London, November 22, 2016

Tangshan issues FAC for cold rolling mill supplied by Primetals Technologies

• Plant produces high quality cold strip for automotive industry
• Annual production capacity is 1.6 million tons
• Order worth more than 100 million Euro

Primetals Technologies has received the final acceptance certificate for the rolling line of the new cold rolling complex of Chinese steel producer Tangshan Iron and Steel Group Co. Ltd. The plant was built at the Tangshan location in the Hebei province. The cold strip mill is designed for an annual production of 1.6 million tons of high-strength, high-quality steels for the Chinese automotive industry, underlining Tangshan's intention to further expand its market share in this segment. The first pickled and cold rolled strip was produced in January 2015. Production was ramped up during 2015. The order value was more than 100 million Euro.

Primetals Technologies engineered and supplied the mechanical, electrical and process control equipment for the cold strip mill. The PLTCM and the annealing and galvanizing lines are to share an integrated automation system that consists of basic (level 1) and process automation (level 2) and of process models developed specially for cold rolling mills. All parts of the plant can therefore be precisely coordinated, ensuring high availability and yield with uniformly high product quality.

The tandem mill will consist of five six-high rolling stands. High-strength steels, in particular, can be rolled within narrow tolerances. SmartCrown rolls and special actuators and closed-loop control systems will ensure the required flatness of the finished product. Input strips are 1.5 to 6 millimeters thick and their final thickness lies between 0.2 and 2.5 millimeters. Strips of 700 to 1,600 millimeters width are rolled.

All systems and components are derived from Primetals Technologies´ automation solution concept for cold rolling mills. Primetals Technologies also handled installation supervision and commissioning of the cold strip mill.

Tangshan Iron and Steel belongs to the Hesteel Group, China's biggest steel producer with an annual production of around 47.7 million tons (2015). The Tangshan production location has been in existence for more than 70 years. In the past few years, Primetals Technologies has supplied an AOD converter, a vacuum decarburization system and a continuous galvanizing line to Tangshan and also linked up the tandem cold mill to the existing pickling line.

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.