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READING REDEFINED ...
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IRON & STEEL REVIEW
March 2009
Tough Times Ahead |
SAIL pays Rs. 460.81 crore as interim dividend to Govt
Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) today paid Rs.460.81 crore as interim dividend to the Government of India
for the financial year 2008-09. The cheque for the amount was handed over to Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilisers and Steel Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan by SAIL Chairman Mr.S.K. Roongta this afternoon. Present on the occasion were Union Minister of State for Steel Mr. Jitin Prasada, Secretary (Steel) Mr. P.K. Rastogi, Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor (MoS) Mr. B.S. Meena, Joint Secretary (MoS) Mr.G. Elias, SAIL Director (Finance) Mr. S. Bhattacharya and SAIL Director (Technical) Mr. V.K. Gulhati.
Siemens receives Rs. 212 crore order from SAIL for Rourkela Steel Plant.
Siemens Ltd. has bagged a major order from Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) to provide extra high voltage power
distribution package at Rourkela Steel Plant, Orissa Siemens’ Industrial Solutions (IS) division, part of its Industry Sector, has bagged a turnkey order worth Rs. 2116 million (212 crore) from Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) for Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP). Siemens will provide an extra high voltage (EHV) power distribution package to the Rourkela Steel Plant for augmentation of their existing main Step Down Substations (MSDs) and installation of new MSDs. This power augmentation program will enable Rourkela Steel
Plant to enhance its production capacity from 1.9 million tonnes to 4.5 million tonnes. The power distribution package provided by Siemens will convert the power received from the grid at 220kv level and feed it into the Rolling Mills and Oxygen Plant.
VIEWPOINT
The Indian steel industry at the moment is under the clutches of recession
once again. The sharp fall in the steel prices, low demand and soaring raw material prices are the reasons and the prevailing recessionary conditions have posed the biggest challenge ever. Everybody is now trying to find out the answer to the question, how long the domestic steel industry would be able to resist this recessionary pressure? However, there is practically no guesses regarding the time when the entire scenario will revert.
STEEL INTERNATIONAL
Confirmation for Tenova strip processing from China’s Nanshan
Tenova Strip Processing Business Unit has received the Acceptance Certificate for the second aluminum coil packaging line supplied to the Nanshan Aluminum Company of Longkou Donghai, in China’s Shandong province.
New Tenova Walking Beam Furnace for Slabs at Cosipa (USIMINAS GROUP)
COSIPA and Tenova LOI Italimpianti, signed in the last December a contract for a New Walking Beam Furnace for Slabs to be installed in the new mill of the COSIPA Plant in Cubatão, Brazil.
A new Tenova pit furnace supplied to VALLOUREC & MANNESMANN (Germany).
VALLOUREC & MANNESMANN TUBES Deutschland GmbH has awarded TENOVA ITALIMPIANTI Deutschland GmbH in Düsseldorf, a Company of TENOVA LOI Italimpianti, the contract for engineering, fabrication, erection and commissioning of one pit furnace
to be installed in Düsseldorf-Reisholz.
COMPANY NEWS
Cat history ensures bright future
A long association with Caterpillar excavators has ensured a history of high productivity for a Bangalore region iron ore miner. Located in an iron ore mining hub near Hospet, M/s R Pampapathy Iron Ore Mines have favoured the Caterpillar brand since acquiring their first Cat excavator – a 330B back in 1998. Now with demand soaring from India’s booming economy, the latest
excavator to join the fleet - a Cat 330D LME, is delivering high productivity and durability.The 330D LME is engineered for extreme applications featuring a Cat C9 ACERT 200kW (268 hp) engine delivering 9% more horsepower than the previous C Series model.
New development in shot blasting machine
Shot Blast Cleaning Equipments are used for surface preparation in Foundry, Forging, Shot Peening, Strip Descaling, Plate, Billet, Wire Coil Cleaning, Stainless Steel Strip Cleaning and have many more applications. It has now become more efficient and sophisticated. Shot blasting minimizes operation cost, maintenance cost. Therefore there is need for better understanding of the basic factors which controls the process and sub assemblies, which makes up a whole Shot Blast Machine
Energy cost reduction through load balancing & load shedding
SCR controllers firing in phase angle degrade the power factor while increasing harmonics and electrical noise. A poor power factor drives increased power generation resulting in high energy costs and more CO2 emissions. Predictive Load Management (PLM) eliminates these drawbacks resulting in more effective motor performance through load balancingand
load shedding strategies.
Imatek announces integrated high speed video installation at Corus
Imatek has recently installed its Integrated High Speed Video system at the Corus Swinden Technology Centre (STC) in Rotherham. The new system will be used to improve understanding of the performance of steel at high rates of strain and for other general applications.
