS

Successful tandem cold mill revamping at Bokaro, India
The five-stand, 4-high tandem cold mill TCM II of SAIL Bokaro Steel (BSL) was designed, supplied and commissioned by Wean United, U.S.A., and Mecon, Ranchi, in 1989. This tandem cold mill was equipped with many features, like hydraulic AGC, manual roll-bending system, mechanized work rollchanging facilities, analog controller, programmable logic controller, computerized process control system, and data logging.

First high-capacity stainless and special steel mill commissioned in India at Bhushan Power & Steel
The project initiated by Bhusan and Danieli at the end of 2009, t o install a new, ultra-modern 500,000 - tpy rolling mill for bars, wire rod and bar-in- coil proceeds according to schedule. This rolling mill is going to be the most technologically advanced plant for steel products ever built in India to produce special and engineering steels.

Our employees are the real growth initiators - A. P. Choudhary
RINL, the holding Company of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant being the pride of Andhra Pradesh while originating from the famous slogan “Viskha Ukku - Andhrula Hakku”, celebrated its 31st Formation Day at Ukkunagaram.

GLOBAL TRENDS

• Zhejiang Kingland orders energy-efficient spiral pipe welding line

  Zhejiang Kingland Pipe Industry, of China, awarded to PWS GmbH, a SMS Meer company, the contract for supply of an off-line spiral pipe welding machine.

• Successful commissioning of 320-t duplex RH-TOP plant from SMS Mevac at the metallurgical combine of Novolipetsk

  The metallurgical combine of Novolipetsk (NLMK), located in Lipetsk, Russia, has successfully commissioned the RH-TOP plant supplied by SMS Mevac, Germany.

• Sumitomo to build JV steel unit in Vietnam

  Japan's Sumitomo Corporation and the Vietnamese company SMC are working together on a project to setup a steel processing plant.

• Timken announces Higher Performance Ratings for Tapered Roller Bearing Product Line

  The Timken Company announced an average increase of 10 per cent in calculated load ratings for Timken® tapered roller bearings used in a wide variety of mobile and industrial equipment.

• Shanxi Taigang reposition themselves with duplex RH plants from SMS Mevac

  In November 2011, Taigang Group International Trade Co. Ltd., located in Taiyuan, China, awarded SMS Mevac, Germany, and its consortium partner SMS Siemag Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., a contract to supply a new RH recirculation degasser with TOP-lance system and convert the existing fastvessel- change RH plant supplied by SMS Mevac in 1996 into a duplex RH plant.

• Preliminary results 2011: RHI continues growth course

  The RHI Group increased revenues by 15.5% to ¤ 1,758.6 million in the year 2011 (previous year: ¤ 1,522.9 million). The operating result rose by 7.1% to ¤ 148.6 million (previous year: ¤ 138.8 million).

• Outotec signs contract for slag treatment project in Chile

  Outotec has signed a contract with Chilean Codelco, the leading copper producer in the world, for the delivery of concentration technology for a slag treatment plant to be located in connection with the Potrerillos copper smelter in Northern Chile. The contract is worth some EUR 10 million.

• New special steel rolling mill with the latest technology at FuJian WuHang

  The Chinese company FuJian WuHang Stainless Steel Product Co. Ltd. from ChangLe City (FuJian Province) has placed an order with SMS Meer for the supply of the core technologies for the construction of one of the most modern special-steel rolling mills for the production of wire rod and bar ....

• Maanshan successfully commissioned SMS Mevac duplex RH plant

  Maanshan Iron & Steel (Group) Co. Ltd., located in Maanshan, China, has successfully commissioned the new duplex RH plant delivered by SMS Mevac GmbH, Germany.

• SCHADE Lagertechnik: Portal Scraper for Chrome Ore to Kazakhstan

  Early in 2012, SCHADE Lagertechnik is to deliver a portal scraper (rail track: 48m, conveying capacity: 500t/h) for chrome ore to JSC TNK Kazchrome.

FOCUS

NMDC now forays into Steel
Being the biggest iron ore manufacturer in the country, NMDC now extends its presence in the world of steel by producing steel plant in Chhattisgarh. Shri N.K. Nanda, Chairman and Managing Director, NMDC and “STAR PSU” freshly awarded by Business Standard, discusses about the company’s acquisition plans, turnover quotient and investment procedures with Mr. Santosh Mahanti, Editor, Iron & Steel Review.

FACE TO FACE

VELCO – a consistent partner of global foundry, steel and refractory industry
Be it worldwide foundry, steel or the refractory industry- VELCO, for the last 4 decades has been supporting these relative areas with proper efficacy. Mr. Christian Wolf, Managing Director, VELCO shares the company's norms about business, new and innovative technologies and the ultimate aim being satisfying its customers, with Mr. Santosh Mahanti, Editor, Iron & Steel Review.

Our goal is optimum expansion of business areas throughout the globe
Our objective lies in expanding the business areas on a global note - says Mr. Jean- Christophe Mies, Project Manager-Metal Industry, Fuchs-Lubritech U.K. Ltd. While serving the refractory and steel industries with its product patterns, he discusses the market competition and potentials on the road ahead with Mr. Santosh Mahanti, Editor, Iron & Steel Review.

COMPANY NEWS

Linsinger sets new standards in milling stainless steel
Stainless steel is a hard nut to crack for milling machines. It readily clogs the cutting tool due to its toughness. The varying chemical compositions and mechanical properties of the individual types of stainless steel require completely different cutting and tension parameters to nonalloy steels; the maximum processing speed is correspondingly lower. Efficient machining of stainless steels therefore poses a significant challenge.

