TRANSPORTATION & HANDLING
INNOVATIONS
USA UPDATE
PERSPECTIVES Q&A
Russian steelmaker Severstal discusses large diameter pipes
The latest global contracts and new products news for the steel industry.
Will Joe Biden hold on to Donald Trump’s steel tariffs?
Mo Ahmed, global segment solutions (metals) at Schneider Electric
Since 1866
www.steeltimesint.com November/December 2021 - Vol.45 No8
STEEL TIMES INTERNATIONAL – November/December 2021 – Vol.45 No8
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CONTENTS – NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
TRANSPORTATION & HANDLING
INNOVATIONS
USA UPDATE
PERSPECTIVES Q&A
Russian steelmaker Severstal discusses large diameter pipes
The latest global contracts and new products news for the steel industry.
Will Joe Biden hold on to Donald Trump’s steel tariffs?
Mo Ahmed, global segment solutions (metals) at Schneider Electric
Since 1866
2 Leader By Matthew Moggridge.
www.steeltimesint.com November/December 2021 - Vol.45 No8
STEEL TIMES INTERNATIONAL – November/December 2021 – Vol.45 No8
Front cover: Taylor-Winfield
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EDITORIAL Editor Matthew Moggridge Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855151 matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com Consultant Editor Dr. Tim Smith PhD, CEng, MIM Production Editor Annie Baker Advertisement Production Martin Lawrence SALES International Sales Manager Paul Rossage paulrossage@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855116 Sales Director Ken Clark kenclark@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855117 Managing Director Tony Crinion tonycrinion@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855164
31 Process control Measuring coal levels using radar.
4 News round-up The latest global steel news.
34 Iron ore Steelmakers – decarbonize now!
8 Innovations New products and contracts.
36 Transportation & handling Complex steel pipe deliveries.
16 Innovations special Upgrade gives 40% capacity boost
42 Transportation & handling Shaping the future of logistics.
18 USA update Tariffs: Biden under scrutiny. 20 Latin America update What a difference a steel mill makes! 22 India update Indian steelmakers raise production capacities.
Chief Executive Officer Steve Diprose SUBSCRIPTION Jack Homewood Tel +44 (0) 1737 855028 Fax +44 (0) 1737 855034 Email subscriptions@quartzltd.com Steel Times International is published eight times a year and is available on subscription. Annual subscription: UK £215.00 Other countries: £284.00
44 Transportation & handling The right equipment for the job. 48 Perspectives Q&A: Schneider Electric We talk to Mo Ahmed, global segment solutions (metals). 51 History Recent finds at a Wealden furnace.
24 Minimills Boom time for US electric steelmakers.
2 years subscription: UK £387.00 Other countries: £510.00 3 years subscription: UK £431.00 Other countries: £595.00 Single copy (inc postage): £47.00 Email: steel@quartzltd.com Published by:
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Quartz Business Media Ltd, Quartz House, 20 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QX, England. Tel: +44 (0)1737 855000 Fax: +44 (0)1737 855034 www.steeltimesint.com Steel Times International (USPS No: 020-958) is published monthly except Feb, May, July, Dec by Quartz Business Media Ltd and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville, PA. POSTMASTER send address changes to Steel Times International c/o PO Box 437, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Printed in England by: Pensord, Tram Road, Pontlanfraith, Blackwood, Gwent NP12 2YA, UK ©Quartz Business Media Ltd 2021
ISSN0143-7798
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November/December 2021
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LEADER
Climate Cop out – it’s not the end of the world
Matthew Moggridge Editor matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com
I always feel slightly embarrassed when world leaders get together to discuss important issues, like the ‘climate emergency’. The very thought that Boris Johnson, our buffoon of a Prime Minister, (ridiculous haircut, ill-fitting suit, shirt hanging out) is going to be hobnobbing with real politicians makes me ashamed to be British. I get a strong sense that the world is laughing behind his and the British public’s back and wondering how it ever came to pass that such a ridiculous specimen of humanity is bumbling around and leading the country into a ditch. I would imagine that some Americans felt the same way when the 45th President of the United States of America turned out to be Donald Trump. No doubt they recoiled in horror as his horned supporters stormed the Capitol Building at the beginning of the year. Did Johnson fly to Glasgow or take the train? I can’t remember, but he probably took to the skies without a thought for the planet; and it turns out that other world leaders did the same, although, in all honesty, I can’t really expect them to jump on a catarmaran like Greta Thunberg, they would have missed the conference
and then where would we be? Well, to answer that question, the outcome would probably have been the same. The end result has been widely acknowledged as a bit of a cop out. Thunberg, it seems, was right with her ‘blah, blah, blah’. But I’ve always been an optimist and my take on the whole climate thing is that we will get there, the wheels are already turning: electric cars are now a reality, petrol vehicles will be phased out, it is possible to make steel using hydrogen and there is a growing awareness ‘on the street’ that something needs to be done and fast. Ordinary people can make a big difference if they’re given the correct infrastructure (like cycle lanes), cheaper and safer public transport and a willingness to accept that if they are not farmers they don’t need to drive a four-by-four vehicle. Outside of that I’m putting my faith in industry. I know for a fact that the global steel industry is more than doing it’s bit for the environment and that zero carbon steelmaking will soon be a reality. And while the leaders of Russia and China didn’t show up in Glasgow, here’s hoping they see sense and join with Western leaders to protect our planet for future generations.
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November/December 2021
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NEWS ROUND-UP
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• Russian steelmaker NLMK Europe is expanding its programme to monitor the health of critical assets after completing a successful pilot with new machine learning technology at its hot strip mill in NLMK La Louvière, Belgium. The company plans to roll out the SAM4 system from Dutch tech company Samotics across its other sites in Europe. Source: NLMK, 5 October 2021
• American steel giant Nucor Corporation has announced the launch of Econiq™, a line of net-zero carbon steel products. According to Nucor, building the green economy and the necessary infrastructure requires clean, advanced steel products. By introducing Econiq, the steelmaker claims it is providing confidence for steel consumers to know they are purchasing a steel product with the lowest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on the market. Source: Nucor Corporation, 5 October 2021
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• The Energy Intensive Users Group (EIUG), which represents the UK's energy intensive industries (Ells), has today set-out the measures required to help ensure that the UK’s energy intensive industries continue operating this winter. They have called on the British Government and Ofgem for the immediate implementation of several emergency measures to achieve their goal. Source: Energy Intensive Users Group, 5 October 2021.
• There were sighs of relief for Liberty Steel UK workers as the company announced it had secured a £50 million cash boost to safeguard 660 jobs at the company's Rotherham mill. The money means that Liberty can restart its electric arc furnaces, the workers can return to work and the company can continue its plan to expand Rotherham's capacity and, ultimately, start producing 2Mt of green steel per annum. Source: Liberty Steel, 10 October 2021
• US steel mills shipped 8.4Mt (net tons), a 28.7% increase from the 6.53Mt (net tons) shipped in August 2020, according to figures released by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Shipments were up 1.5% from the 8.27Mt (net tons) shipped during the previous month (July 2021). Shipments yearto-date in 2021 are 62.6Mt (net tons), a 16.5% increase when compared with 2020 shipments of 53.7Mt (net tons) for eight months. Source: AISI, 13 October 2021
• Sajjan Jindal, chairman and managing director of JSW Steel, has been elected chairman of the World Steel Association for the year 2021-22. He is joined on the Executive Board of Directors by YU Yong of HBIS group and Jeong-Woo Choi as vice chairman; Mark Vassella from Bluescope Steel as treasurer; and Timoteo Di Maulo from Aperam as chairman of the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF). Source: World Steel Association, 14 October 2021
• Harsco Corporation, a leading global player providing environmental solutions for industrial and specialty by-products, has announced that its Harsco Environmental division has entered into an exclusive strategic relationship with Magsort Ltd. The aim is to bring world-leading metal recovery technology to the steel industry. Source: Harsco Corporation, 13 October 2021
Figures released by the International Molybdenum Association (IMOA) show that global production of molybdenum fell 3% to 142.8 million pounds (mlbs) in Q2 2021 when compared to the same quarter of 2020, a 2% fall when compared to Q1 2021. IMOA is a nonprofit trade association, representing the majority of the molybdenum industry worldwide. Source: IMOA, 20 October 2021
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22/11/2021 14:06:06
NEWS ROUND-UP
• Metalloinvest, a leading global iron ore and HBI producer and supplier, and a leading Russian producer of high-quality steel, has announced the election of a new board of directors and the creation of a sustainability committee. Alexander Blumhardt and Manfred Grundke were elected to the board for the first time as independent directors. Grundke is heading up the newly established sustainability committee and is joined by Nazim Efendiev, CEO of Management Company Metalloinvest, USM deputy CEO Pavel Mitrofanov and Alexander Blumhardt. Source: Metalloinvest, 20 October 2021
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• Ahead of the European Council meeting, the European Steel Association (EUROFER) called for immediate support to address skyrocketing energy prices, which endanger the post-pandemic recovery, coupled with structural measures to secure the affordable low carbon energy required to meet the objectives of the EU Green Deal. Source: EUROFER, 20 October 2021.
• Indian steelmaker JSW is setting up a 120kt/yr colour-coated steel manufacturing facility. The plant will offer special lines to produce what is known as ‘steel sandwich panels’ and steel doors for the Jammu and Kashmir markets. Land in Pulwama, which is 25km from Srinagar, has been allocated to the company for development. Source: The Hindu Business Line, 25 October 2021.
• Indian integrated stainless steel manufacturer Jindal Stainless (Hisar) Limited (JSHL) has commissioned a 26kt/yr precision strip mill as part of a phase one development for the latest brownfield expansion plan of its state-of-the-art speciality products division (SPD). JSHL’s steelmaking facilities include melting, casting, hot rolling, cold rolling and other value additions. The company has a melt capacity of 800kt/yr. Source: Jindal Stainless (Hisar) Ltd, 26 October 2021
• A joint venture agreement has been finalised between Pilbara Minerals and South Korean steelmaker POSCO concerning the development of a $750 million lithium hydroxide conversion plant in South Korea. The new facility, to be located in Gwangyang, will meet increased demand for electric vehicles. Source: Reuters, 26 October 2021.
• Tata Steel operates one of the first large-scale auto-shredding facilities in India. According to Yogesh Bedi, the man heading up Tata’s steel recycling business, it is important that end-oflife vehicles (ELVs) are processed in order to complete the circular economy loop. As the steel industry transitions to a scrap-based production model, there are currently around nine million ELVs in India ready for dismantling/shredding and there will be an additional 2.8 million by 2025. Source: Recycling Today, 27 October 2021.
• The coveted Industry Exporter of the Year award has gone to Russian steelmaker MMK at the federal district stage of the All-Russian Exporter of the Year Awards. The company took first place in the large businesses category and was presented with the award at a ceremony held in Yekateringburg on 26 October. Oleg Fedonin, head of department for external economic activity and automotive sales, accepted the award. Source: Market Screener, 27 October 2021. www.steeltimesint.com
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NEWS ROUND-UP
• Tata Steel and Tata Power in India have joined forces to develop a 41MW grid-connected solar project in Jharkhand and Odisha. Both companies have signed a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement. Tata Power will develop photo voltaic (PV) capacities for Tata Steel in Jamshedpur (21.97MWp) and Kalinganagar (19.22MWp). It is believed the project will help save around 45.2kt of CO2 per year. Source: Economic Times, 29 October 2021. • A new 30-megawatt generator at Tata Steel’s Port Talbot site in South Wales, will reduce its energy bill by millions of pounds every year, claims the UK steel manufacturer. As energy prices rocket, the huge generator is claimed to bring environmental benefits as more process gases from the blast furnaces, steelmaking plant and coke ovens can be converted into useful energy – reducing emissions from external power generation by more than 40kt of CO2 a year. Source: Tata Steel, 27 October 2021.
• Metalloinvest has contracted with Primetals Technologies and consortium partner Midrex Technologies, Inc. to supply a new US$600 million HBI Plant (HBI-4) at Lebedinsky GOK (LGOK). The plant will be located in Gubkin, Russia, and will be designed to produce 2.08Mt (metric tons) of HBI per annum. Source: Metalloinvest, 27 October 2021
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• The USA and the European Union (EU) have reached an agreement over steel (and aluminium) tariffs, which will remove charges on more than US$10 billion of exports annually. Agreement between negotiators was reached on Saturday 30 October in Rome, where the G20 summit was taking place. A deal between the USA and EU had been expected, according to news reports. The aim was to reach agreement before 1 December 2021 when the EU was planning to double retaliatory tariffs. Source: Various, 31 October 2021 Sandvik Materials Technology has secured an order for nuclear tubes and pipes from a low carbon energy company for the development of nuclear power stations in the UK. SMT will supply nuclear tubes and pipes in 29 dimensions in grade 3R65, a molybdenum-alloyed austenitic stainless chromiumnickel steel. The tubes will connect systems close to the second reactor at the Hinkley Point C power station in Bristol, England. Source: Sandvik Materials Technology, 31 October 2021. • Rio Tinto and BlueScope plan to work together to explore low-carbon 'steelmaking pathways' using Pilbara iron ores. The two companies will look at the use of clean hydrogen to replace coking coal at BlueScope’s Port Kembla steelworks. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed and the two businesses plan to research and design low-emissions processes for the steel value chain, including iron ore processing, iron and steelmaking and related technologies. Source: Rio Tinto, 1 November 2021
Metinvest, the international vertically integrated group of steel and mining companies, and Danieli, a leading Italian plant builder for the metals industry, have signed a memorandum of understanding for the development and implementation of technologies for green and low-carbon steel production. The parties will explore implementing new technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of Metinvest’s facilities in Ukraine and the European Union. Source: Metinvest, 1 November 2021.
• To maximise efficiency and reduce energy costs, Liberty Steel’s Greensteel Rotherham facility is planning to operate between 2300hrs and 0600hrs when production resumes on site. The plant produces steel for the infrastructure and high-value engineering markets. Production capacity in the region of 50kt/month is envisaged and follows on from funding by GFG Alliance, Liberty’s parent company. Source: Pesmedia, 1 November 2021.
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NEWS ROUND-UP
• The European Steel Association (EUROFER) has welcomed the statement of the EU and the US to tackle jointly shared challenges in the steel and aluminium sectors, including negotiating an arrangement on carbon intensity and global overcapacity, and replacing the Trump era 25% tariff measure on EU steel imports by a tariff-rate quota regime (TRQ) based on historical volumes. The arrangement between the US and the EU, says EUROFER, is a first important step in favour of a globally decarbonised industry in light of COP26 negotiations. Source: EUROFER, 2 November 2021.
• Russian steelmaker Severstal, one of the world's leading vertically integrated steel and steel-related mining companies, has developed a Climate Memorandum entitled Together towards a low-carbon Future in support of global efforts to prevent further climate change. Schneider Electric and Air Liquide are the first partners to join the initiative to collaborate on ensuring a sustainable low-carbon future. Source: Severstal, 12 November 2021. • Leading European steelmaker Tata Steel is improving its service and distribution centre in Lisburn, Northern Ireland as well as updating its logistics fleet of vehicles as it seeks to secure an uninterrupted supply of material to customers in the important Ireland markets. A new £1.2 million steel roof, made with the company’s own high-spec roofing products, has been installed at the Lisburn site which ensures steel destined for the Irish markets can be stored and processed in the best condition before delivery. Source: Tata Steel, 5 November 2021
• The Russian NLMK Group, a global steel company, received multiple awards at MetalExpo’2021, the 27th International Industrial Exhibition, for projects aimed at developing energy-efficient steel grades, increasing equipment productivity, and enhancing customer service. It also topped Expo’s Best Exhibition Stand contest. Source: NLMK, 16 November 2021.