COVER STORY
In most likelihood, during FY2009-10, the demand will hover around 65%
While asked to comment on his mission and vision about the company, CEO Mr. Natarajan expressed his view clearly in the line that his company always strives for improvements in technology, process and quality – the three corner stones of winning long tern business mettles, according to him. With deficit supply in metallurgical coke in the domestic market, Ennore Coke will stride in a more sustained manner. This is how he describes the scope of the business. “Our vision is to be a global player by making available the best of products and services on the strength of a dedicated workforce and best business practices,” maintains the Ennore Coke CEO.
Ennore Coke’s future plans to be taken in proper time
Coke plays a very significant role in metallurgical process. It is the chief source of heat and also the reducing agent required facilitating the conversion of metallurgical ores into metal in the smelting process. With the steel industry expanding in the Eastern States and port facility handy in West Bengal, the business environment is quite conducive in West Bengal. Haldia is the ideal place for investment as Haldia Development Authority (HDA) is developing the entire region and the Kolkata Port Trust authorities have taken a series of initiatives aimed at developing the port facilities at Haldia. Regarding, infrastructure facilities required for the plant are mostly there and the rest can be set up in smaller gestation period.
FERRO ALLOYS
Andhra Ferro Alloys Limited - Ours is an ISO 9001 : 2000 company manufacturing, exporting and supplying High Carbon Ferro Chrome since 1987.
Andhra Ferro Alloys Ltd. is an ISO 9001 : 2000 certified company, commissioned in the year 1987 under the scheme of Small Scale Sector. We are a leading manufacturer, exporter and supplier of High Carbon Ferro Chrome. With our far sighted vision and strenuous efforts, our company has touched an annual sales volume of Rs.125 crore per year. We can manufacture upto 60,000 mts per year of High Carbon Ferro Chrome and are continually striving to enhance and optimize the work process by integrating latest technology.
Bad times for Indian ferro-alloys industry, but IMFA Group eyeing for operational efficiency
How is Indian ferro-alloys industry doing at present – is the most pertinent question that could be asked at the moment under the present circumstances economic slowdown in India following the global meltdown. And the answer may not possibly please everybody related to the industry in India now. It is an unfavourable phase for the ferro-alloys industry in the country.
The Current Scenario of Ferro Alloys Industry
The Ferro Alloys Industry was established as an ancillary industry to cater to the growing needs of the domestic Steel Industry during first five year plan.
The current scenario of Ferro alloys industry in India has changed due to rapid growth of Industrialization and riding on strong growth in steel demand.
The current Market demand forecast of Ferro alloys in India and International Market can cater the Indian steel industry and the International Market.
At present the anticipated production capacity of Ferro alloys in India and demand vice versa, there is more than double productions of Ferro Alloys in India as compare to demand.
FOCUS
Indian steel faces hard times to carry on during the current slump
An economy can be said as advanced, when it is backed by rapid industrialization, massive infrastructure and high living standard of the people. Rapid industrialization requires massive infrastructure, where steel plays the most dominant role in the development of industries as well as it serves to be one of the most prominent indicators of socio-economic development and living standard of the masses in any country as it has strong backward and forward linkages in terms of material flow and income generation. All the major economies are characterized by their strong steel industry and the growth of many of these economies has been largely shaped by the strength of their steel industries in their initial stages of development.
Amidst recession Indian steel to face turbulent time in the long run
This is recession time for the Indian steel industry at the moment. There is no denying of the fact that the sharp fall in the steel prices, low demand and soaring raw material prices and the prevailing recessionary conditions have posed the biggest challenge ever in front of the steel sector of the country as well after the ongoing slump hit the entire world steel industry very badly over the past few months. Now the prime question arising at this juncture is that, how long the domestic steel industry would be able to resist this recessionary pressure?
RAW MATERIAL
Coking Coals & Coke Making : Challenges & Opportunities
• The year 2008 has been the most tumultuous year for the Steel Industry as also for the global financial world. Global economy as a whole is facing one of the most difficult crisis ever faced.
• As for the steel industry, we saw unprecedented highs in the first half of the year and a rapid fall to death spiral levels by September’08.
• While such cycles are typical to steel, it is the speed of the fall that has caught us unawares.
• However, with the coordinated efforts by the government across the world, we have reasons to be optimistic and hopefully we will see a revival very soon.
AUTOMATION
Tenova LOI-Italimpianti Tracking Simulator: High Flexibility for RHF production analysis
RHFs (Roller Hearth Furnaces) connect the casting section to the rolling area of a CSP plant. Thin slabs from the casting lines are heated in the RHF up to the rolling temperature (1050-1200°C). For complying such a task a relatively short time is necessary (compared to the reheating time of a WBF fed with cold charge). The overall length of a RHF is however longer than the minimum one necessary for the heating only. An additional furnace length corresponding to some slabs to be recovered in a soaking zone is considered after the heating zone. In this way, while the continuous casting machines are feeding the RHF with thin slabs, it is possible to perform the on-line maintenance operation at the finishing mill (rolls change). The empty space inside the RHF available for recovering slabs during the mill stop (or the corresponding time available for filling up the furnace) is normally called “buffer” or “buffer-time”. The buffer depends on the casting speed (which can be adjusted only with small variations) and the rolling speed. The target is to minimize the buffer for all the possible productions in terms of: thin slabs lengths, charging temperature, casting speed, rolling speed. This condition corresponds to the minimum RHF length for a required production mix while avoiding continuous caster slow-down or even to scrap slabs due to the furnace full.