MARKET & PRODUCT

SK 200E now up to 22kW
NORD DRIVESYSTEMS has extended its SK 200E family of decentralized drive solutions with a new size 4 inverter with a rated power output from 11 to 22kW.

New Rockwell Automation Power Monitors help Companies control and reduce Industrial Energy Consumption
Two new Allen-Bradley power monitors from Rockwell Automation provide manufacturers with scalable, cost-effective insight into how, when and where energy is being used throughout the production process.

COMPANY PROFILE

Tenova HYL - “facilitating the way to successful projects”
Tenova HYL, a company of the Techint group, has joined with Danieli to form the Energiron alliance which allows the three companies to merge their know-how and technology for the design and construction of Gas Based Direct Reduction Plants under the new Energiron trademark.

Supplier of first class second-hand machinery from Germany
Teutenberg Maschinen, founded in 1966, specializes in the worldwide purchase and sale of first class, fully reconditioned second-hand machinery and complete installations for the production and treatment of semi-finished steel and non-ferrous wires, bars, tubes, sheets, strips and plates.

MINERALS & METALS

Iron ore pellets as the future metallic source for steelmaking through Induction Furnace Route
All the above factors went technically in favour of IF. But the basic disadvantage in IF production process remained as the limitation of refining scope within IF but, still achieved great success in serving the better part of the vibrant construction segment. But, only paining aspect that continually pinched the IF industry is the dependency on raw material supply, wild fluctuation thereof and lacking other infrastructural supports and overall stability.

STRUCTURAL STEEL

Cost effective ways to protect Steel Structures from Environment
Steel corrodes when exposed to myriad conditions including outdoor atmosphere. It is noteworthy that all types of steel including the low alloy type are prone to rust in moist atmosphere. Rusting is an electrochemical process characterized by exchange of electrons. In some cases, the additions of 0.3% copper to carbon steel can reduce the rate of rusting to a greater extent.

New minimill for structural and engineering steel at Jayaswal Neco, India
Jayaswal Neco Industries Ltd. (JNIL), a private group of companies active in steelmaking and castings, has selected Danieli as the sole technological supplier for its entire new minimill to be installed in Raipur, in the state of Chhattisgarh. The minimill will produce heavy bars and sections and will include a new, 570,000 tpy meltshop and a 400,000 tpy SBQ and medium-section rolling mill.

COKE MAKING

The Coke-Oven Watchcat
A new camera-based coke-oven monitoring system originally developed by Finnish steel producer Ruukki (Rautaruukki Oyj) and a technology partner was first implemented at the coke-oven plant of Ruukki’s Raahe Steel Works. This innovative solution, referred to as Pumas (PUshing MAnagement System), contributes to improved productivity and safety in cokemaking. Various coke-oven criteria and parameters are measured, examined and documented during the coke-oven pushing sequence. The system incorporates an optimized battery-machine positioning and interlocking system from Siemens VAI, which now offers Pumas technology on a worldwide basis.

ROLLING MILLS

Morgoil Bearing Technological Upgrade in Ternium-Siderar Hot Strip Mill
The life of a rolling mill is very long, but technology that was state-of-the-art 10, 20, or 30 years ago has been surpassed. Contemporary bearing technology allows new mills to produce higher quality product at increased capacity and less cost than older mills. The purpose of this paper is to explain how upgrades can allow mills with older bearings to compete with new mills.

AUTOMOTIVE STEEL

Automotive Steel : lifeline of the automobile industry
The automobile industry is one of the key industry arenas following an economic environment. This sector is exposed to significant modes of development which in turn results to optimum growth. Automotive Steel rises as the lifeline of this related industry eccentuating maximum benefits, thus helping in grabbing the most attained developmental norms paving the way for better growth.

AUTOMATION

Danieli Automation Control Systems for the New Plate Mill The Level 2 application software includes the latest, fieldproven Danieli setup models (Piece Thermal model, Hot Strength model, Force and Torque model, Roll Stack Deflection model, Roll Thermal Crown model, Roll wear model, Accelerated Cooling model) developed to achieve the best plate product quality, thanks to the advanced auto-adaptive technology. Optimal rolling schedule and following setup of the plate mill actuators is therefore automatically generated based on piece primary data input (PDI).

Industry-leading Companies join Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork Program
Two new product suppliers have joined the Rockwell Automation Encompass third-party, product-referencing program in the Americas region, while three partners have expanded their Encompass membership to serve manufacturers in additional regions around the globe. In addition, six machine builders have joined the Rockwell Automation Machine Builder Program.

STEEL TECHNOLOGY

New world record in ultra high speed casting
Posco CEM-Compact Endless Mill, commissioned in April 2009 with the single-strand Danieli Ultra High Speed Thin Slab Caster, is in line with the target productivity and performances that was designed to achieve, with a yearly productivity of 1.8 Mtpy. After the plant scheduled shutdown in November 2010, the production has been stabilized consistently at 90% of the target rate, having been at an average of 130,000 tonne per month with the monthly record of 141,000 t achieved in March 2011.

REFRACTORY

Resurgence of Direct Reduced Iron Making in India - Process Regimes and Challenges in Refractories
Sponge iron or Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) is the product obtained from direct reduction of iron oxide (lump ore /haematite) and having an iron content of 84-93%. During the reduction process, oxygen in the iron ore is eliminated, leaving void space and the mass becomes spongy. India is currently the world's largest producer of DRI since year 2001.

WIRE & TUBE SPECIAL

More exhibition space booked for wire 2012 and Tube 2012
In a few days that time will have come round again: The leading international trade fairs for the wire, cable and pipe and tube segments will be pr e s ent i ng the i r world innovations in Düsseldorf. Trade visitors from all over the world are expected.