London, June 09, 2022

Indian customer places order with Primetals Technologies to increase production for the automotive industry

• Primetals Technologies to supply coupled pickling line and tandem cold mill
• Designed for a capacity of 1.92 million tons of steel per year
• Focus will be on value-added steel grades for the automotive industry

Steel producer ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) recently ordered a coupled Pickling Line and Tandem Cold Mill (PLTCM) from Primetals Technologies for its site in Hazira, Gujarat in the western part of India. The project is expected to be commissioned by July 2024. With a rated capacity of 1.92 million tons per year, the new PLTCM will be set to produce steel grades for the automotive industry, as AM/NS India is to expand in order to meet India’s rapidly growing need for steel.

Improved flatness

Primetals Technologies is responsible for engineering, supply of main and auxiliary equipment and electronics and automation, and will also be supervising the construction and commissioning processes. The existing hot-strip mill will supply hot-rolled coil to the new PLTCM line. After pickling, the coil will either be processed as hot-rolled pickled and oiled steel or sent to the tandem cold mill for cold rolling. The tandem cold mill is designed as a 6-high Universal Crown Control Mill (UCM) for producing steel grades ranging in width from 900 to 1,890 millimeters. The UCM excels in eliminating undesirable contact areas between the rolls, resulting in improved flatness of the strip and high reduction levels.

Energy-saving pickling solution

By coupling the pickling and cold-rolling processes, steel producers achieve significant improvements in mill productivity and yield, as well as lower production costs due to the elimination of strip-threading and tailing-out operations. AM/NS India’s new pickling line will feature Primetals Technologies iBox technology, consisting of an energy-efficient pickling tank. Made of polypropylene, a superior material in heat retention, the iBox improves pickling capacity without the need for continuous recirculation of acid by running pumps as is commonly required in conventional jet pickling tanks to circulate the acid solution. In addition, the Acid Concentration Control System (ACCS) regulates acid supply in each tank by using Primetals Technologies’ proprietary algorithm to predict descaling distribution and pickling reaction.

An innovative automation system

Primetals Technologies will supply the complete electrical and automation system including power supply, AC main and auxiliary drives, basic and process automation, technological instrumentations, engineering, and commissioning. A highlight of the PLTCM project is the Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal). Thanks to this automation platform, AM/NS India will have unrestricted access to the complete range of digitalized automation services, from digital planning to integrated engineering and transparent operation.

More than 300 steel grades

AM/NS India is a joint venture between the two leading steelmakers ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel. An integrated flat carbon steel producer, the company has an annual crude steel capacity of nine million tons, and operates facilities for ironmaking, steelmaking, and downstream production. AM/NS India produces more than 300 steel grades, while supplying to several sectors including but not limited to the automotive, energy, and construction industries.

Aruni Mishra, Head of Capex procurement at ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India and Akira Goto, Executive Director and CEO at Primetals Technologies India shakes hands during the contract signing ceremony.

Primetals Technologies, Limited, headquartered in London, United Kingdom, is a pioneer and world leader in the fields of engineering, plant building, and the provision of lifecycle services for the metals industry. The company offers a complete technology, product, and services portfolio that includes integrated electrics and automation, digitalization, and environmental solutions. This covers every step of the iron and steel production chain—from the raw materials to the finished product—and includes the latest rolling solutions for the nonferrous metals sector. Primetals Technologies is a joint venture of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and partners, with around 7,000 employees worldwide. To learn more about Primetals Technologies, visit the company website www.primetals.com.