• Nucor Corporation’s flat-rolled mill in Gallatin, Kentucky, USA, is temporarily shutting down from 23 November to 17 December for planned maintenance and the commissioning of a new electric arc furnace, according to a report by Argus Media. It is believed that the outage from the shutdown will take around 110kt of hot-rolled coil out of the market. The plant’s galvanising line will continue to run. Source: Argus Media, 16 November 2021.
• Russian steelmaker TMK, one of the world’s leading producers of tubular products for the oil and gas industry, took part in the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (15-18 November). During the event, TMK showed off its high-tech products and held a series of meetings with its key partners from the Middle East and North Africa to discuss expanding co-operation and promoting its new products and services. Source: TMK, 17 November 2021.
• GFG Alliance has appointed Toker Ozcan (pictured left) as CEO, Greensteel EMEA for Liberty Steel Group, as the company further strengthens its international management team to lead the global transition to zero carbon steel. Ozcan brings 30 years of experience in metals and mining, will oversee GFG’s GREENSTEEL operations in the UK, Poland and India, and lead the Group’s downstream operations in Europe. Source: Liberty Steel Group, 17 November 2021.
November/December 2021
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22/11/2021 14:08:40
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INNOVATIONS
ABB – improving quality, lowering costs
Tata Steel’s flagship plant in Jamshedpur, India, is to take delivery of electromagnetic braking systems from leading global tech company ABB. They will be installed on two compact strip production casters working under contract from Germany’s SMS Group. Jamshedpur, located in the eastern state of Jharkhand, is India’s first planned industrial city and was established following the founding of Tata Iron and Steel Company by Jamsetji Tata and his son Dorabji Tata in the 1900s. ABB's scope of supply includes DCS800 DC drives, dry type transformers, water cooling systems, commissioning services and metallurgical performance evaluation. The company is contracted through SMS, which specializes in plant construction and mechanical engineering for the
steel and non-ferrous metals industries. ABB EMBR is installed on 40% of thin slab casting strands worldwide and is claimed to allow for higher quality and faster throughput. The technology was invented by ABB in 1985 and, claims the company, enables steelmakers to achieve steel cleanliness similar to conventional vertical bending casters, improve casting speed and increase the life time of mold copper plates. By generating a static magnetic field, which decreases meniscus metal flow speed and turbulence, the ABB EMBR provides a range of metallurgical improvements including elimination of mold powder entrapments, a more even molten mold powder layer and a meniscus which is flatter, hotter and less turbulent. “The project at Tata Steel in Jamshedpur is a
key order for ABB,” said Raghu Badrinathan, area sales manager – ABB Metallurgy. “It builds on our large installed base with premier steel producers around the world.” “Tata Steel is a highly-valued customer for ABB and it is our continuous endeavor to provide the best-in-class technology and solutions to them,” said Vipul Gautam, group vice president, global account executive for Tata Group, ABB. “We believe that our metallurgy solutions and particularly the ABB EMBR solution will help them to achieve superior performance of their casters in minimum time, lowering their cost of production while improving quality.” For further information, log on to www.abb.com
Berry-Luxmet deal to optimize EAF production Berry Metal has joined forces with Luxmet in a new business partnership that will offer customers the latter’s ArcSpec EAF automation technology together with Berry’s overall offering of EAF solutions designed to help customers further optimize EAF production in the North American marketplace. November/December 2021
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Luxmet offers high-temperature process monitoring and control systems for the steel and metal industries. The company’s main product, the ArcSpec system, has been proven to significantly reduce power consumption and increase the production capacity of electric arc furnaces. Berry Metal is a leading provider of furnace
technology for steelmaking and ironmaking. The company’s goal is to provide customers with the latest technology to improve efficiency, lower operating costs, and increase throughput in the steel and ironmaking process. According to Berry Metal Company, the combined technology of the partnership will allow www.steeltimesint.com
23/11/2021 09:40:19
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INNOVATIONS
Headline: AUMUND offers maintenance bundles (Pic B)
Maintenance package from AUMUND Group PREMAS® 360° is a maintenance package from AUMUND Group that combines a range of the company’s services into packages at just one price. AUMUND claims to provide all-round maintenance support, wherever and whenever it is needed and these packages – basic, advanced and premium – bundle extended warranties, offer physical inspections and cutting edge Industry 4.0 (IoT) constant monitoring of AUMUND and non-AUMUND conveying equipment as well as offering technical training, inventory, warehouse facilities, emergency remote support and full
customers to gain real time EAF process control and automation resulting in: faster melting process and improved output and efficiency; reduced tap-to-tap times; better-timed scrap charging; elimination of blowback; extended lining/equipment life; as well as decreasing electrode and power consumption. George Boy, the president of Berry Metal, said he was pleased to offer enhanced EAF automation through his company’s partnership with Luxmet. “This is a win for customers, for Berry Metal www.steeltimesint.com
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maintenance consulting programmes. According to AUMUND, achieving high production while maintaining high machine reliability is challenging. “With PREMAS® 360° AUMUND puts customer service to the forefront. Our goal is to reassure machine availability and reliability through the simplicity and flexibility of a fully bundled maintenance solution, to be a partner to our customers assisting them to reach operation excellence,” said Dr. Pietro de Michieli, managing director of AUMUND Fördertechnik GmbH.
and for Luxmet,” he said, adding that the first installations of ArcSpec technology are already planned and that significant interest is expected from customers in the North American market. “We provide customers with new innovations and advanced technologies that help improve their efficiency, lower costs and increase steelmaking throughput," said Boy Mikko Jokinen, managing director of Luxmet,
AUMUND says that the expectations put on maintenance managers are high. Production managers expect high machine reliability, short downtime and maximum capacity, and all at the lowest costs. The company claims it has a deep understanding of these challenges and is committed to working side-by-side with customers to realize them. All three of the packages available can be adjusted as needed, claims AUMUND. For further information, log on to www.aumund.com
commented: “We see this as an excellent opportunity for both companies, as together with Berry Metal, we are able to offer total solutions for significantly improving the EAF process. We are very excited about this co-operation.”
For further information, log on to www.berrymetal.com or www.luxmet.fi
November/December 2021
23/11/2021 09:40:54
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INNOVATIONS
Superior analytical performance from Q4 POLO?
Q4 POLO is a compact Spark Optical Emission Spectrometer (OES) from Bruker, which, it is claimed, offers superior analytical performance for a multitude of applications across the metals industry. The Q4 POLO extends Bruker’s line of benchtop OES systems, combining high precision elemental analysis capabilities with low cost of ownership and a small footprint. In addition to best-in-class analytical performance for the large element range from lithium (Li) to bismuth (Bi), the Q4 POLO is said to enable applications previously not addressable by such compact instruments, such as: outstanding precision, particularly on light elements; excellent results when analyzing cast iron; reliable analysis of nitrogen at low ppm levels in low-alloyed steels; and analysis of oxygen in copper, are all claims to be possible with Bruker’s new spectrometer. According to Bruker, the Q4 POLO offers ‘incredible long-term stability’. The absence of November/December 2021
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thermal- and contamination-based drifts, for example, reduces the need for cleaning and recalibrations, leading to stable results around the clock, says Bruker. The company’s patented Automatic Ambient Compensation (AAC™) ensures that the optical system keeps its focus by eliminating thermal drift. The new ArgonShield™ prevents contamination of the optical window during measurements while the active sensing digital SmartSpark™ source further improves analytical precision and long-term stability, enabling shorter measurement times. The coverage of the full elemental range is achieved by a unique electromagnetic light junction as a core component of the MultiVisionTM optics. The Q4 POLO is described by Bruker as ‘the ready-to-analyze solution’ from day one. It covers all relevant elements and wide concentration ranges. Each base metal package includes all dedicated alloy groups, calibrations, and standardization samples. At the same time, the Q4
POLO provides high uptime, low maintenance, and hassle-free operation. “With its impressive analytical performance, stability, and compactness, the Q4 POLO is extending the capabilities of compact spark-OES. The Q4 POLO combines multiple innovations to reach performance levels not achieved before in compact metal analyzers,” claims Dr. Peter Paplewski, product line manager for Bruker’s OES analysis business. Dr. Paplewski said that reliable, high precision analysis is now available for every foundry and production floor, adding that the Q4 Polo’s unique features will help users to obtain compositional results faster, easier, and more cost-effectively than ever before.
For further information, log on to www.bruker.com/q4polo www.steeltimesint.com
23/11/2021 09:41:15
INNOVATIONS
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Brokk Cart claims to improve efficiency Bricking Solutions, a supplier of refractory installation equipment, has partnered with parent company, Brokk, a leading manufacturer of remote-controlled demolition machines, to offer the Brokk Cart. The wheeled cart improves efficiency when moving remote-controlled demolition robots across hard, level surfaces, such as those in a maintenance shop, and provides operators with a sturdy transportation and storage solution. Heather Harding, Bricking Solutions’ managing director, commented: “While we might be best known for our EX Flexx50 Bricking Machine, every product in our line-up addresses a challenge we saw in the industry. The Brokk Cart is no exception.” Engaging the robot’s power to reposition it in a shop puts an unnecessary drain on productivity and resources. With diesel robots, using a Brokk Cart allows for quick transportation from one location to another while limiting emissions and fuel consumption. For electric units, the cart means crews don’t have to unroll power cables or have immediate access to a generator or high-voltage outlet just to move short distances. Additionally, in maintenance situations or in case of power failure, contractors can load the demolition robot onto the cart and then easily move it around the shop without having to use a forklift in tight spaces. The Brokk Cart features fork truck pockets for easy manoeuvrability with support equipment. Six
swivel feet allow one to two operators to push the cart and its cargo by hand. Once the cart and robot arrive at their destination, the cart’s levelling feet are lowered for stability. From there, the demolition robot can be offloaded or remain on the cart for maintenance or storage. The Brokk Cart is made from T6-6061 aircraft-grade aluminium and can support up to 1,814 kg (4,000 pounds). Designed with Brokk demolition robots in mind, it is adjustable for use with the 560 kg (1,235-pound) Brokk 70, Brokk 110, Brokk 120DII all the way up to the 1,600 kg (3,527 pound) Brokk 170. The cart bed is 226
centimetres (89 inches) in length and has an adjustable width from 74cm to 109cm (29 to 43 inches). Low ground clearance means it can also be used with other demolition robots and small, tracked machines. In addition to the Brokk Cart, Bricking Solutions manufactures customized kiln access ramps and work platforms to increase efficiency and safety for refractory and other maintenance applications. For further information, log on to www.brickingsolutions.com
Electric reach trucks from Doosan Doosan, a leading manufacturer of robust high-performance forklift trucks, has introduced a range of electric reach trucks. The BR14JW 9-Series combines faster operating speeds with advanced ergonomics and greater driver comfort, says Doosan. The 9-Series is available in six moving-mast models with capacities ranging between 1,400 to 2,500 kg, and in three chassis types: heavy, narrow or standard. All models are equipped with Doosan’s Guardian Stability System and Smart Sensor control, reducing mast oscillation by 40%, it is claimed, and therefore offering greater stability and safer load handling when operating at heights of up to 13m. The BR14J-9 and BR16J-9 models are 12% narrower than previous Doosan models, while the BR20JW-9 and BR25JW-9 can carry loads of up to 2 tonnes and 2.5 tonnes respectively. Standard models, like the BR14JW-9 and BR16JW-9, are claimed to offer all-round value and performance for standard applications. According to Doosan, its 9-Series offers 15% faster travel speeds, 20% faster lifting speeds and 10% faster lowering speeds. Maximum manoeuvrability is available to the
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driver with a choice between 180 deg or 360 deg steering. The latter is easier on arms, wrists and shoulders when changing direction quickly or manoeuvering in tight spaces, says Doosan. In terms of ergonomics, the cab is designed for operator comfort and to reduce fatigue, with a fully adjustable premium Grammer suspension seat as standard, and all-round visibility for safer manoeuvring and greater awareness. An upgraded mast design improves forward visibility and a new diagonal overhead guard offers enhanced visibility of the fork tips when working at height. An adjustable steering column, an easy and
intuitive instrument panel, a wider armrest and plenty of leg room for driver comfort are all standard features. Optional extras include: Pre-height selection, side-shift auto-centring function, auto-tilt leveling, mast laser indicator, fork camera and joystick control. Doosan claims that businesses across a broad spectrum of industry will benefit from the improved efficiency, speed and performance offered by the 9-Series electric reach trucks. For further information, log on to www.doosanflt.com
23/11/2021 09:41:23
12
INNOVATIONS
Combilift wins coveted family business award Combilift, a global manufacturer of multi-directional forklifts, was the overall winner of the Energia Family Business of the Year 2021. Energia is the largest supplier of 100% green energy in Ireland. The awards celebrate generations of families who work together and this year’s ceremony focused on honouring businesses that have demonstrated outstanding leadership and resilience throughout the Covid-19 pandemic while continuing to thrive and grow. Around 200 family businesses entered the awards. The main criteria for success was a
business which has drawn on its family values to build a successful company, one which acts as a great ambassador for the sector and makes a significant contribution to society and the wider economy. Combilift was nominated for two categories: the Innovative Family Business Award and the Manufacturing & Engineering Family Business of the Year. As the company claimed gold in both categories, it was eligible for the top award, the Energia Family Business of the Year 2021. Martin McVicar, Combilift’s CEO and co-founder, commented: “Combilift are thrilled to receive
both category awards and, of course, the overall Family Business award. We’d like to thank the sponsors of our awards, Energia and also NSIA, and the jury for recognising our company and its achievements with these prestigious accolades. This means so much to our team here in Combilift and their families, we are all very proud, and will celebrate accordingly!”
