London, December 06, 2022

Primetals Technologies to supply Southwire Company with new SCR copper rod mill for Jinchuan Group

• New greenfield copper rolling mill for producing electrolytic tough pitch (ETP)
• Production expected to start in mid-2024
• Rated output of 48 tons per hour

Primetals Technologies has been awarded a contract from Southwire Company to supply rolling mill equipment for a new Southwire Continuous Rod (SCR) copper rod system for the Jinchuan Group Company in Gansu province, China.

Jinchuan Group will begin producing electrolytic tough pitch (ETP) copper from the new SCR copper rod mill in mid-2024. The company will use the new system to manufacture wire and cable for the construction industry.

A long-standing relationship

This is the third SCR copper rod system that Jinchuan has ordered, further strengthening the well-established long-term business relationship, and providing additional evidence of the value of the solutions offered by Primetals Technologies and Southwire. Primetals Technologies will engineer, supply, and implement the rolling mill, coiler, and a large portion of the coil handling equipment. The Southwire SCR 7000 rolling mill includes a Morgan No-Twist mill with 13 independently driven roll stands.

The contract also includes a 610-millimeters entry shear and table, one 457-millimeters roughing mill stand, four 305-millimeters roughing mill stands, one 320-millimeters rotary shear and downloop table, and eight 203-millimeters finishing mill stands, all with hydraulic roll mounting, a rod cooling and cleaning system with injectors and air wipes, rollerized turndown, two pinch rolls, coiler, designs for an inline conveyor system, and two oil lubrication systems.

Decades of experience

Based in Carrollton, Georgia, Southwire Company developed the SCR process in 1963. It has partnered with Primetals Technologies to implement new and updated systems for decades. Globally, more than 50 percent of all copper rod is currently produced using the SCR process.

Jinchuan Group, founded in 1958, is a state-owned enterprise with its majority interest held by the People’s Government of Gansu Province. Jinchuan Group specializes in mining, agglomeration, metallurgy, chemical engineering, and further downstream processing. Jinchuan Group is a renowned mining corporation, the third-largest nickel producer, and the fourth-largest cobalt producer in the world, as well as the fourth-largest copper producer in China.

NO-TWIST is a registered trademark of Primetals Technologies in certain countries. SCR is a registered trademark of Southwire Company.

Key facts: Jinchuan’s new copper rolling mill

Coil size: 2 to 4 tons

Coil diameter: 8, 9.5, 12.7, 16, 18, and 25 millimeters

Production rate: 48 tons per hour

Copper rod mill from Primetals Technologies.  

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.