YK Steel, Korea, has placed an order with the SMS group for the supply of a new minimill for an integrated melting, casting and rolling operation, including all electrical equipment and automation. Originally, the relocation and modernization of an existing plant was planned for the end of 2021. Now YK Steel has decided to build a completely new minimill. This will allow the company to benefit from the supply and commissioning of the latest technologies. Commissioning at the Dangjin site is scheduled for 2025.
Sustainable growth plans
This strategic decision to build a new plant underlines the growth plans of Daehan Steel Co.,Ltd. With YK Steel Co. the company aims to become one of the market leaders in the production of reinforcing steel nationwide. In addition, the new plant will enable more sustainable and energy-efficient production at the lowest possible operating costs.
YK Steel will use a 115 t DC Edge® electric arc furnace for steel production as well as the Aura® charging system, which will be operated exclusively with steel scrap. The five-strand casting line to produce square billets with a thickness of 150 millimeters achieves casting speeds of up to 4.0 meters per minute using the proven CONVEX mold technology. The cast billets are transported to the downstream rolling mill via a hot insert roller table. This roller table is connected to a walking beam furnace, which has a production capacity of 140 tons of billets per hour and is equipped with low NOx recuperator burners. The rolling mill consists of a total of 18 columnless stands as well as a new type of water-cooling system for controlling the temperature of the rolled material and quenching it.
The Minimill products are marketed in the form of six- to twelve-meter-long partial containers weighing a maximum of 450 to 550 kg, as well as in the form of large containers weighing up to two tons. With the help of the new plant, YK Steel will in future be able to produce reinforcing steel with diameters ranging from 10 to 35 millimeters.