For further information, log on to www.combilift.com
Voith’s TurboGuide Mobile app now available There are more than a million hydrodynamic couplings from Voith in operation worldwide, the company claims. In numerous heavy industry sectors, including steel, they ensure a gentle start-up of equipment and machines and at the same time protect them from possible damage even under extreme conditions. Voith has developed an app, the TurboGuide Mobile, with an intuitive interface for the efficient and comprehensive management of constant-fill fluid couplings. App users can view all relevant data on the filling quantity of the coupling via smartphone or tablet. The app provides access to operating manuals, tutorials, troubleshooting, and the Voith Turbo Webshop. Since it is not uncommon for several fluid couplings to be in operation at November/December 2021
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a company, TurboGuide Mobile helps provide an overview of the existing coupling fleet. Here’s how the app works: Every coupling can be captured by scanning the QR code. Alternatively, the user can enter the serial number. Just a few seconds later they will receive all the data on the specific coupling, such as filling volume, filling angle, power, speed or operating fluid. “Fast and uncomplicated information procurement is becoming increasingly important. Our customers no longer want to laboriously wade through hundreds of pages of operating manuals, only to spend minutes reading through individual chapters, such as the filling procedure,” says Thomas Ohr, product manager for TurboGuide at Voith. The app includes an integrated tutorial, which
explains how to perform a level check or the initial filling of the coupling. In conjunction with this, the smartphone’s gyrometer function can be used as a tool to calculate the necessary filling volume. “This new kind of method is currently the technical highlight of the app,” Ohr emphasizes. And if the information provided by the TurboGuide Mobile occasionally doesn’t help solve the problem, the user can contact Voith’s phone service support directly from the app, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, says Voith. Voith’s TurboGuide Mobile app, is now available from Google Play and the Apple App Store. For further information, log on to www.voith.com/turboguide-app www.steeltimesint.com
23/11/2021 09:41:53
INNOVATIONS
13
Impact testing added to Pulse portfolio Haver & Boecker Niagara, a leading provider of screening, pelletizing and mineral processing plants and systems, has added impact testing to its Pulse portfolio with experimental modal analysis. The impact test — also known as the hammer or bump test — is now part of the company’s quality assurance programme during factory testing as well as on-site. This ensures that each machine is properly tuned to avoid operating in resonance, ensuring efficient operation. With the opportunity to integrate impact testing data with other Pulse portfolio reporting and historical tracking, including Pulse Vibration Analysis and Pulse Condition Monitoring, Haver & Boecker Niagara can provide a more holistic view of the individual machine that helps customers maximize uptime through historical tracking. The company’s suite of Pulse diagnostic tools helps operators to monitor the health of vibrating screens for optimum screening performance and equipment durability. The Pulse Impact Test was highlighted at the recent MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas. Wilm Schulz, the company’s parts and service manager, commented: “With advances in technology, we’re able to provide real-time information that helps customers make well-informed decisions about their machine. Including impact testing gives us one more data point to extend the life and maintain the health of a vibrating screen.” Schulz added that increasing customer productivity and profits are at the heart of every innovation from the company. Operating in resonance can diminish productivity, incur damage to vibrating screens and pose safety risks. Impact testing involves striking the machine at key points with a dead blow hammer while the machine is off. It typically includes the four corners but can be expanded to additional areas. Collected data is analyzed to identify the
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Haver & Boecker Niagara adds impact testing to its Pulse portfolio, a suite of digital diagnostic tools that monitor the health of vibrating screens for optimum screening performance and equipment durability
machine’s individual natural frequencies. Based on results, engineers can adjust machine parameters to avoid these frequencies during operation. Integration into the Pulse software opens up opportunities for easier on-site impact testing. Natural frequency can shift over time as components are repaired or replaced, resulting in irregularities that could translate into diminished performance, decreased efficiency, increased operating costs and imminent breakdown. By incorporating impact testing into Haver & Boecker Niagara’s signature Pulse diagnostics tools, producers can ensure optimum screening performance and equipment reliability. The service programme includes a complete vibrating screen inspection by a Haver & Boecker Niagara certified service technician. Following the inspection, customers receive a diagnostic report, which provides an analysis of their vibrating screen and detailed recommendations to extend the lifespan of the machine and ensure its health. All reports are stored in an online data manage-
ment system, giving customers access to a complete record of their vibrating screen’s service and performance histories. This information allows customers to track changes in vibrating behaviour and predict future performance so that they may shift from reactive to predictive maintenance. Impact testing, along with the other suite of Pulse services, is a critical part of PROcheck, Haver & Boecker Niagara’s comprehensive service process dedicated to keeping customers’ operations running at peak performance. PROcheck applies Haver & Boecker Niagara’s expertise during inspection of customers’ screening processes in order to recommend best practices for proficiency. It includes diagnostics, processing equipment, engineered screen media, original parts, rebuilds and upgrades, services, plants and process engineering.
For further information, log on to www.haverniagara.com.
23/11/2021 09:42:09
INNOVATIONS
The reach stacker at the end of the world
Safetyfittings for oxygen lances � Lance-holders � Slag return safety devices � Quick shut-valves � Oxygen safety hoses � (glas fibre, metal braiding) � Carbon injection lances EAF � Safety hose reels � Argon Bubbling Equipment � 600 °C heat resist. on ladles � Safety devices for � Oxy-fuel burners EAF
highest quality highest safety BEDA
®
Oxygentechnik
Armaturen
GmbH
Germany � An der Pönt 59 � D-40885 Ratingen Tel. + 49 (0) 21 02-910 920 � Fax + 49 (0) 21 02-1 77 42 E-Mail: info@beda.com � Internet:http://www.BEDA.com
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Dirección Provincial de Puertos – Argentina (DPP) recently accepted delivery of a Konecranes Liftace reach stacker for its operations in Ushuaia, at the southern tip of South America. When it arrived in July 2021, it joined one other Konecranes reach stacker already on-site. DPP oversees port activities in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, including the port of Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. A multi-purpose port serving cargo, fishing and cruise ships, it is also a base for Antarctic expeditions. They’ve had one 45-ton Konecranes reach stacker in service since 2015, but due to a recent increase in container traffic, they felt it was time for a second lift truck to provide support. “We held a public tender to decide on our next reach stacker,” says Daniel Carracedo, general services director at Ushuaia Port. “Konecranes really stood out from the rest, and the performance of our first Konecranes truck has been very impressive. So we decided to order a second machine from them. Would you believe, a Konecranes technician came all the way to our remote port to help assemble it? The new lift truck was ready for operation within a week. It was a simple, fast and efficient process.” “This new order from DPP demonstrates their satisfaction with the high quality of products and services that we consistently deliver to all our customers, no matter where they are located,” says Andrés Ramirez, sales manager Latin America for Konecranes Lift Trucks. “Local agent Secco has played a crucial role in helping us to build a solid relationship from the very start, always providing excellent local support, including spare parts and maintenance. We look forward to continuing our work with both DPP and Secco for many years to come.” The new reach stacker that arrived in Ushuaia in July was a Konecranes Liftace 4532 TCE5, a 45-ton machine capable of stacking up to five containers high. It features the OPTIMA cabin for comfort and visibility, a strong box-type chassis and a wide drive axle with a long wheelbase for high stability and safe handling. A central greasing system minimizes mechanical wear and tear. The truck uses a Tier 3 engine to maintain productivity while minimizing fuel consumption and emissions. As the new generation of the earlier lift truck, most of the spare parts are compatible with both reach stackers, which adds convenience and reduces waste. Smart systems integrate with TRUCONNECT Basic, allowing a remote and almost real-time view of truck usage and easier maintenance planning. For further information, log on to www.konecranes.com www.steeltimesint.com
23/11/2021 09:42:20
15
INNOVATIONS
Sandvik celebrates record nuclear tubes order Sandvik Materials Technology has secured a record order for nuclear tubes and pipes from a world-leading low carbon energy company for the development of nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom. The Scandinavian steelmaker will supply nuclear tubes and pipes in 29 dimensions of grade 3R65, a molybdenum-alloyed austenitic stainless chromium-nickel steel with a low carbon content. The tubes will be mainly used to connect different systems close to the second reactor at the Hinkley Point C power station in Bristol, England. The materials will require a high degree of cleanliness to meet the nuclear RCC-M design
code, with firm controls on instructions and procedures and regular on-site third-party inspections during manufacturing. The tubes and pipes will be manufactured at Sandvik’s production unit in Sandviken, Sweden. This is the second order from the energy company for Sandvik nuclear materials. In 2018, the company was commissioned to provide a package of tubes for the first reactor at Hinkley Point C. The order was delivered during 2019 and 2020. Anders Frelin, regional sales manager, nuclear power, EMEA, Sandvik Materials Technology, commented: “We succeeded thanks to a strong
commitment from everyone involved, from the first customer sales contact, through the internal supply chain to final delivery with impressive teamwork. A provider of specialist materials and knowledge for next-generation nuclear power supply, Sandvik has supported the nuclear industry for more than 60 years and has a 155-year steelmaking heritage. The company has delivered 60 million metres of nuclear fuel tubes to more than 100 reactors worldwide. For further information, log on to www.materials.sandvik/en
Leybold’s compact vacuum pumping system TURBOLAB Core is a small plug-and-play high vacuum pumping system for research and laboratory and industrial applications. According to vacuum specialist Leybold, the compact tabletop unit fills the gap for entry-level vacuum needs that require a clean, dry, stable, high and ultra-high vacuum. The TURBOLAB series is now available in a total of five variants featuring TURBOVAC 90 i and 250 i backed by DIVAC 1.4 and now covers the complete application spectrum for R&D and analytical applications, says Leybold. According to the company, the ergonomic, cost-effective system is made up of proven Leybold components, including the oil- and maintenance-free TURBOVAC i turbomolecular pump, the DIVAC 1.4 dry diaphragm backing pump and a simple controller. This provides users
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with the benefit of easy serviceability. The equipment is geared to the specific ambient conditions of laboratories and research facilities and this is one of the reasons why the compact pumping station frame stands on rubber feet. “With this foundation, we prevent the transmission of vibrations, for example when the TURBOLAB Core is placed close to a microscope,” explains Petr Lastovicka of Leybold.
The company claims that both the operation and the control of the TURBOLAB Core are intuitive and user-friendly. The controller serves as a speed and pressure display. For further information, log on to www.leybold.com
November/December 2021
23/11/2021 09:42:45
16
INNOVATIONS SPECIAL ROCKWELL
Upgrade gives 40% capacity boost
Control- and drive-system upgrades at Liberty Primary Steel Whyalla Steelworks in Australia mitigate the risks of extended production outages, future-proofing structural steel production for construction projects
Australia has one of the most dynamic steel industries in the world, producing approximately 5.3Mt of steel annually of which about 1.6Mt million tons is structural steel. Structural steel is one of the most commonly used materials in commercial and industrial construction due to its strength and sustainability. The Liberty Primary Steel Whyalla Steelworks is located at Whyalla, South Australia, approximately 400km north-west of Adelaide. It is an integrated steelworks facility with a production capacity of approximately 1.2Mt/yr of steel. Approximately 65% of the steel produced is transferred by rail in billet form to domestic and international markets, and the remaining steel is converted into finished products in the form of structural steel and rails through the Whyalla structural mill. With a strong commitment to securing steel supplies for the construction industry, Liberty Primary Steel Whyalla engaged Alliance Automation, a Rockwell Automation recognized system integrator, to upgrade a main section of plant machinery – the E&S straightener. No time for downtime Commonly used in construction, straight steel beams form the foundation for commercial, industrial and residential buildings. Therefore, supplying straight steel beams of varying sizes is a key priority for Liberty Primary Steel Whyalla. At the heart of the steel straightening process is the E&S straightener machine which was first installed in 1988 with the primary function of straightening steel beams. More recently, the straightening machine was experiencing reliability issues resulting in downtime and loss of productivity at the plant. Alliance Automation designed a control- and drive-system upgrade to mitigate the risk of extended production outages at the Liberty Primary Steel Whyalla Steelworks due to issues with the November/December 2021
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obsolete automation system of the straightener machine. Rockwell Automation was also engaged to help with product selection and drive system engineering. “The straightener is a critical piece of equipment at the Whyalla plant, with approximately 70% of products going through the machine for straightening,” explained Barry Gardner, senior engineering project manager, Alliance Automation. “The obsolete DC motors on the straightener machine were requiring significant maintenance every week to remove dust and scale resulting in production downtime. Given the significant costs involved in purchasing a new DC motor, a decision was made to move to an AC drive system which offers improved reliability and reduced maintenance costs,” he said. New control and drive system Motor and drive technology has advanced significantly over time, now offering more flexibility and higher performance than ever before. Rockwell Automation and Alliance Automation worked closely with Liberty Primary Steel to gain a detailed understanding of the straightener machine to identify the most appropriate solution for the upgrade. The straightener machine contains four individually driven rolls and as the steel bar enters the machine it moves through the first roller and then moves through the remaining three rollers sequentially. Given the load sharing and safety requirements of the machine, the Allen Bradley PowerFlex 755 drives with Safe Torque Off over Ethernet were selected as the most appropriate choice for this application. “Drive control was critical to the success of the project so a significant amount of research was undertaken to select the most appropriate motor and drive sizes,” explained Peter Tomazic, business development manager, Rockwell Automation.