REFRACTORY
Refractories selection for steel ladles
Usiminas Steel Plant No. 2 holds 20 ladles with capacity of 160t per unity, lined with MgO-C bricks in the slag line (152mm), Al2O3-MgO-C bricks in the barrel area (152mm) and Al2O3-C bricks at the bottom (229mm).
Since the late ‘90s, Usiminas steelworks has intensified efforts to increase the life of steel ladle lining. The main focus has been on MgO-C bricks for slag line which represents a critical region in terms of performance. The outcome of this improvement can be split in three potential benefits: (i) wear uniformity and reduction of refractories consumption, (ii) increase of the operational availability of the ladles, and (iii) maintenance of the steel quality.
PRODUCT & MARKET
Initechs’ affordable world-class warehouse & transportation management solutions
Initechs, founded in 2005 in Georgia, USA with the goal to develop an affordable, world-class supply chain solution that is robust and scalable, meets the needs of small and medium, as well as large enterprise businesses. Having decades of experience in the field of logistics, distribution, and IT, Initechs encompasses expertise in supply chain management, manufacturing resource planning, warehouse, inventory and transportation management.
STEEL PLANT
Enhancement of BOF productivity through modification of hot metal transfer ladle lining at Durgapur Steel Plant
Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP) a unit of SAIL is an integrated steel plant of 2 MT capacities being upgraded to 3MT. It has a BOF shop having 3 x 110/130 ton BOF converter and Bloom and Billet caster machines. There are 5 nos. of hot metal transfer ladle of capacity 140 ton, and out of which generally 1 or 2 nos. of ladle are used at a time for carrying hot metal from Mixer to BOF. The newly relined ladles are capable of transferring 140 T hot metal but its capacity gradually reduces due to mouth jam and bottom build up resulting in increased tare weight from initial 38-40 Ton to as high as 58-61 Ton.
STEEL MARKET
Imbalances in supply and demand send US steel prices into free fall, steel price downturn extending into all developing countries
Financial problems across the region are expected to negatively affect demand over the coming months. This, coupled with weak export markets, will push transaction values for all flat products lower in the short term. De-stocking by distributors is forecast to continue during the final quarter. Consequently, mill sales volumes are likely to drop further. This may prompt local producers to further reduce selling offers in a bid to fill their depleted order books. The auto and construction industries are reported to be particularly weak, impacting heavily on cold rolled and coated figures.
STEEL TECHNOLOGY
A study on blister defects in flat steel products
“Blisters” are one of the most common surface defects observed in low carbon flat steel products intended for deep drawing application with increased severity observed in Extra Low Carbon (ELC) steels having carbon levels below 0.03 percent and Ultra Low Carbon (ULC) steels with carbon contents below 0.005 percent (ref.1,2). These generally originate from the presence of blowholes of varying shape & size located closely beneath the surface with associated non-metallic inclusions in the cast steel ingot or slab which on further rolling gets elongated in the direction of rolling and depending on their size, the high gas pressure inside them causes the formation of dome like excrescences at the rolled steel sheet surface during annealing (ref.3). Also, they are caused during pickling and electro-galvanizing of steel sheets due to entrapment of hydrogen gas forming protrusions along the rolled sheet surface.
New state of the art slab caster machines for 21st Century. Danieli davy distington machines in operation in Sollac Atlantique Dunkerque,France (Arcelor Mittal Group) and Baosteel Shanghai P.R. China.
Sollac Atlantique plant, part of ArcelorMittal group and located in Dunkerque, North France, is one of the largest integrated steel plants in Europe with a market leading position, prominent in the automotive sector.
The slab casting complex, has originally been conceived with 4 two strands machines, located in two separate melt shops. Existing slab casters had been originally supplied in the seventies by SMS Demag with the same design, with curved roll diagram and 10,5 meters radius.
Modern levelers for advanced plate grades
In plate manufacturing, flatness is becoming an increasingly challenging target as products are evolving towards harder materials along with wider thickness ranges. The growing demand for higher characteristics is fuelled by an expanding oil and pipework, shipbuilding and structural steel industry.
New ways to make plate part I – attributes of outstanding plate mills
Plate mills have always been the biggest and most imposing machines in steel rolling. The examples built in recent years, though, also have genuine claims to be among the most technically sophisticated. The plate product itself certainly has sophisticated and safety-critical applications in the energy, transport and construction industries, and with these go product standards as exacting as any in the business world.
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