MMK continues reconstruction of 2500 Mill
Once completed, this project will significantly expand the size and range of mill grades and improve product quality. Unit capacity will increase from 4 to 5 million tons of products per year.
The mill is currently modernising its roughing group of stands and a section of winders. Preparation of the foundations and movement of the bed of roughing group stands to the rolling line has been completed. In addition, equipment for winder No. 7 and 8 has been installed. The foundations of roughing group stands, transfer stations, "clean" and "dirty" circulating water supply, electric power for the roughing group stands, the engine room containing the main drives and roll-clearing conveyors are undergoing reconstruction. The installation and upgrade of roughing group stands equipment, main drives, 10 kV switchgear, reeling station equipment and roll-clearing lines are underway. In addition, significant progress has been made on the reconstruction of all MMK buildings, including roofing works, the construction of new premises and the installation of electrical equipment. Horming is the general contractor for the reconstruction of the hot rolling mill 2500.
Production is continuing as reconstruction takes place. Transversal cutting unit No. 3, designed to cut strips into sheets of measured length with trimmed edges and to create production in the form of packaged sheets, began operating here in July 2010.
During 2012 and 2013, three new high-performance heating furnaces provided by the Italian company Tenova were installed in place of the six previously operational furnaces that were dismantled and withdrawn from production. The furnaces’ wide hearths will ensure that slabs up to ten meters in length can be processed following the completed reconstruction of the mill 2500. The furnaces can heat 370 tons of metal per hour, compared to the former capacity of approximately 100 tons and a current capacity of 280 tons. Modern heating technology guarantees reduced formation of mill scale. The new furnaces are also much more efficient, requiring half of previous levels of natural and coke oven gas.
In February 2018, MMK concluded a contract with SMS Group GmbH to supply equipment for the reconstruction of the finishing group of 2500 stands. Equipment will be supplied over three years. The automated process control system will be improved as part of the modernisation plans.
MMK CEO Pavel Shilyaev said that reconstruction of the hot rolling mill 2500 is in line with MMK’s strategy through 2025: “Reconstruction will produce a number of benefits. The assortment of rolled metal products will be expanded, the cost of production will be reduced, and the capacity of the mill will be increased”.