The Allen Bradley GuardLogixÆ programmable automation controller provided a high level control for the straightener machine. A POINT Guard I/O™ module was used in combination with the PowerFlex 755 Integrated-Safety Safe Torque-Off card suitable for achieving safety integrity levels up to SIL3 (AS 62061). An emergency-controlled stop (as per AS 60204) allows a fast and safe stop of all moving equipment. Lastly, a PanelView™ Plus 7 Graphic Terminal and FactoryTalk® View Machine Edition provided the operator interface, delivering ease of integration and improved diagnostics. “The drive system application knowledge, together with the service and support provided by the global solutions team at Rockwell Automation was a key contributor to the success of the project. It was a truly collaborative working relationship with skill set sharing between both Alliance Automation and Rockwell Automation,” said Gardner. The new system was tested off site to help ease the commissioning process. Pre-testing and careful planning helped to ensure the system was up and running ahead of schedule. The first beam went through the E&S machine very smoothly, thanks to the robustness and well-proven Rockwell Automation Drive Systems code for load sharing applications. Commissioning was a very quick process and involved one day for unloaded motor tests and another with products. Production resumed on the third day under monitoring by a Rockwell Automation engineer. Securing structural steel supply The collaboration between Liberty Primary Steel, Alliance Automation and Rockwell Automation has helped to significantly improve the reliability and productivity of the straightener machine. “The collaboration with Rockwell Automation gave Liberty a lot of confidence that we had a workable solution right out of the box. This confidence was realised with the project progressing through integration and commissioning with minimal issues and a smooth transition to operation,” said Andrew Harding, project manager, Liberty Primary Steel. “Similarly, Alliance brought a significant level of expertise and plant knowledge to the table, by providing strong oversight during the installation and integration activities. The combination of the two entities working with the Liberty team delivered a successful project within an aggressive ‘shutdown’ schedule where the end date could not be exceeded,” he said. Increased production capacity The new system has the ability to increase production capacity by 40% based on reliable higher speeds. In addition, the straightener machine’s lifecycle has been optimized to offer greater machine performance and reduced operational risk, while improved fault finding has helped reduce downtime at the plant. For further information, log on to www.rockwellautomation.com www.steeltimesint.com
22/11/2021 14:15:54
18
USA UPDATE
Tariffs: Biden under scrutiny As China urges the USA to withdraw tariffs and other sanctions on Chinese exports, US steel producers and the United Steelworkers International are closely monitoring President Biden’s and USTR Tai’s remarks on steel import tariffs. By Manik Mehta* AS the steel-consuming industries lament that the prices of crude steel have sharply risen, making it extremely difficult to continue to manufacture and sell products at the old prices – they attribute this, largely, to the 25% steel tariff on steel imports. The tariffs were imposed by former President Donald Trump under Section 232 of the Trade Act, but his successor Joe Biden has not, yet, withdrawn them. While steel producers and the United Steelworkers International have cheered the Biden administration’s retention of tariffs, President Biden has faced pressure not only from the steel- consuming industries, but also from civil society on the upward surge in prices and galloping inflation, thus adding to the hardship faced by millions of Americans also reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking ahead of the 9 October USChina trade talks, headed by US Trade Representative Kathrine Tai on the US side, steel executives of major companies, content with the steel tariffs, said that withdrawing them without ensuring the overcapacity built up in certain countries – particularly China – was not exported to the
USA, would ‘cripple’ the US steel industry. Chinese trade officials urged the US in a virtual meeting with Tai to withdraw the ‘Trump era’ tariffs. The meeting between Tai and Vice Premier Liu He, China’s top trade negotiator, was described as a ‘candid exchange.’ Tai ‘emphasized US concerns relating to its state-led, non-market policies and practices that harm American workers, farmers and businesses,’ a USTR spokesman said. US steel producers and also the United Steelworkers International, worried about the impact of cheap imports from China on the US steel industry as well as on jobs, were closely monitoring the US- Chinese talks. Much earlier, steel industry executives and the USW president, Tom Conway, in concert with house representatives Conor Lamb, Frank Myran, Mike Post and Rick Crawford, had held a virtual discussion to assess the impact of strong trade policy on America’s steel industry. Steel, considered a ‘pillar of economic strength’, also assumes national security importance. American steel producers have underscored this factor while emphasizing the sense of stability
provided by the tariffs imposed in 2018 under Section 232 and prevented a ‘global overcapacity crisis just waiting to descend on the country’, as one participant put it. A number of past research studies and evaluations by think tanks and other groups, including the Economic Policy Institute, have vindicated the effects of Section 232 tariffs imposed in 2018 on cheap steel imports. Section 232 was praised by the re-energized steel producers and the trade unions, the latter being concerned about job losses resulting from cheap imports. Since 2018, steel production at America’s steel mills has risen to the highest levels since the Great Recession; indeed, mill owners are on track to book their fattest profits ever, thanks to record high prices. Steel producers have attained confidence and are re-opening plants that were idled in 15 states, according to steel experts. Furthermore, steel producers have invested more than $16 billion in new or upgraded
* USA correspondent November/December 2021
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22/11/2021 14:17:19
USA UPDATE
China built up enormous overcapacity that swamped world markets, undermining US national and economic security. “Her focus on steel, reflects the Biden administration’s
steel facilities, creating 3,200 jobs. Steel industry executives, defending Section 232, point to a recent announcement by US Steel to invest $3 billion in minimills, while another steel giant, Nucor Corp, stated its intention to set up a $2.7 billion steel sheet plant. Mark Millet, CEO of World Steel Dynamics, has been telling the media that it was critical to ‘sustain the transformation [of the steel industry]’, emphasizing that ‘… all we ask is create a level-playing field going forward’. He has been cautioning that all the progress can be obliterated if cheap imports were allowed to pour into the country again. Earlier, welcoming USTR Tai’s speech at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a few days before the US-China virtual meeting, the USW had praised the Biden administration’s ‘new approach’ to the US-China Trade relationship, as outlined in Tai’s speech, calling for a steady approach in confronting the Chinese government’s ‘predatory and protectionist policies rather than the often erratic and limited approach of the Trump administration’. China’s leaders have yet to meet the commitments of the Trump administration’s Phase One trade deal, and Tai made it clear that enforcing this deal is her first priority. Many pundits are confident the Biden administration will maintain the tariffs that China’s leaders accepted as part of this agreement and will not unilaterally disarm as China’s trade policies continue to undermine global markets and the jobs and livelihoods of workers in the United States. The USW noted that Tai, in her CSIS speech, had highlighted the devastating impact these policies continue to have on the US steel industry and its workers.
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recognition of how critical the sector and its workforce are to our nation,” said the USW. According to the US steel industry and the USW, cheap steel from China could disrupt the steel industry and destroy steel jobs. Today, China produces over 1 billion metric tons annually and accounts for nearly 60% of global steel production. China produces more steel in a single month than the US and most other countries in the world produce in an entire year. In the US, employment in the steel industry has dropped 40% since 2000. On the other hand, the US steelconsuming industries claim that, without foreign steel, they cannot manufacture their products at lower costs. The Biden administration has rolled back some protective measures to appease its European allies and ease cost pressures on key industrial sectors like automotive. With the US steel industry having improved its fortunes, the feeling among steel pundits is that the Biden administration may be weighing whether it is time to begin rolling back Trump’s tariffs, which critics, including heavy consumers of steel – manufacturers of cars and home appliances – argue are no longer needed
19
to bolster a domestic industry that would still log robust profits, even without import protections. The removal of tariffs, however, started with the European Union. On 30 October 2021, agreement was reached between the USA and the EU. While the tariffs still remain in place, they only apply to exports beyond 3.3Mt. Philip K Bell, president of the Steel Manufacturers Association, said that the deal ‘sets the stage for both trading partners to work collaboratively on solving critical issues such as global excess capacity. The agreement between the USA and the EU came earlier than expected. Administration officials had hoped to arrive at a decision by the end of the year. Bloomberg has described the deal as ‘a signifant moment in repairing US trade relationships with Europe’. But Biden, who hails from the steelmaking state of Pennsylvania and is sensitive to the concerns of steel workers, is keen to keep his campaign promise to create more union jobs, considering, in particular, that steel workers, despite their dwindling numbers, have a great impact in important swing states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania. But the US steel industry has raised alarm that the removal of the tariffs on European steel could result in a flood of what it dubs ‘high-carbon’ imports from blast furnace mills across the Atlantic that are more polluting than US minimills. They also warn that producers in China and elsewhere could route US-bound shipments through the EU to evade duties. Thus, the arguments for and against the retention of tariffs are evenly balanced, and it remains to be seen which direction the wind will sway in the coming days and weeks. Meanwhile, steel imports were up 25.5% for the first eight months of the year compared to last year’s corresponding period. Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the US imported a total of 2.76Mt (net tons) of steel in August 2021, including 2.10Mt (net tons) of finished steel (down 10.1% and up 1.0%, respectively, compared to July). Through the first eight months of 2021, total and finished steel imports are 20.56Mt (net tons) and 14.20Mt (net tons), up 25.5% and 26.9%, respectively over the same period in 2020. �
November/December 2021
22/11/2021 14:17:26
20
LATIN AMERICA UPDATE
What a difference a steel mill makes Companhia Siderúrgica do Pecém (CSP) accounts for 50% of exports from the State of Ceará in Brazil and 63% of cargo movements in the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex (CIPP). During its construction, the company employed some 40,000 workers of which 17,000 worked there simultaneously at its peak – proof, if any was needed, that a steel mill can make a big difference for their local communities. By Germano Mendes de Paula* THE global steel industry has always received special government attention because of the high economic benefits it generates locally and nationally. The concept of economic linkages was originally developed by the German economist Alfred Hirschman (19152012), combining backward linkages (when a project encourages investments in facilities that enable the venture to succeed); and forward linkages (when a project induces investments in subsequent stages of production). Brazilian steelmaker Companhia Siderúrgica do Pecém (CSP) is an interesting case in point as its exportoriented mill has had a substantial impact on the local economy. Production and financial performance CSP is a 3Mt/yr green field integrated mill, located in the State of Ceará, in the North East of Brazil. Ceará is ranked in 17th position according to the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) which covers all 27 states of the nation. In the
2016
Pig iron
1.295 2.614 2,967 2.904 2.779
Coke
2017
2018
2019
2020
674 1.063 1.128 1.130 1.115
Crude steel
1.063 2.455 2.978 2.866 2.743
Slabs
1.020 2.417 2.983 2.845 2.740
Table 1. CSP’s production, 2016-2020 (kt). Source CSP Net sales ($M) Ebtida Margin (%) Net result margin (%)
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020 1.168
188
1.127
1.684
1.364
-141,1
-11,3
19,7
4,1
11,5
41,0
-45,3
-29,2
-29,5
-44,5
Table 2. CSP’s financial performance, 2016-2020 (kt). Source CSP
North East region of the country it is in second place. Ceará is known to be very aggressive in attracting new industrial projects in order to improve its social development. Where the steel industry is concerned, in addition to CSP, there is Gerdau Cearense (a 140kt long steel minimill, which came on stream in 1982) and Gerdau Silat (a 600kt long steel reroller, which was started up in 2015 under the control of the Spanish company Añón and acquired by Gerdau in late-2020). CSP is a joint venture between the Brazilian mining company Vale (50% stake) and South Korean steelmakers Dongkuk (30%) and Posco (20%). Its total investment reached $5.8bn and it is understood to be the largest privately-owned industrial project ever constructed in the Northeastern region of Brazil. In addition, $300M was invested by third parties within the site aiming for providing products and services to CSP. The Ceará government also invested $400M in logistics infrastructure (the harbour, in particular) and the establishment of an export processing zone (EPZ). Outside of the EPZ, it is estimated that other suppliers invested roughly $100M, bringing the total amount of investment to $6.6bn. Established in 2008, CSP began its
construction in 2012 and its operations in August 2016. As it can be verified in Table 1, it had a relatively fast ramp-up as it reached nominal capacity in 2018. It should be stressed that, in 2020, it produced 2.8Mt of pig iron, 1.1Mt of coke and 2.7Mt of crude steel and slabs. In the same year, it was responsible for 32% of Brazilian slab sales. Table 2 pays attention to CSP’s financial performance. Its net sales jumped from $188 million in 2016 to $1.2 billion in 2020. Meanwhile, its EBITDA margin improved from -141% in 2016 to 19.7% in 2018, but reverted partially to 11.5% in 2020. The respective figures for net result margin were 41%, -29.5% and -44.5%. Therefore, due to the burdens associated with starting up and unfavourable steel market conditions – except for 2016 – it was still losing money. Considering currently high international slab prices, it might be expected that CSP would register a very good performance in 2021. Social performance CSP accounts for 50% of exports from the State of Ceará and 63% of cargo movements, including raw materials, equipment and exported products in the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex
* Professor in Economics, Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil. E-mail: germano@ufu.br November/December 2021
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www.steeltimesint.com
22/11/2021 14:31:00
21
LATIN AMERICA UPDATE
(CIPP). The municipality of São Gonçalo do Amarante, where the steelworks is located, demonstrates the kind of transformation that can be promoted by the establishment of a large industrial project. The mentioned municipality amplified its participation in the State of Ceará’s GDP from 0.26% in 2002 to 2.91% to 2018. Today it ranks sixth regarding GDP in general and third concerning industrial GDP. CSP has employed some 40,000 workers during its construction, of which 17,000 worked there simultaneously at its peak. It is understood that the project has not exceed its original capex, and had a relatively small six-month delay. Currently, CSP has 2,532 of its own employees and 2,968 outsourced. It is estimated that its employment multiplier reaches 3x, which implies a total of 16,500 indirect jobs. Thus, it generates 25,000 total jobs presently. Taking into account CSP´s own employees, the workforce consists of 61% who were born in the State of Ceará, 38% in other Brazilian States and
1% foreigners. Women’s participation is equivalent to 11%, which is mildly higher than the national average of 8%. According to the Federation of Industries of Ceará (FIEC), São Gonçalo do Amarante occupies 12th place in terms of overall employment and sixth place in the industrial employment ranking. In 2019, the industrial workers’ average income in the aforementioned municipality was 42% higher than the State. Indeed, it pays the second highest average labour remuneration within the State. CSP has invested R$182 million in professional training and has carried out 25,882 training hours. The company introduced a metallurgical engineering course at the Federal University of Ceará and has transformed the local labour market. CSP has been engaged in developing local businesses too. During its construction stage, CSP purchased R$4.5bn of equipment, raw materials, and services from companies based in the State of
Ceará. Since its start-up to July 2021, this amount has increased to R$6.5bn. Locally acquired purchases include: harbour services, lime, limestone, quartz, and industrial maintenance. Iron ore is supplied by Vale from the States of Pará, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. Coal is imported. Looking at purchases in the State of Ceará during the operational phase, 69% was directed to São Gonçalo do Amarante as it was crucial to improve the municipality’s fiscal revenues, which expanded from R$95 million in 2012 to R$354 million in 2020. The respective figures for tax on services were R$28 million and R$74 million. Finally, São Gonçalo do Amarante enhanced its HDI by 48% in the period 2000-2018, while the State of Ceará improved by 36% and Brazil by 25%. Obviously, satisfactory social development upgrading cannot be disassociated from CSP’s implementation. This is good empirical evidence about what a difference a steel mill makes for a given community. �
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22/11/2021 14:31:02
22
INDIA UPDATE
Indian steelmakers raise production capacities With steel mills in China facing an acute power shortage – and thereby production disruptions – Indian steel producers are raising their production capacities to increase their share in the world market. By Dilip Kumar Jha* CHINA’S steel making industry is facing production disruption from a widespread power rationing in more than 21 provinces across the country. This has resulted in a sustained decline in China’s crude steel output over the last few months. Data compiled by the World Steel Association shows a 13.2% decline in China’s crude steel output at 83.2Mt in August 2021, the second consecutive monthly decline after an 8.4% slump to 86.8Mt recorded in July this year. By contrast, India has reported a staggering growth in its crude steel production. During the months of July and August 2021, India’s crude steel production reported a jump of 13.3% and 8.2% to 9.8Mt and 9.9Mt respectively. In terms of cumulative growth in steel production between January and August 2021, India topped with 25.6% to 77.7Mt as against China’s mere 5.3% to 733Mt. While India is way behind China in terms of steel production, the production cut in China – the world’s largest steel producer – is set to give the former an edge in terms of increasing its global market share. India currently enjoys around 4% global market share. Compared to India’s 11Mt of annual
EDGING UP Crude steel production (million tons) Calendar 2021
China
India
January
92.0
10.0
February
83.0
9.1
March
94.0
10.0
April
97.9
8.3
May
99.5
9.2
June
93.9
9.4
July
86.8
9.8
August
83.2
9.9
Total (Jan-Aug)
733.0
77.7
Difference (%)*
5.3
25.6
Source: Worldsteel.org, *Difference from the same period last year
REVIVING TREND Finished steel scenario in India (million tons) Particulars
April 2019 – March 2020
April 2020 – March 2021
April 2021 – June 2021
Production
102.62
98.20
26.35
Consumption
100.17
94.19
24.85
Export
8.36
10.78
3.56
Import
6.77
4.75
1,16
Source: Joint Plant Committee
exports (April 2020 - March 2021), China’s annual steel shipment stands at around 54Mt (2020).
