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NLMK Upgrades Steelmaking Facilities

04/15/2008 - Novolipetsk Steel announces completion of the project to refurbish its continuous casting machine CCM-4, which has been commissioned with a new slab capacity of 2 million tonnes per year at the company’s main production site in Lipetsk.

Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) has refurbished and commissioned its continuous casting machine (CCM-4) with a slab capacity of 2 million tonnes per year at its main production site in Lipetsk. The upgrade was designed to ensure better slab surface quality for rolling into flat products.
 
The new curvilinear twin-strand continuous casting machine can cast steel at a speed of up to 1.6 meters/minute. The cast slabs are 200 to 260 mm thick, 800 to 1850 mm wide, and 4500 to 11,500 mm long.
 
During the upgrade, newly designed roll sections were installed for the first time in Russia, ensuring a more regular feed of water for cooling the slabs. The company said that in addition to improved slab quality, the upgrade would also help to facilitate a 20 to 30% increase in the speed of slab treatment.
 
Valued at RUR250 million, the upgrade project has been implemented in cooperation with Siemens VAI as part of the 2nd stage of NLMK’s Technical Upgrade Programme. The project will allow NLMK to fully satisfy increased quality requirements from its global customers.
 
NLMK’s primary objectives for the 2nd phase of its Technical Upgrade Programme for 2007–2011 include increased crude steel output (from 9 to 12.4 million tonnes per year); increased self-sufficiency in key raw materials; and increased output of finished rolled flats (from 5 to 9.5 million tonnes per year). Enhancement and upgrades of NLMK’s existing rolling facilities and the acquisition of new rolling assets will also contribute to the achievement of these objectives. 
 
Total investment capex into the 2nd phase of NLMK’s Technical Upgrade Programme for 2007-2011 will exceed USD4 billion.