Electric Induction

Tata Steel is set to invest EUR 5 million for installation of state-of-the-art electric induction furnaces, in a bid to reduce emissions by at least 2000 tonnes of CO2 a year from the company's Corby tube mill. The improved efficiency of the new electric furnaces means that they require less pre-heating from the gas-fired furnaces and therefore fewer associated emissions.

Mar 13, 2023

AEUR 5 million investment in state-of-the-art electric induction furnaces will reduce emissions from one of Tata Steel's tube mills in Corby by at least 2000 tonnes of CO a year. The Stretch Reduction mill 2 (SR2) takes 169 mm diameter steel tubes and heats them to around 1100°C before they are stretched into hollow sections as small as 40mm diameter with wall thicknesses as thin as 3.2mm. Works Manager Gary Blackman shared, “This is the first part of our extensive plans to make the Corby site CO-neutral in 2 line with Tata Steel's declared environmental ambitions of becoming net zero globally by 2045. It also forms part of our sustainability commitment that encompasses the wider topics of biodiversity, material efficiency and sustainable products.”

Project Lead, Paul Ilko added, “The new induction furnaces will replace the original ones that first came into operation in 1980, since which the mill has produced around 2.5 million tonnes—or over 200,000km—of tubes in its lifetime: enough to stretch around the world five times. Mr. Ilko shares that the improved efficiency of the new electric furnaces means that they require less pre-heating from the gas-fired furnaces and therefore fewer associated emissions. At the same time, as part of their sustainability commitment, the company aims to move their electricity supply towards low-carbon, renewable sources in due course.

East Pipes, Saudi Arabia, Contracted by Aramco to Supply Steel Pipes Worth USD 480 Million

East Pipes Integrated Co, Saudi Arabia, will supply USD 480 million worth of steel pipes to Aramco, Saudi Arabia. The product shall be applied to various key projects in the kingdom.

May 23, 2023

East Pipes Integrated Co, Saudi Arabia, has been contracted by Aramco, Saudi Arabia, to manufacture and supply steel pipes worth USD 480 million. The contract order will take a 12-month period, at the latest, to complete and will be used by Aramco to commission key projects in the kingdom.

East Pipes, founded in 2010, is a major spiral steel pipe manufacturer with a production capacity of up to 500,000 TPA. The company's wide range of diameters of spiral pipes find applications in various industries and are manufactured at the plant site which also houses a factory for coating all pipes of various sizes and lengths, with an annual production capacity of 4.5 million square meters.

Perma-Pipe India Wins Thermally Insulated Pipe, Field Joints Orders Worth USD 6.5 Million

Perma-Pipe International Holdings has announced orders of approximately USD 6.5 million in contracts to its subsidiary Perma-Pipe India Private Limited, during the first quarter of 2023. Two major projects from Reliance New Solar Energy Limited and Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited will begin execution in the Gandhidham, Gujarat facility in the first and second quarter of 2023.

Apr 6, 2023

Perma-Pipe International Holdings announced its subsidiary Perma-Pipe India Private Limited (Perma-Pipe India) has been awarded approximately USD 6.5 million in contracts during the first quarter of 2023. Two major projects will begin execution in Perma-Pipe's Gandhidham, Gujarat, India facility in the first and second quarter of 2023.

Reliance New Solar Energy Limited awarded PermaPipe India for supplying thermally insulated pipe and field joints for a chilled water network on the 10 GW solar cell and module factory in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The project will utilize Perma-Pipe's XTRU-THERM® insulation system, a spray-applied polyurethane foam jacketed with a high-density polyethylene casing. Prior to application of the insulation system, an anticorrosion liquid epoxy coating system will be applied to the pipes as well as installing Perma-Pipe's own

PermAlert® leak detection system. In addition, Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited awarded PermaPipe India for the provision of thermally insulated pipe and field joints for a heat-traced application on the ABNP - Cairn Project, Rajasthan. The project will utilize Perma-Pipe's TRACE-THERM™ insulation system designed to ensure optimum heat management during the life of the pipeline. The system will have welded tracer tubes for heat tracing and spray-applied polyurethane foam jacketed with a high-density polyethylene casing. Prior to application of the insulation system, an anti-corrosion fusion bonded epoxy coating will be applied internally and externally using Perma-Pipe's custom coating facility.

David Mansfield, President and CEO commented, “We are delighted with both of these awards, and that customers return to place their trust in Perma-Pipe to deliver their projects. It is also satisfying to see that the strategic decision to install a custom coating plant in India was the right one.”

Kuusakoski Invests EUR 25 Million to Setup First Carbon Free Steel Recycling Plant in Finland

Recycling pioneer Kuusakoski is set to invest EUR 25 million for construction of a 100 percent carbon free steel recycling plant, located in Veitsiluoto in the Northern Gulf of Bothnia, Finland. The plant is projected to result in reducing additional 150,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually throughout the entire supply chain and is scheduled to be in operation in 2025.

Mar 22, 2023

Kuusakoski plans to invest EUR 25 million to build a steel recycling plant that will operate 100 percent carbon free. The plant will be located in Veitsiluoto, a well-known industrial site located in the Northern Gulf of Bothnia, Finland. The new plant will be built in Veitsiluoto, Kemi and will increase the annual recycling capacity of Kuusakoski by 25 percent or 150,000 tonnes. The port connection effectively links sea freight to rail and road transport. The investment is projected to result in over 150,000 tonnes of avoided CO emissions annually throughout the entire supply 2 chain.