India’s increasing steel exports When China’s steel mills were facing cancellation of orders amid fears of an export rebate withdrawal by the Communist
* India correspondent November/December 2021
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INDIA UPDATE government in Beijing, India witnessed a sharp jump in export orders in August 2021. China’s government data shows that the country’s steel exports declined by 10.9% to 5.05Mt in August 2021 in comparison with India’s 1.01Mt. “India’s steel shipment can rise as China’s steps to curb production and de-incentivise exports leave a gap in the market. Everyone is looking for China plus one policy and the space that is being vacated by China needs to be filled in by steel mills in other countries. India could be the best option,” said Seshagiri Rao, joint managing director and group chief financial officer, JSW Steel. To grab the global market share, JSW Steel is planning to expand production capacity to 38Mt/yr by 2024 from the present 23Mt. Tata Steel, the other major steelmaker in India, has currently 20.2Mt of domestic production capacity. The company’s managing director and CEO T V Narendran buzzed a fresh capital infusion of INR 80 billion (~$1.1 billion) on capacity expansion in the current financial year ending March 2022. The fresh investment would be spent mainly on completing the Kalinganagar of mining12:37 Project2_Steelplant, Timesexpansion HP(L) 22/11/2021
operations and recycling business. Tata Steel in India is in the process of adding 5Mt of new capacity to its existing 3Mt. Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL) is planning to spend $2.4 billion over the next six years on capacity expansion. The steelmaker plans to raise its total crude steel capacity to 15.9Mt by March 2025 from the present 8.6Mt. The capital expenditure also includes plans to more than double pellet production capacity to 21Mt by 2024. Lured by strong demand prospects, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Ltd, a joint venture between ArcelorMittal SA and Nippon Steel Corp, has announced plans to more than double its production capacity as world steel demand recovers from pandemic-related disruptions and India takes the lead in economic recovery. India’s GDP is forecast to grow at 8-9% annually until 2025. Buoyancy in steel production and consumption is set to continue in the domestic market as well. Meanwhile, India’s National Steel Policy sets India’s steel production target at 300Mt by 2030-31. Conclusion It is highly unlikely that China’s power Page 1
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shortage will be resolved in the near future. With the winter season approaching, power demand in China is bound to go up to keep homes heated. To prevent excess release of carbon into the atmosphere, Beijing does not want to worsen the air quality by firing more electrical equipment and keeping generators on, which may impact next year’s scheduled Olympic Games. While the major integrated steel mills enjoy their captive power generation facilities, factories are expected to complete their output cut requirements by November, but they may be back to normal by December if the Chinese government does not call for diversion of electricity to the state grid from steel mills. If electricity is diverted to state grids then India will get an enormous opportunity to boost steel exports this year, which may continue in future as well. Indian steel makers forecast that the country’s steel exports will hit a new record in the current financial year ending March 2022 after a staggering 29% jump reported in the last financial year. India had set a precedent by exporting 15.9Mt of steel in the financial year 2017. �
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November/December 2021
22/11/2021 15:07:04
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MINIMILLS
Boom time for US electric steelmakers Recent moves aimed at the modernization and electrification of the US steel industry have been extremely positive for the nation’s traditional electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmakers; and that is expected to continue as new US EAF production capacity comes online over the next several years. By Myra Pinkham* THE current EAF share of total steel produced in the US is not entirely certain given that, with there now being only two US integrated steel producers – United States Steel Corp. and Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. – the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) no longer separates out EAF and blast furnace output. But Kevin Dempsey, AISI’s president and chief executive officer, said that last year 70.6% of US steel was produced by EAFs, up from 69.7% in 2019 and 68% in 2018, adding that over the past several decades that share had been increasing every year. In fact, he pointed out that the EAF share of US steel production has been growing for several decades, helped by new investments in new technologies that have allowed mills to not only produce a wider range of products using EAFs, but to do so at lower costs. There has, however, been some volatility within those annual averages. For example, Christopher Plummer, managing director of Metal Strategies Inc., pointed out that in July 2020 the US EAF share jumped to a record 74.6% because of the number of blast furnaces that were temporarily idled at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. The US percentage is the flip opposite of that in the rest of the world, where, according to Philip Bell, president of the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA),
the EAF share is only about 30%. That, Bell said, gives the US an enormous carbon advantage, especially given that he believes that the US EAF share will continue to grow as new EAF capacity comes online and more integrated capacity is idled in the US. EAF share could reach 80% John Anton, a director of IHS Markit’s pricing and purchasing service agrees, saying that not only is it possible that by the end of 2022 the US EAF share could reach 80% or even higher, but if the EAF steelmakers find a way to make exposed auto body-quality sheet – as has been their stated goal in recent years – there could be a limited future for blast furnace steelmaking in the United States, especially with the widespread push to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in line with the Paris Accord. “That is unless the integrated mills make more progress in carbon sequestration technology,” he said. But even though he maintains that the EAF steelmaking process produces almost nine times less GHG emissions than traditional steelmaking, Bell said that he doesn’t believe that even the US will ever go 100% EAF. “We need both processes, but I believe that EAF steelmaking will continue to be the dominant process in the US, as it is the most sustainable.” Just how sustainable, however, depends
upon the source of the electricity used to power the mills, Charles Bradford, president of Bradford Research, noted, which is why some mills are looking to partner with alternative energy providers. For example, Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel is partnering with Lightsource bp and Xcel Energy and plans to receive energy from the 300 megawatt Bighorn Solar project in Colorado. Philip Gibbs, an equity research analyst with KeyBanc Capital Markets, pointed out that in addition to such capital investments as those that have been announced over the past several years, to be able to make more inroads into such higher end, traditional integrated steel end-use markets, EAF steelmakers need to use more highquality inputs to feed their mills, including pig iron, direct reduced iron (DRI), hotbriquetted iron (HBI) and prime or ‘primelike’ scrap – mixing obsolete scrap with pig iron and other types iron unit products. AISI’s Dempsey said this is already happening, especially with some of the newer investments that mills have recently made, or have plans in the works, to make more inroads into the auto sheet market and to produce other new grades, including advanced high strength steels (AHSS). “Because of this the classic distinction between EAFs and basic oxygen or blast furnaces is blending,” he said, noting
* USA correspondent November/December 2021
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MINIMILLS
Lourenco Goncalves, chairman, president and CEO, Cliffs
25
Philip K Bell, Steel Manufacturers Association
Leon Topalian, CEO Nucor Corporation
lion’s share of these greenfield mills and brownfield expansions involves new sheet capacity, although it also includes additional plate, rebar and merchant bar capacity. Bell said that this push for investments in EAF steel is actually more about capabilities than capacity, stating, “We need new, modern mills in the US in order to be competitive, and EAF steelmaking is the cleanest, greenest, most efficient way to make steel.” In addition, Dempsey pointed out that EAFs have a lot more flexibility than blast furnaces, which must be run for a long campaign, while with an EAF the steelmaker can make more adjustments. Given the amount of currently antiquated US steelmaking capacity and the fact that many companies have recently announced aggressive emission reduction targets, Gibbs says that the existing traditional EAF producers, formerly referred to as minimills, see blood in the water. “They feel that these are investments that they need to make in order to improve their footprint over time,” he says. “They are just trying to take advantage of the moment to continue
growing and to take more market share.”
Natural Resources
that it is no longer the case that EAFs are almost entirely scrap-based and BOFs almost entirely pig iron-based. In fact, in his company’s recent third quarter earnings conference call, Lourenco Goncalves, chief executive officer of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc, said that Cliffs now plans to use the majority of both its HBI and the prime scrap from its Ferrous Processing & Trading Company (FPT) acquisition in its blast furnaces – not even its own EAFs. The Covid-19-related volatility makes a year-on-year comparison of US EAF production difficult given the amount of US steelmaking capacity – largely blast furnacebased capacity – that was idled in early last year, and, according to Anton, was slow to be restarted, even with many end-use markets ‘roaring back’ reaching 90-95% of their pre-pandemic levels by late 2020 or early 2021. But Anton said that it appears as if they reacted more rationally, restarting or adding new capacity as the demand began to comeback. EAF mill shipments up As a result, Plummer said that EAF mill shipments of sheet products were up 15.5% year-to-date through July with long products seeing even greater increases – 37.4% for reinforcing bar and 20.4% for heavy structural steel. But as far as steel sheet capacity is concerned, he said that the 7 million short ton reduction that had occurred last year has only been marginally replaced by Big River Steel’s 1.6Mt Phase 2 expansion, which started up in November 2020 and fully ramped up this May. US Steel owns Big River Steel. However, it is expected that between now and 2024 there will be an additional 15-20Mt of new EAF-based steelmaking capacity coming online – including several new projects that have just been announced in the last several months. The www.steeltimesint.com
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‘Best for all’ But while most of the new EAF capacity expected to come online in the next several years is coming from those companies, that isn’t exclusively the case, with one of the two remaining US integrated producers – US Steel – taking further moves to transition to its Best for All (or Best of Both) strategy. This comes with the company not just completing its acquisition of Osceola, Ark.based Big River Steel in January, but firing up its first EAF – located at the Fairfield, Ala., mill – in October 2020 and this September announcing that it has launched an exploratory site selection process to build a new, 3Mt/yr minimill – likely either in Arkansas or Alabama, but possibly elsewhere in the US – that will combine two EAFs with differentiated steelmaking and finishing technology with an anticipated 2024 start-up date. “Our goal is to build capability to get better, not bigger,” David Burritt, US Steel’s
Nucor Gallatin
November/December 2021
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MINIMILLS
Adapted from: Hasanbeigi and Springer: “How clean is the US steel Industry?” Global Efficiency Intelligence, 2019.
president and chief executive officer said in a release announcing plans for the new mill, stating, “By accelerating our transition into more efficient minimill steelmaking, we expect to continue differentiating ourselves versus less efficient capacity while improving our through-cycle profitability and lowering our capital and carbon intensity,” and to expand the company’s ability to produce ‘the next generation of highly profitable, proprietary sustainable solutions, including AHSS.’ While there has been some speculation as to whether Cleveland-Cliffs, the other major US integrated mill, would be taking a similar strategy, especially after acquiring FPT, Goncalves said that he isn’t currently planning to add new steelmaking capacity. Big plans from Nucor Corporation Also in mid-September, Nucor Corp. announced that in addition to its other expansion plans – which include a 1.4Mt expansion in Gallatin, Ky., and a 500kt expansion in Hickman, Ark, (both of which are slated to start up in the fourth quarter, as well as its 1.4Mt greenfield plate mill in Brandenburg, Ky., that is on target to come online next year – the steelmaker plans to build a 3Mt greenfield sheet mill in the Midwest (potentially Ohio, Pennsylvania or West Virginia) and to add a 600kt/yr melt shop at one of its existing bar mills in the western US. Leon Topalian, Nucor’s president and chief executive officer, has stated that the new sheet mill, which would service the Midwest and Northeast – which are not just the USA’s largest steel consuming regions, but ones in which Nucor is currently underrepresented – is a tremendous opportunity for the steelmaker to grow its core given that the mill, which is to include an 84-inch-wide sheet mill, a 76-inch tandem cold mill and initially two galvanizing lines, will position Nucor to grow its November/December 2021
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market share in value-added products for automotive, appliance, HVAC, heavy equipment, agricultural, transportation and construction applications at a low carbon footprint when it commences commercial operations in 2024. Its new bar mill melt shop in the West – a region experiencing population and infrastructure growth – is also expected to come online in 2024. Transformational project This also comes as Steel Dynamics Inc. plans to start production at its 3Mt/ yr Sinton, Texas, greenfield mill before the end of this year. Mark Millet, SDI’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, recently described that mill as being a transformational project, partly because of its location near Corpus Christi with under-served regional commercial markets representing over 27Mt of flat-rolled steel consumption in the US and Mexico. He said that in addition to offering shorter delivery lead times, this new mill will also effectively compete with steel imports arriving in Houston and the West Coast. There is, however, some question about how much of a strain all of this new EAF
capacity will put upon the scrap and alternative iron markets, Plummer observed, stating that is one reason SDI has bought up all the available scrap capacity near Sinton – both in Texas and Mexico – and that Nucor is talking about redirecting some of its captive DRI capacity to its newly announced sheet mill. “While both SDI and Nucor own more captive scrap than they need, it just isn’t located in the right geographical regions,” he explained. “This year has been the biggest bonanza that the US EAF steelmakers have ever seen with everyone making more money than in their wildest dreams,” Bradford declared. The big question, however, is how long that will last, especially as all the new steelmaking capacity starts coming online. “After partying all night long in 2021, there could be a big hangover in 2022,” Gibbs said. That, however, is not necessarily a given. “That depends upon how quickly the integrated mills will be willing to concede and close capacity, or if there will be a dogfight for market share,” Plummer said, noting that if there is a dogfight then US steel prices will come down significantly in the second half of 2022. �
US Steel EAF Fairfield
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31
Measuring coal levels using radar Non-contact level transmitters based on 80 GHz W-Band radar, with frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW), have been installed above the coal silos at the Durgapur Steel Plant in India to provide real time measurement of coal levels inside each silo. The system has helped maintain the desired blend of coal for coking as well as avoiding overfilling or under-utilisation of silos when being re-charged. By S Mitra*, S K Saha*, Aneesh P A*, D Raj*, S Saha*, S Balaji*, S Saha*, S Mondal** and S Roy** DURGAPUR Steel Plant (DSP) is one of the premier integrated steel plants of Indian steel producer, Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL). The coke oven complex at Durgapur consists of six by-product recovery coke oven batteries with associated coal, coke and gas handling facilities. Coal is supplied from various coal mines, both indigenous and imported. Coal from these different mines has differing properties such as ash content and volatile matter. At the coal handling plant, coals with these various properties are stored in different silos. Coals are transported to Durgapur by railway, and unloaded through wagon tipplers. Non-coking coal so delivered is transported to the yard and coking coal is directly transported to the selected silo top through a series of conveyors. Each silo is equipped with a weight feeder at the bottom to control the coal discharge. The silos are constructed of concrete and have an approximate height of 28m and a capacity of 1,500t. Coal is charged into the silos from the top by tripper cars. Fig 1 shows the silos at the coal handling plant (CHP) at Durgapur Steel Plant. Measuring the level of coal inside each silo is a critical requirement for operation of the coal handling plant. In the absence of any real time measuring system, operations at the CHP suffered from frequent overspills or under-utilisation of silo capacity causing operational inconveniences. Timely detection of empty or low coal levels helps in maintaining the desired coal blend, which is critical for coke quality.
Fig 1. 1500t concrete silos at Durgapur coal handling plant
presents severe challenges Precise determination to some of the available of the level of coal inside level measurement each silo is a problem technologies. Also, many because the stored coal coals produce large does not have a flat, amounts of dust during horizontal surface like a filling and discharging, liquid. Determination of which clogs and the exact level of such an attenuates the view of uneven surface is tricky. level measurement sensors. The surface profile varies Fig 2. Adjustable sensor head of the This arduous environment during silo filling and radar level measuring system inside the coal silos discharging. Coal is also imposes a severe challenge hygroscopic in nature and for precise level measurement. readily absorbs or traps moisture. Moisture Such problems require the application can combine with coal to form a mound of state-of-the-art non-contact radar level inside a vessel, especially sticking to the sensors which have a high transmission walls. Sometimes these mounds block coefficient under such difficult conditions. the material flow during coal discharge. The presence of moving machinery such as The mounds may break suddenly under conveyors and tripper cars, requires careful gravity and change the level readings. This
*Authors are from R&D Centre for Iron & Steel, Steel Authority of India Ltd. **Authors are from Durgapur Steel Plant, Steel Authority of India Ltd. www.steeltimesint.com
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PROCESS CONTROL
Fig 3. The radar beam angle must be focused as in Case II
engineering when placing the sensor and protecting it. Such a state-of-the-art level measuring system has been successfully commissioned at CHP Durgapur. The system provides a real time display of the coal level. The level data are transmitted to the dispatcher control room through a PLC and an optic fibre network. This provides the CHP operators with real time data and a graphic display of the coal level and helps them in regulating silo weigh feeders. It also helps the operators in planning the silo filling scheduling and in maintaining the desired blend of coal to maintain consistent coke quality by ascertaining the presence of all blend constituents discharged from the silos. The data is also transmitted through an optic fibre network to a second control room which monitors incoming coal wagons. The level measuring system is also integrated with the plant’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. Principle of measurement In view of the arduous site conditions, a non-contact level system based on the through-air-radar (TAR) principle is used at the silos. In TAR-based level measuring, high-frequency radar pulses are emitted by an antenna. The radar pulses are reflected from the coal surface due to the change in the relative dielectric constants between the air and the medium. The time between pulse launching and receiving is measured and analysed and constitutes a direct measurement of the distance between the antenna and coal surface. This nonNovember/December 2021
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contact method is maintenance-free and is generally unaffected by medium properties such as density, filling noise and dust. It can also measure at elevated temperatures, up to 450°C. This method also provides instantaneous response to changes in the surface of the material being monitored. TAR systems – there are two types TAR systems are generally of two types, pulsed radar and FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave). The radar produces a high-power energy wave that can blast through the silo atmosphere to the surface of the coal. TAR systems may be at a disadvantage on low dielectric materials, which produce a weaker reflected signal, and this may limit the usable range. In addition, the limited sampling rate due to the extra signal processing in TAR systems may be insufficient for reliable level measurement in applications with fast filling or emptying rates. This may be a problem in small vessels, but not usually in the bulk storage situations at CHP, DSP, where silo height is around 28m and diameter 10m. Electromagnetic waves The level sensors used are based on 80 GHz W-Band radar, which uses frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW). The antenna emits electromagnetic waves at a continuously varying frequency. This wave is reflected by the coal surface and received again by the antenna. The transmitter electronics calculate the silo level based on frequency phase shift and the travel time of the electronics wave. Fig 2 shows the level
sensor used at the coal handling plant of DSP. Electromagnetic waves are projected from the antenna in the form of a conical beam. The sensor averages the signal from the solid angle within the beam area. It is important that the inclination of the sensor is adjusted in such a way that the beam width does not impinge on the wall of the silo. To enable angle adjustment, the transmitter is equipped with adjustable signal focusing to focus the radar beam onto a suitable spot. Beside the angle adjustment feature of the beam transmitter, the enclosure in which it is mounted has provision to further adjust the mounting angle. The angle adjustment feature of the mounting enclosure is illustrated in Fig 3. It is essential that the beam angle from the transmitter and from the enclosure mounting is adjusted in such a way that the beam is focused on the centre of the silo as indicated in ‘CASE II’ of Fig 3. Where ‘CASE I’ and ‘CASE III’ are concerned, the beam will focus on the silo walls and reflect an incorrect signal outputting an erroneous level by the sensor. Hence proper focusing of the sensor and its mounting enclosure are critical. In view of this, a mounting enclosure has been designed which is suitable for the arduous environment of coal silos. Coal level transmitters are installed below the running conveyor belt as there is always movement of the tripper car above the silos. The design of the enclosure provides protection by avoiding any projection of the sensor over the silo roof, to prevent mechanical damage by moving equipment. Automation architecture Real time availability of coal levels is critical for coal handling plant operation. Information regarding the amount of coal available inside the silos helps operators in taking decisions on coal discharge from individual silos through each weigh feeder to maintain the correct blend of coal quality. The coal level signal also helps in scheduling coal feeding to individual silos when coal is delivered to the CHP by railway wagon. Hence, real time availability of coal level data is crucial at the weigh feeder as well as the railway wagon dispatcher control room. In view of this, a PLC-based system has been provided for online display of the level measurement signal at both control rooms. An interactive human machine interface (HMI) has been www.steeltimesint.com
23/11/2021 06:50:19
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PROCESS CONTROL
developed in the PLC to provide graphics, historical trends, interactive graphics and production-related reports of CHP operation. The level measurement signals are also integrated with the plant ERP system.
We measure your way to perfection
Remote PLC CHP and silo weigh feeders are operated by a PLC-based system from a control room around 1.5km from the top of the bank of silos. The level sensor signals and some Set-up other accessory• signals such astime tripper car position and conveyor throughput are • Out-of tolerance production connected through an optic fibre network Scrapping with the weigh•feeder PLC via a remote PLC interface unit installed at the top ofclaims the • Customer silo. This remote PLC is also connected to a • Cost of manpower terminal with HMI in the wagon dispatcher control room through another optic fibre network. The coal level signals are also integrated with the plant ERP. See Fig 4 for Fig 4. Configuration of PLC automation system the PLC automation system configuration.
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Taking the right decisions This real time measuring system of coal levels in each silo and its display at both the charging and coal blending control rooms has helped the coal handling plant
operators take decisions concerning silo charging and draining. The availability of a ‘high level’ signal helps avoid silo over-spillage while the ability to accurately measure discharge helps maintain the
desired blend of coal crucial for coke quality. T� � � � � � � TM The automation system is in regular operation at the coal handling plant of Durgapur Steel Plant. �
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CONTROL BY MEASUREMENT
November/December 2021
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IRON ORE
Gaurav Nath, global head of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Centre for Digital in Industrials.
Steelmakers – decarbonise NOW! Gaurav Nath is global head of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Centre for Digital in Industrials. He is an expert on large end-to-end digital transformations, and specialises in shaping competitive advantages for organisations overall. He spoke to Michael Schwartz*. GAURAV Nath is convinced of the immense potential of digital technologies to provide the next leap forward in the real-world economy. He bases this belief on his deep experience in supply chains and their role in a company’s commercial and operational functions. The transformation of large organisations by using digital technologies and levers and the building up of new digital business models for business startups are the results. Metals and mining are just a few areas where some organisations have achieved success. Why green steel? The importance of steel and
decarbonisation are very clear to Gaurav: “Carbon is integral to steel. And steel is integral to any economy. Regarding decarbonisation, the conversation has been ongoing for a while now. The decarbonisation question is not about new technology, but rather about the transition path and how companies can remain competitive while driving decarbonisation. In fact, some plants are already close to zero carbon emissions with existing technologies. The near-infinite capacity of steel to be recycled has also helped bring this about.” For BCG, climate change has had a tremendous effect on certain metals,
notably on their demand and supply. The Group’s initial assessment of the ramifications in question has suggested for some time now that this effect will fall most heavily on supply chains serving inter alia automotives, construction, packaging and consumer appliances: costs for key components such as steel and aluminium will rise. On this subject of costs and profitability, Gaurav is clear: “…to manage their portfolios, mining companies need to understand how profit pools will shift in the future as emissions are curbed. Demand for nickel and copper, for example, could benefit from the various abatement
* Mining correspondent November/December 2021
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IRON ORE
scenarios that are possible, while the story is much more mixed for other commodities.” The EU carbon tax BCG is forthright when it comes to the effects of the EU carbon tax: it believes that one sector which will be particularly impacted is steel, responsible for around 200Mt of CO2 emissions every year. In addition, given that EU steel producers will also face the phase-out of free carbon permits just as the new tax comes into force, the sector’s domestic carbon costs will start rising sharply in 2026. Unless, in its opinion, EU producers take further action to decarbonise, BCG estimates that carbon will cost the industry about US$12.76 billion annually by 2030, assuming prices rise to the equivalent of US$116/t by that point. Analysing the relative carbon intensity of steel production in different countries illustrates the differential impact of the tax. In brief, steel imported from more carbon-intensive producers will become proportionally more expensive than that
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from low-carbon manufacturers. The average percentage increase for producers in various countries could rise by anything between 6% and 32%, for example: • Russian steel exporters can expect to pay US$170.6/t, a 26% increase in costs; • India will see costs rise by up to 32%, with Indian steel producers paying US$285.5/t; and • For the UK, the average percentage increase for producers would be 6%, meaning UK steel producers would have to pay US$155.5/t. The ramifications from the EU carbon tax will be felt strongly by companies both inside and outside the EU and by those within the EU that buy or make industrial products – providing a renewed impetus for producers to accelerate efforts to slash their carbon footprints. As Gaurav Nath states, “The EU carbon tax will change things. The global supply chain to Europe will mean a 20-40% increase in expenses, dependent on how much the carbon tax will be set at. One
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thing is certain. Steel companies will be affected; they must gear up for green steel.” The effects of adopting green steel STI asked Gaurav Nath whether it is the finished steel itself and the related costs that are the real influences on share prices. He replied that, “According to BCG’s Smart Multiple analysis, mining companies that have been early movers in addressing climate change have valuations that are, on average, 20% greater than those of their peers in the bottom quintile.” And looking to the future? “BCG feels that 2025-2026 will witness green steel tip the balance over the non-green product. The process will accelerate towards green steel. Throughout the steel sector the discussion has gone beyond ‘do we need green steel?’ to ‘how do we achieve it?’ The demand for a green steel product keeps going up: it is not just a question of the right thing to do; “for many steel companies it is the only thing to do.” �
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Complex steel pipe deliveries Russian steelmaker Severstal is highly experienced when it comes to transporting large diameter steel pipes over vast distances and across difficult terrains. The company offers a ‘door-to-door’ delivery service and often manages multimodal journeys, overseeing shipping by road, rail and sea across many country borders. By Maksim Starikov* THE arteries of the world are its oil and gas pipelines, made primarily from steel. Steel pipe infrastructure is essential to the oil and gas market and, as the world continues to recover from the pandemic and projects restart or resume, demand from steel producers continues to grow. One of the major challenges for oil and gas producers and suppliers can be the reliable procurement of equipment, including essential down-well and transportation steel pipe products, for the remote regions where their assets are situated, where geological and weather conditions can also be extremely challenging. When significant budgets are at stake, it is critical to find a reliable supplier who can manage the complexities of a delivery journey across challenging terrains and often vast distances to meet strict project timelines. A few of the world’s major steel producers are working directly with their customers in the energy sector to manage this challenge. Severstal, one of the major Russian vertically
integrated steel producers, and a world leader in the industry, has built strong partnerships in the energy sector by offering custom pipe production and even door-todoor delivery services. With the raw materials excavated from its mines, Severstal produces high quality steel products for the energy, construction and automotive sectors. While its primary focus is the Russian market, the company’s assets are well-positioned near to export routes and its highly efficient verticallyintegrated model allows Severstal to offer cost competitive solutions. Cherepovets Steel Mill, Severstal’s flagship facility, is one of the lowest-cost steel mills in the world. Meeting growing steel pipe demand from the oil and gas sector One of Severstal’s most in-demand products for the energy sector is largediameter pipe (LDP), produced at its Izhora Pipe Mill. These products are vital for the storage and transportation of crude oil and
liquid natural gas. The world currently has more than two million miles of pipeline in about 120 countries, with 14,345 to be installed globally in 2021. These pipelines transport gas and oil across continents, bringing these commodities from their sources to terminals in distant countries, where the oil can be used for energy and the gas can heat people’s homes. Forecasts for the oil and gas pipeline market continue to be extremely positive, with the IEA expecting oil demand to increase by an average of one million barrels per day each year until 2025 while the world adjusts to a new energy balance. By 2030, due to its important role in the transition to net-zero, international natural gas demand is also expected to increase, as countries attempt to wean themselves off coal and other high polluting energy sources. Severstal sells steel pipes to the European, MENA and North and South American markets, and supplies LDP to many major
*Deputy sales director for the energy sector (export markets) at Severstal. November/December 2021
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TRANSPORT & HANDLING
oil and gas and EPC companies, such as Gazprom, Eustream and Petrojet. The company has continued to expand its supplies to export markets, with new contracts announced in 2021 to supply LDP to projects in Greece, Brazil, Bulgaria and Peru. Different supply destinations require pipes with specific properties, depending on the environments they are required to operate in or the specific substance they will be transporting. LDP for offshore transportation needs to be able withstand high pressure and be exceedingly reliable since conducting maintenance in those conditions is very difficult. Other LDP is used to construct pipelines in extremely cold environments like Siberia, and therefore needs to function at temperatures as low as -52°C. Severstal produces pipe to meet a large range of specifications and offers tailormade solutions according to the exacting requirements of specific customers. Different supply destinations also offer their own challenges when it comes to product transportation. Severstal is able
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handle all of the logistics of a pipe delivery, offering a door-to-door service. This means that the company does not just ship its products to a port in a client’s country and hand them over, but carefully delivers directly to the client’s warehouse door. Oil and gas pipelines are major feats of engineering. One deviation in a section of a pipeline can have huge environmental and cost consequences for the operator if there is any kind of leak or malfunction. It is, therefore, imperative that pipes delivered to these construction sites are in optimum condition otherwise they must be rejected at huge cost. Severstal is experienced in managing the transportation of pipes over vast distances across difficult terrains. For projects such as Gazprom Russia’s Power of Siberia pipeline to China, this meant transporting more than 500kt of pipe across thousands of kilometres of uninhabited taiga in icy conditions as low as -50 degrees. For exports to distant countries, Severstal often manages multi-modal journeys, overseeing shipping by road, rail and sea and across many country borders, handling
November/December 2021
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The multimodal process employed in two of the case studies above is a key part of what’s sets Severstal’s delivery service apart. The company’s top priority is delivering a quality customer experience, which means tailor-made products, like those produced for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, and tailor-made delivery solutions, like those employed for the Egypt and Poland-Slovakia pipelines.
the customs paperwork at each stage. All of this requires specialist experience and attention to ensure products are not damaged as they are loaded and unloaded multiple times and transported through different temperatures and other climatic conditions. By managing this entire process on behalf of its customers, Severstal significantly reduces potential delays in deliveries and product quality issues that can have major financial and strategic implications for these infrastructure projects which are often of national significance. Recent delivery case studies The COVID-19 pandemic caused major supply chain disruption globally in 2020 – 2021 and oil and gas producers were severely disrupted with issues continuing into the present day. Despite the multiple challenges they faced, they continued to rely upon on-time deliveries from Severstal, which was able to maintain the same level of services thanks to its global logistics network and strict internal protocols. Severstal has made a number of complex deliveries in the past two years, including the following examples: Oil pipeline in Egypt Severstal supplied an assortment of largediameter pipes for an oil pipeline project in Egypt, which is being built between the Suez Canal and an oil refinery. In order to deliver the pipes to the construction site, the company needed to develop a multimodal delivery solution. First, the products were delivered by road from St. Petersburg to the port of Novorossiysk. Once at the November/December 2021
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port, they were transported by ship to the port of Alexandria. Upon arriving in Alexandria, the pipes were delivered by road to the Suez Canal. At each stage of the delivery process the customer was informed of the whereabouts and condition of its order. Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh Severstal completed a complex delivery to the Republic of Bangladesh, producing 3kt of rolled metal products for the construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, the country’s first nuclear facility, which is due for completion in 2023. The integrated delivery was for LDP, weighing 2,320 tons with a diameter of 820-1020 mm and a wall thickness of 12-14 mm, as well as a thick sheet, all of which was according to the client’s specifications. The products, which will be used as support columns for structures in the plant, were shipped from the port of St. Petersburg and transported in containers to Bangladesh. Poland-Slovakia gas pipeline in Europe Severstal delivered over 11kt of largediameter pipes for the Poland-Slovakia interconnector gas pipeline in Europe. Using a multi-modal transportation system to deliver the pipes, which involved transportation by road, sea and rail, an unusual approach, but one that ensured greater flexibility and higher efficiency levels at all points in the supply chain. The company also partnered with another manufacturer so that it could apply a multifunctional protective coating to some of the pipes, which ensured the client received a turnkey solution.