The plant will produce significantly higher levels of purity in its recycled raw materials and have improved separation capabilities due to new technology used in the pre-treatment and analysis of the material. The total value of the investment is EUR 25 million, of which EUR 2.8 million will be financed by Business Finland from Recovery and Resilience Facility funding. The plant's construction is planned to begin next year and it is scheduled to be in operation in 2025.

This plant is part of Kuusakoski´s multi-year green investment program, with a target of carbon free operations by 2035. The Veitsiluoto recycling plant is just one concrete step on the company's carbon roadmap. “We are seeing the steel industry beginning to move towards carbon free production. Our new plant will bring with it carbon free processing, which will enable our customers to further reduce their climate impact throughout the value chain”, says

Mikko Kuusilehto, President and CEO.

SMS Group Bags Continuous Caster Order from Kalyani Group's Saarloha

SMS Group recently received an order for a continuous casting plant to produce India's largest round blooms at its facility in Pune, Maharashtra from Kalyani Group's company Saarloha Advanced Materials Private Limited. The start of production is planned for July 2024.

Apr 13, 2023

Saarloha Advanced Materials Private Limited, a

Kalyani Group company, has awarded an order to SMS group for a continuous casting plant to produce India's largest round blooms at its facility in Pune, Maharashtra. Designed for section sizes of 160 x 160 to 340 x 400 millimeters and with a round diameter of 500 millimeters, SMS will supply the complete plant technology for the continuous caster with the largest round profile in India. The start of production is planned for July 2024. The new continuous caster will be built next to the existing caster without affecting ongoing operations.

The caster will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology for enhanced cast product quality in a variety of special steels, including CONGAUGE, the patented mold level control system that also measures and controls the mold powder thickness along with the liquid steel level, CONDRIVE (mold oscillator drive) with servo drive for improved surface quality, as well as the mold and electromagnetic stirrers for enhanced internal quality and porosity. The caster will come with a mechanical soft and hard reduction system for improved segregation and center porosity. For re-stranding, a rigid dummy bar system will be provided, which enables fully automatic dummy bar insertion, and a traversing dummy bar unit. The system is designed for high productivity and low maintenance while at the same time facilitating precise alignment of the strand. For optimal process control and tracking, SMS plans to supply its Level 2 automation solution.

“SMS is a world leader in supplying advanced, highquality equipment to the metals industry. Saarloha has recently launched India's first green steel on the market – KALYANI FeRRESTATM. With its green steel offering and the addition of a feature-packed continuous caster from SMS, Saarloha will be able to get into new product segments and regional markets. We look forward to continued support from the SMS team,” says R. K. Goyal, Director at Saarloha.

Benteler Steel/Tube To Close Switzerland Tube Plant

German holding company Benteler Steel/Tube has decided to close its plant in Rothrist, Switzerland. The plant specializes in the production of quality welded drawn tubes for the industrial and automotive sectors and employs around 300 people. The company has taken this step as a response to the declining situation on the global welded tube market.

Apr 5, 2023

Benteler Steel/Tube has announced that it will close its production site in Rothrist, Switzerland by the end of 2023. The plant in Rothrist, with around 300 employees, specializes in the production of quality welded drawn tubes for the industrial and automotive sectors. The company has taken this step as a response to the situation on the global welded tube market, which has been tense for some years and is caused by export restrictions due to customs duties, the continued high costs for energy, spare parts and raw material, as well as the declining demand for powertrain components for vehicles with combustion engines. All these factors have negatively affected the Rothrist plant.

“We very much regret having to close our plant in Rothrist at the end of 2023. Making this final decision was not easy for us. Many of our employees have been with us for years and have done great work. We would like to express our gratitude once again," explained Thomas

Michels, Chief Operating Officer (COO)

at BENTELER Steel/Tube.

Bend-Tech to Launch New Coolant Support System for Longer Tubes and Pipes

Bend-Tech to Launch Coolant Support System for its Dragon A400 and Dragon A250 CNC plasma tube and pipe-cutting models. The new system enables longer section cutting and easy handling of the stock.

Apr 12, 2023

Bend-Tech, a US-based leading developer of versatile CNC plasma tube and pipe cutting equipment and integrated software, will launch its Coolant Support System at the upcoming 2023 Steel Conference. The system is designed to work with Bend-Tech's Dragon A400 and Dragon A250 CNC plasma tube and pipe-cutting models.

The system will make the handling of longer tube and pipe materials more efficient. It has additional support trolleys to carry stock as it is loaded and holds up long parts to maintain a consistent, cleaner cut, no matter the length. The system also allows the cutting of longer parts while maintaining safety standards.

The Coolant Support System is ideal for the fabrication of stainless steel tubes and pipes with application in industries such as petrochemical, chemical, and dairy, as well as aluminum tubes and pipes used in boat docks and trailer manufacturing. The system is designed with rigid sidewalls and splash guards that securely contain fluids and prevent spills to run production efficiently, keep a clean shop environment, and maintain safety standards.

The A400's full 400-pound weight capacity is supported in round, square, or rectangle stocks with the same sizing up to 6.375 inches measured at the hypotenuse. Bend-Tech's A400 will be capable of cutting, marking, and engraving long aluminum trailer rails and stainless staircase handrails. Other closedprofile stocks can also be run with coolant using custom plugs. The A250 will support round stock to 260 pounds.

The new system allows quick release for fast changes between materials sizes, maintains material centerline, and uses non-marring, durable Teflon® supports.

Mr. Mitchell Eigenberger, General Manager of BendTech, says, “Bend-Tech's new support system enhances the most versatile CNC plasma cutters on the market, our Dragon A250 and A400. We took customer feedback to heart when designing the new Coolant Support System so operators can work with longer materials and cut longer parts in a safe and efficient manner.”