Satisfying a more sustainabilityconscious customer Continually monitoring clients’ needs to ensure customer satisfaction is crucial. Therefore, Severstal conducts feedback surveys after each delivery and works to incorporate customer suggestions into future offers. Increasingly, customers are demanding that suppliers disclose their sustainability credentials. They want to understand the carbon footprints of the products they purchase, which includes the emissions incurred during their transportation to the customer’s site. Severstal is one of the only steel producers globally that is already calculating Scope 3 emissions. It is, therefore, able to disclose extremely accurate figures for the embedded carbon footprint of its products and provide this information for customers. Its vertically integrated model means that the company can precisely measure and manage the carbon impact of every stage of production. It is increasingly critical for steel consumers that they have access to this information as global pressure grows on companies to demonstrate that they are sourcing raw materials sustainably. The company is also working to reduce its carbon footprint further. Earlier this year, Severstal set a medium-term goal to reduce the carbon intensity of its CO2 emissions per tonne of steel by 10% by 31 December 2030 (compared with the 2020 base year), calculated in accordance with the methodology established by the World Steel Association. The company is looking to achieve this through projects which involve the technical re-equipment of production facilities and the introduction of the best available technologies. The combined measures will reduce the intensity of Severstal’s CO2 emissions from 2.063 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of steel in 2020 to 1.857 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of steel in 2030. � www.steeltimesint.com
22/11/2021 14:46:05
DANIELI MIDA HYBRID MINIMILL FOR FLAT PRODUCTS Unique performances using patented
ANIEL
GRE
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I
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DIGIMELTER®, DYSENCASTER® AND QSP-DUE® TECHNOLOGIES
EN E M
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DANIELI MIDA HYBRID MINIMILL FOR FLAT PRODUCTS
Characterized by Digimelter power and melting intelligence, high-speed high-quality casting, and endless casting-rolling, QSP-DUE® minimills produce up to 3 Mtpy of HRC on a single casting strand.
A Green Steel technology for quality products at competitive OpEx
Featuring the Q-One power unit, Q-Melt intelligent controller and continuous scrap or DRI charge, Digimelter runs the melting processes automatically, in a stable and adaptive way, with minimal impact on the electric network. Thanks to the unique flexibility of three rolling modes in a single line, QSP-DUE® technology
allows the widest product mix from mild steel IF, ULC, up to AHSS steel grades for automotive applications, in thin gauges down to 0.8 mm as a substitute for cold-rolled strip products. Coil-to-coil, semi-endless and endless rolling modes make it possible to satisfy continuously changing market requests. Danieli MIDA minimills are truly green, with the lowest power consumption and CO2 release. Also, they are natively hybrid - making use of renewable energies by Digimelter, and use hydrogen for DRI production.
DIGISAVER DIGITAL PROCESS ENHANCER 20 kWh/ton saving
50 kWh/ton saving
30 kWh/ton saving
DRI HOT CHARGE
HYBRID VIA Q-JENIUS
100 kWh/ton saving
50 kWh/ton saving
DYSENCASTER® UP TO 6.5 M/MIN CASTING SPEED
Note: energy savings expressed in kWh/ton (1 kWh/ton = 3.6 MJ/ton)
UNIVERSAL ENDLESS FOR FLAT PRODUCTS
ANIEL
I
DANIELI THE COMPETITIVE GREEN STEEL
GRE
MIDA Flat QSP-DUE A3_2021_03_03.indd 2-3
WIDE RANGE OF QUALITY HOT-ROLLED STRIP
Up to 260 kWh/ton saving.
DANIELI QSP-DUE®
UNIQUE PERFORMANCES USING PATENTED: DIGIMELTER® DYSENCASTER® QSP-DUE®
Q-HEAT FLAT INDUCTIONTEMPERATURE CONTROL
DUE@ Three rolling modes. Coil-to-coil, semi-endless, and endless for no steel-grade production limits.
TA L
DDM - DANIELI DIGIMELTER: THE EVOLUTION OF THE EAF
D
SCRAP MANAGEMENT AND ENDLESS CHARGE
Additional digital overall plant optimization
EN E M
15/04/21 22:18
DANIELI MIDA HYBRID MINIMILL FOR FLAT PRODUCTS
Characterized by Digimelter power and melting intelligence, high-speed high-quality casting, and endless casting-rolling, QSP-DUE® minimills produce up to 3 Mtpy of HRC on a single casting strand.
A Green Steel technology for quality products at competitive OpEx
Featuring the Q-One power unit, Q-Melt intelligent controller and continuous scrap or DRI charge, Digimelter runs the melting processes automatically, in a stable and adaptive way, with minimal impact on the electric network. Thanks to the unique flexibility of three rolling modes in a single line, QSP-DUE® technology
allows the widest product mix from mild steel IF, ULC, up to AHSS steel grades for automotive applications, in thin gauges down to 0.8 mm as a substitute for cold-rolled strip products. Coil-to-coil, semi-endless and endless rolling modes make it possible to satisfy continuously changing market requests. Danieli MIDA minimills are truly green, with the lowest power consumption and CO2 release. Also, they are natively hybrid - making use of renewable energies by Digimelter, and use hydrogen for DRI production.
DIGISAVER DIGITAL PROCESS ENHANCER 20 kWh/ton saving
50 kWh/ton saving
30 kWh/ton saving
DRI HOT CHARGE
HYBRID VIA Q-JENIUS
100 kWh/ton saving
50 kWh/ton saving
DYSENCASTER® UP TO 6.5 M/MIN CASTING SPEED
Note: energy savings expressed in kWh/ton (1 kWh/ton = 3.6 MJ/ton)
UNIVERSAL ENDLESS FOR FLAT PRODUCTS
ANIEL
I
DANIELI THE COMPETITIVE GREEN STEEL
GRE
MIDA Flat QSP-DUE A3_2021_03_03.indd 2-3
WIDE RANGE OF QUALITY HOT-ROLLED STRIP
Up to 260 kWh/ton saving.
DANIELI QSP-DUE®
UNIQUE PERFORMANCES USING PATENTED: DIGIMELTER® DYSENCASTER® QSP-DUE®
Q-HEAT FLAT INDUCTIONTEMPERATURE CONTROL
DUE@ Three rolling modes. Coil-to-coil, semi-endless, and endless for no steel-grade production limits.
TA L
DDM - DANIELI DIGIMELTER: THE EVOLUTION OF THE EAF
D
SCRAP MANAGEMENT AND ENDLESS CHARGE
Additional digital overall plant optimization
EN E M
15/04/21 22:18
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TRANSPORT & HANDLING
Shaping the future of logistics A senior executive of a large steel company said that companies like theirs have two big headaches – logistics and energy. Pesmel knows how investing in industry 4.0, especially intelligent automation, can help alleviate the first of those headaches.
“Companies that have
taken the leap into industry 4.0 in terms of their logistics chain are reporting astonishing results.” AS production volumes grow, and delivery schedules keep tightening, traditional storage, loading and transportation methods are no longer able to meet the needs of today’s business. Many of the industry frontrunners are investing in bringing their supply chain logistics into the 21st century by investing in advanced automation. The potential for improved efficiency in logistics is great, yet still largely unrecognized.
industry 4.0 in terms of their logistics chain are reporting astonishing results. By improving the speed, accuracy and efficiency of logistics operations, many have significantly enhanced their business performance. Automated solutions regularly report zero errors in deliveries due to the elimination of the component of human error. In some cases, improved throughput times have helped boost annual sales by up to 15%.
Throughput up, no errors in deliveries Companies that have taken the leap into
Storage footprint cut by two thirds Pesmel’s automated high-bay storage
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solution has allowed many steel manufacturers to reduce the amount of space required for storage by as much as 66%. But it is important to note that improvements in in-mill logistics will boost several areas of mill performance, finally reaching all the way through the entire logistics chain. Train loading and turnaround times Road or rail transport times often account for less than 50% of the total time from mill to customer. This means that there is little to no forward progress the rest of the www.steeltimesint.com
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“Pesmel wants to ensure that each project they take on has what
it takes to deliver the expected results.” time. This is where the improved efficiency of in-mill logistics and shipping functions can have a positive influence on the entire logistics chain. Reducing waiting and turnaround times through proactive and predictive operations and the smart sharing of information has the potential to really impact business performance. High utilization rate of rolling stock In one exemplary case, Pesmel’s automated logistics solutions helped a customer reduce the round trip time for a 320 km rail transfer from mill to port from 96 to 36 hours. The trains still run at the same 2430 km/h speed using the state-owned rail network. These savings simply come from less time being stood still. Thanks to active networking and data sharing between the customer’s business platform (SAP), Pesmel’s Warehouse Management System (WMS) and the port systems, the outgoing loads are pre-sorted and ready for loading when the train arrives. Also, the automated loading process is much faster than traditional manual loading. Loading 1,500 tons of product takes only three hours. The scheduling information and tracking of the train cars combined with a detailed load list creates the same time savings when unloading the train cars at the port. Cutting truck turnaround times Equally impressive improvements have been achieved at mill sites, which exclusively use trucks for primary transportation. At one particular plant, which previously www.steeltimesint.com
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had anywhere up to 300 trucks pull up in random order each day for pick-up, valuable time was being lost in shipment sorting and loading. By building an automated distribution centre alongside the production facilities and increasing the level of automation and data utilisation, they were able to reduce turnaround times for arriving trucks to 20 minutes. These improvements, which are estimated to allow for annual savings of around 3-5 million EUR, were the result of a highly organized 70kt high-bay storage facility with four stacker cranes, four sorting carriages and 12 truck loading positions, all monitored and controlled by Pesmel’s warehouse management system (WMS). The system includes some of the mill’s business functions as well as predictive monitoring of in-coming truck traffic. Trucks are being followed by GPS as well as plate reading at the front gate to help predict arrival time and order. This allows for the efficient pre-sorting of outgoing loads and delivering them to the allocated loading point in advance. Project validation Pesmel wants to ensure that each project it takes on has what it takes to deliver the expected results. This is why it always starts with an in-depth feasibility study before executing the planned automation of in-mill logistics and shipping functions and the desired Industry 4.0 system integration and networking capabilities. A comprehensive simulation is a minor investment that
justifies the overall investment. Pesmel creates a 3D-simulation model of the entire production process and material flows based on real and planned operational data, taking future plans into consideration. The simulation is run using the same WMS that will be in real use later. This process helps provide a realistic overview of what can be expected and validation for the project based on real data and analysis. The built simulation model also acts as a digital twin for the customer’s process, allowing for future simulations and pre-implementation testing of new developments. Enhancing the entire supply chain Investments in automated logistics operations boost the performance of the entire logistics chain. Added intelligence in storage, sorting and distribution functions means that companies have up to 40% less capital tied into products sitting in the stock yard or warehouse. With the right partner, planning of automated logistics is carried out systematically, risks minimized and significant savings in time and money achieved. Pesmel-delivered systems are proof of successful automated logistics projects that have enhanced the efficiency of the entire supply chain while offering great returns on investment with a lower total cost of ownership. Automated solutions allow steelmakers to tap into the potential for increasing efficiency across the entire chain, and ushers in a new era in smarter logistics. � November/December 2021
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TRANSPORT & HANDLING
The right equipment for the job 4
Steel comes in various shapes, sizes and weights, and when it comes to lifting and moving loads, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. What’s good for a structural steel fabricator may not be ideal for a stockholder, and getting the right handling equipment can make all the difference in terms of safety and productivity. Martin McVicar* takes a look at how customers around the world have addressed some specific and often tricky handling scenarios using the company’s customised products.
* CEO and co-founder of Combilift. November/December 2021
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TRANSPORT & HANDLING
MAINSTREAM forklifts, such as counterbalance and reach trucks, are adequate for moving uniform loads, but in an industry that needs to handle very heavy, awkward and potentially dangerous products, specialist equipment can ensure optimum procedures, enabling the aforementione objectives to be achieved. Accidents involving powered industrial vehicles and pedestrians are still a major
enables sideways travel in confined spaces and this in turn means a much better use of all available space, which is one of a company’s most valuable assets. Compared to using a counterbalance forklift, storage capacity can potentially be doubled, and the costs of operating multiple types of vehicles is also reduced due to lower outlay on maintenance, insurance, training and so on.
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2. Combilift recently launched the new electric powered Combi-XLE. 3. Side loaders in action at Duggan Steel. 4. Substantially improved productivity using a Combilift straddle carrier.
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issue in spite of the UK having some of the most stringent safety legislation in the world. The indirect costs of not using the right equipment can also be considerable: downtime after collisions, product damage, repairs, disruption, delayed deliveries and unhappy customers. And this is without counting the much more grave human cost of any injuries that may be inflicted. Handling long loads can be particularly risky; trying to manoeuvre long packs of steel in confined spaces with counterbalance forklifts is problematic. Using a couple of forklifts at either end of a load is a definite no-no from a health and safety point of view, and travelling with elevated loads around obstacles is also considered to be hazardous practice. Combilift’s multi-directional trucks from its C-Series range were specifically designed to handle these loads safely and efficiently, as they combine the advantages of a counterbalance forklift, sideloader and narrow aisle truck in one. The very low centre of gravity and integrated platform provides a stable, low-level base for resting loads on during transportation, eliminating the need for elevated travel. The quick change of the wheel direction
1. Combilift CB and C series in action at AJN Steel.
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Many of our customers in the steel sector cite safety as a major reason for switching to the multi-directional concept. AJN Steelstock replaced counterbalance trucks with Combilift models 20 years ago at its site in Suffolk in the UK and since the opening of its branch in Somerset five years ago it operates one of the largest multi-directional fleets in the country. Joint MD Alan Boyden: “the Combilifts make a valuable contribution to our aim to establish and maintain the highest
standards of health and safety performance within our industry. The fact that the trucks are robust and multi-purpose is, of course, also very beneficial.” Productivity Preparing full loads of steel on trailers when they are ready to be despatched to the customer can be a time-consuming process for structural steel fabricators, and may involve a combination of numerous forklifts and personnel working at height. November/December 2021
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very reliable,” he said.
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5. A straddle carrier in action at CSF Industries in Cairns
This is neatly summed up by Sean Adams, managing director at CSF Industries in Cairns, Australia: “As any forklift driver will know, structural steel is hard to load – it’s not uniform in size for a start. As the larger elements are loaded first, visibility is reduced the higher up you go with the smaller ones, so this makes it even trickier. So you need personnel to stand on the trailer to guide the driver and make sure the load is in the right place, and then also to strap the load up.” CSF, Schulte Building Systems in the USA and UK-based FH Dale are just some of many fabricators from around the world who have substantially improved productivity by using the Combilift straddle carrier (Combi-SC), the structure of which is designed to safely lift loads of uneven weight distribution with maximum stability. Lifting on four corners allows the full load to be prepared at ground level and manoeuvred securely. Once completed, the Combi-SC drives over the top of the load, picks it up in one lift and lowers it directly on the truck bed ready to be secured for transportation. Its optimum centre of gravity, broad wheelbase and three-wheel manouevrability ensure maximum load stability. And there are many other benefits, as Mike Nesbitt, equipment manager at USbased Schulte Building Systems, explains: “Doing something the safer way has ended up being the more profitable way too. Our Combi-SCs have not only improved safety on the shop floors and yards, but have halved the time it takes to build a load, reduced labour costs and boosted profits.” www.steeltimesint.com
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At FH Dale’s site in Shropshire, UK, the Combi-SC’s ability to traverse aisles of just 1,650mm has resulted in more compact storage in the yard, potentially doubling the storage space compared with the old side loader system – a major advantage as the 12-acre site is pretty much full to capacity. The number of trailers needed has been reduced from 29 down to 16, which is beneficial from a space point of view and has resulted in financial savings on trailer maintenance and upkeep. Heavy lifting and long runs If you store a lot of product across an extensive site, you need equipment that can cover the distance at speed without the risk of overheating, which can be a problem in certain side loader models. Combilift’s 4WSL range, with 5t or 6t capacities, was developed for these type of applications. The robust JCB axle includes an automatic locking differential, which gives good traction to the rear wheels for easy operation on potentially difficult ground conditions. The ultra-clean Deutz engine without DPF also reduces maintenance costs and fuel consumption and ensures cleaner emissions. This makes them ideal for Duggan Steel’s stockholding site in Kilkenny, Ireland, where, according to group procurement manager Pat Rafter, it’s a tough life for the trucks. They work a nine and a half hour shift daily and Pat reckons each truck covers at least 20 miles per day across the 16-acre site and clocks up over 2,000 hours a year. “It’s the best model for the weights we lift, the surfaces in the yard and the harsh environment and has proved
Sustainability Lower emissions, greener operation and sustainability are hot topics at the moment, and more and more companies are looking to use electric-powered equipment where possible. Combilift recently launched the new Combi-XLE as a further addition to its impressive range of electric models. This multi-directional forklift with up to 5-ton lift capacity combines quiet, emission-free operation with powerful performance for a wide range of industries and applications. The original engine-powered XL C-Series model was developed to address the requirements of tough working environments such as those in the steel sector. The Combi-XLE incorporates the same key design features as its earlier counterpart, such as high ground clearance, large cushioned front and rear tyres and a spacious cab, allowing smooth operation on semi rough terrain while offering a high level of driver comfort. The Combi-XLE incorporates up-to-theminute technology such as the patented all-wheel traction that reduces tyre wear, load swing and enhanced braking. Also included is a newly developed, patented eco-steer system, which provides a smaller turning radius and improved user experience. Since electric-powered trucks do not have traditional combustion engines, or hydraulic transmissions, there is no longer any need to check and top up engine fluids/lubricants, resulting in longer intervals between services, ultimately saving costs. The use of toughened, eco-friendly water-based paint also dramatically reduces the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the manufacturing process. The technology incorporated into the Combi-XLE means that its performance is equally on a par with diesel- or LPGpowered forklifts when it comes to handling very bulky and heavy loads, while ensuring greener operation. Combilift built its first electric C-Series over 18yrs ago, and now over 60% of the trucks manufactured are electric, with availability in almost all models across the range. As more customers are opting for electric power it is obvious that, like Combilift, they are committed to sustainability and a circular economy. � For further information, log on to www.combilift.com November/December 2021
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PERSPECTIVES Q&A: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
Focused on steelmaking Schneider Electric claims to be well-tuned in with current steel industry trends and is constantly updating its focuses and resources in order to remain up-to-date with the growing trends in the sector. Mo Ahmed* says the company is very busy in Europe and the USA at present and is optimistic for the future 1. How are things going at SCHNEIDER? Is the steel industry keeping you busy? Things are only set to get better for us in the steel industry. We are well-tuned with the current steel industry trends, particularly focusing on sustainability and digitalization. Within Schneider Electric we are working in parallel with the industry and are making adjustments to our focuses and resources to ensure we can stay up-to-date with the growing trends throughout the sector. 2. What is your view on the current state of the global steel industry? The steel industry is going through a neverbefore-seen revolution. The pressing need to decarbonize the industry, which currently emits 7-9% of global CO2, is driving unparalleled innovation and investments throughout the sector. We are already seeing governments in Europe and Canada giving grants and loans to certain steel producers to start the decarbonization process. Notable examples include ArcelorMittal who have signed a letter of intent with the governments of Belgium and Flanders, supporting €1.1 billion investment in decarbonisation technologies at its flagship Gent plant, as well as gaining support from the Government of Canada to start the decarbonization process of their ArcelorMittal Dofasco plant in Ontario, which will reduce carbon emissions by approximately 60%. The use of hydrogen as a reducting agent of iron ore in place of coke or injecting hydrogen in blast furnaces will be vital to not only reduce emissions but also to ensure the longevity of the industry. However, progress is slow and the industry can’t move forward without the continued help of investors and government. Organisations and
governments need to work together to ensure sustainability remains on the agenda. 3. In which sector of the steel industry does SCHNEIDER mostly conduct its business? Schneider Electric focuses on the steelmaking sector, continuing from our strengths in mining and into the downstream value chain.
Mo Ahmed, global segment solutions at Schneider Electric
4. Where in the world are you busiest at present? Europe and North America. Policy making in Europe is giving steelmakers no option but to take the decarbonization process seriously, as it’s now a matter of survival. In the US, the steel industry is still booming on the heels of import tariffs and high-capacity utilization. 5. Where does SCHNEIDER stand on the aluminium versus steel argument? There is a need for both, is it not a case of
one versus the other. Simply put, aluminium is lighter, and steel is more cost effective. They both serve their individual purpose and can co-exist. For example, an aeroplane needs to be light to be able to fly, making aluminium the right application despite being more expensive. On the other hand, the large quantities of material needed to build large cargo ships makes steel the most viable option to keep costs low and still produce a good product. There is no doubt that we are going to see a rise in both, but not one of them can take out the other. 6. What are your views on Industry 4.0 and steelmaking and how, if at all, is SCHNEIDER using it? Digitalization has the potential to unleash billions in value to the steel industry and we are slowly beginning to see its benefits. Schneider Electric has deployed various successful digital solutions to the metals industry. One of the key technologies being used in the steel industry is artificial intelligence (AI). In current operations, AI can analyse processes in a split second and can solve bigger problems faster, ultimately seeing things that we couldn’t see before. With the power of computing, AI, modelling and algorithms, it’s unleashing value that previously could not be harnessed. 7. Hydrogen steelmaking is the next big thing. What’s your view? Hydrogen will play a large role in decarbonizing the steel industry in the lead up to 2050, with its role becoming vital after 2025. Using hydrogen in DRI processes will play a large role in eliminating CO2 emissions. The acceleration of the trend will depend on the availability and cost of renewable energy and public
* Global segment solutions (metals) at Schneider Electric November/December 2021
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PERSPECTIVES Q&A: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
policy support in the years to come. Hydrogen steelmaking is currently the only available technology that offers 100% decarbonization of the steelmaking process. 8. In your dealings with steel producers, are you finding that they are looking to companies like SCHNEIDER to offer solutions in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability? If so, what can you offer them? Energy efficiency is only one part of the solution in reducing carbon footprint. At Schneider Electric, we offer end-to-end solutions starting from energy efficiency audits, through to solution development and implementation. Not only this, but financing options using financial partners are also available, as well as offering a sustainability consulting service. 9. How quickly has the steel industry responded to ‘green politics’ in terms of making the production process more environmentally friendly and are they succeeding or fighting a losing battle? The steel industry has been quick to respond to ‘green politics’, especially in Europe. The steel industry isn’t losing the battle, but progress is slower than expected. The steel industry can’t fight this battle alone due to the costs of decarbonizing the industry. Support from the government, financial institutions and shareholders is necessary to make this a reality. 10. Where does SCHNEIDER lead the field in terms of steel production technology? We are a leader in energy management and industrial automation and don’t forget our relationship with AVEVA/OSISoft, the combination of the three domain experts is unmatched in the industry. 11. How do you view SCHNEIDER’s development over the short-tomedium term in relation to the global steel industry? We are going all the way in. Schneider was named the most sustainable company in the world by Corporate Knights, and we have made it our mission to be the partner of customer sustainability and digitalization. We can only help decarbonize the steel industry if we are an insider player not a sideline observer. www.steeltimesint.com
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12. China dominates global crude steel production and is accountable for almost half of global production. How should the industry react to this situation? China is a global industrial power, you can’t ignore them, they are both a major supplier and a major customer. 90% of steel in China is made through the blast furnace process which makes their steel one of the most polluting in the world. Like many other countries, they need to align with the global steel industry in taking decarbonization seriously – this will provide a huge opportunity for them and their partners. 13. What is SCHNEIDER’s experience of the Chinese steel industry? The Schneider Modicon PLC was the first used in China. There is a huge installed base of Schneider solutions in the Chinese steel industry and we are upgrading many of the current old systems. We have also installed
the most advanced fully autonomous slab yard handling systems for Baosteel in Shanghai. 14. Where do you see most innovation in terms of production technologies – primary, secondary, or more downstream? Plant builders and process OEMs don’t stop innovating in their respective areas, it is the nature of their business. The urgent need is currently on the primary steel side where the most CO2 emissions are being produced. At Schneider Electric, it is vital that we innovate in sync with current market trends.
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15. How optimistic are you for the global steel industry going forward and what challenges face global producers in the short-to-medium term? We are very optimistic for the future of the steel industry. Steel itself is not being existentially challenged by another material as we need steel for urban growth and to make more renewable energy to support green electrification. Global producers are facing shortterm challenges when it comes to raw materials, energy, and steel product price fluctuations. For the medium term, global producers are still formalizing roadmaps to adapt to new trends and the increased pressure of decarbonization planning and competitiveness due to digitalization. 16. SCHNEIDER is headquartered in France, but what’s happening steelwise in the country? France is following the same steps as most
of Europe. Germany, Sweden, Spain and France are leading the way within Europe, with Europe leading the way within the global community. 17. Apart from strong coffee, what keeps you awake at night? The steel industry needs to come together and follow a common roadmap. Right now, every steel producer is trying to find a way of making their own roadmap and are struggling with sustainability and digitalization. Organizations and governments need to speak to each other and need to learn lessons from each other’s mistakes. �
November/December 2021
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HISTORY 51
1. Remains of the Fernhurst furnace showing two wheel pits, a gun casting pit and water channels
Recent finds at a Wealden furnace Over a period of 330 years, the Weald of southern England hosted 119 blast furnaces and 109 refining forges. The very first blast furnace to come to England was built in 1490 at Buxted in East Sussex using Walloon technology transferred from present day Belgium. Henry VII invited this technology transfer, which thrived using local iron ore, charcoal and water power, the latter to drive bellows and hammers. By Dr. Tim Smith* One of the last furnaces to close was in the western part of the Weald, close to the Hampshire border. Fernhurst Furnace (also known as North Park) is known to have operated for 163 years from 1614 to 1777 – although there would have been fallow periods during this time and changes in equipment and what was produced. Little evidence survives above ground today of this extensive industry which provided the King’s navy, army and merchant ships with guns and shot for nearly 240 years during which time over 35,500 guns of various sizes were cast in one of 38 furnaces specializing in this very demanding product. Guns were cast vertically in a pit with a core down the barrel to provide a hollow casting, the
bore later being reamed out to true. Since Wealden furnaces could typically produce no more than 1.0 to 1.5 tons a day it was necessary to allow an accumulation of metal over two or three days to cast the larger guns, such as cannon, which required three tons of metal, including a gun head at the muzzle to compensate for shrinkage, this later being cut off. While accumulating sufficient metal there were inherent dangers of a break-out of the metal or cooling causing a freeze-up in the furnace. Indeed, one ironmaster, John Fuller, wrote in 1738 ‘will not make 42 pounders (cannon) at £20 a ton – a gamble at £80 a throw, also when making 4 tons of metal 1 ton is burned away’. Simpler products such as fire backs, grave slabs and salt pans were also made as
well as iron for refining in forges to produce a malleable product. Fernhurst furnace is exceptional in revealing much of the foundations of the site presently being conserved under the keen eye of Historic England (Fig 1). The occurrence of two wheel pits side-by-side is an unusual feature in a Wealden furnace, possibly one to drive the furnace bellows and one to drive a boring mill to ream out the guns cast in the gun pit. The Fernhurst pit is lined with an inner layer of brick onto which timbers have been attached. It would be around 3m deep and it is hoped that, when excavated, the timbers used to support the mould will appear as well as a sump pump used to drain the pit. During the conservation work a number
* Hon Sec Wealden Iron Research Group www.steeltimesint.com
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HISTORY
2. The rectangular bear indicates the large size of the hearth needed for casting guns
of finds were extracted from the site. A rectangular bear (the debris consisting of slag, refractory material and metal accumulating in the hearth after a campaign) measuring 113 x 62 x 18cm thick, indicates this being one of the larger furnaces on the Weald, at least during the latter part of its life (Fig 2). Bears are not uncommon finds as they were extracted whenever the furnace hearth had to be rebuilt and are often circular in section rather than the rectangular shape at Fernhurst. Other finds (Fig 3) were two fire backs which appeared to have run short during casting, a large lump of slag, a stone cornice – probably robbed from the remains of a nearby priory, and a lump of sandstone with naturally occurring holes. The ‘pièce de résistance’, though, was the find of part of a pig of iron, which would have been destined for the forge to refine to malleable iron. The remains of the pig measured 67 x
3. A collection of finds during conservation work
4. Part of a pig of iron
10 (max) x 3-4 cm thick and has a convex bottom (Fig 4). This is surprisingly small for a Walloon furnace as normally much larger sows several metres in length and some 15cm wide and weighing up to a ton were cast for refining. Possibly the pig dates from the later period of the furnace’s life when workmen decided to cast a tree of smaller pigs which were easier to carry to the forge, usually a
mile or more away. In addition, the more rapid cooling rate achieved in a smaller casting would encourage the formation of a white iron in which the carbon is formed as a fine dispersion of iron carbide (Fe3C) which proved easier to oxidise in the forge to reduce the carbon content, compared to the grey iron containing free graphite, necessary to impart a little ductility to cast objects. �
Letter to the Editor From David Paylor author of last month’s History page article, The Blast Furnaces of William Blake. Sir, Thank you for publishing my article. However I was concerned that the comments by Dr Tim Smith are incorrect. He assumed that Blake wrote Tyger in 1794 when it was published. In fact he wrote it earlier in his notebook about 1786. Blake could have seen furnaces working when he took sailing trips up the Medway around 1780. Although this may be seen as speculation, I do believe that, at some time in the early 1780s, Blake saw a blast furnace which gave him the inspiration to write The Tyger. In the 1780s there were several furnaces working and The Lamberhurst furnace was working in 1782 possibly casting guns. (ref. The Iron Industry of The Weald page 388). Yours faithfully, David Paylor
November/December 2021
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23/11/2021 15:46:50
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24/11/2021 10:32
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