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Mini steel plant

During the last three decades the mode of steelmaking has changed considerably due to technicaland economical developments. New process technologies enabled steel production today in areas

where it had no been even thinkable some decades before.

The different ways for steels production

The steel plants in the world can be divided into 4 main categories:1. Traditional integrated steel plants in the area of iron ore and/or coal resources.2. Special steel plants with a wide range of grades and products, varying considerably in size.

The most common plant size is between 20000 and 3000000 tpy3. New Greenfield integrated steel plants based in the latest technological developments,

operating with high efficiency and extremely favourable transport conditions.4. Mini steel plants for common grades and simple production route, mostly using scrap

from populated areas. This concept has the advantage of market proximity for finishedproducts.



These four main categories can be elaborated as follows.

Traditional integrated steel plants

Traditional integrated steel plants can be found where modern steel production has been on the

upswing particularly since the middle of the nineteenth century. This steelmaking process ischaracterized by smelting iron ores and coal in the blast furnace for subsequent steel meting inthe acid Bessemer converter, basic Thomas converter or in the open-hearth furnace.

There were primarily located in Germany (Ruh District, the mining and industrial center alongthe Saar river and in Silesia), in France (Alsace – Lorraine), in England, U.S.A (region of Pittsburgh) and Russia (the Ural Mountains).

Due the growth in the infrastructure, the majority of these steel plants is still in operation.

However, they are faced with serious problems regarding flexibility in raw material supply,modern technologies, efficiency, market proximity and environmental control. In many countries,such plants can only compete by government subsidies in order to ensure employment andeconomic potential. In the future, further rationalization measures and contraction will beinevitable.



Special Steel plants

Most special steel plants can be found in regions with a longstanding steel tradition, since meltingprocessing and quality control are subject to know-how and qualified labour. As the management

of these enterprises used to be conservative, process innovations, such as AOD, VOD orcontinuous casting, were introduced only gradually and rather late, compared with ordinary steelproduction. That is why the majority of these plants seems rather obsolete, not always complyingwith most modern fundamentals of economic steel production. An enormous obstacle to simpleand clear configuration of the process route can definitely be seen in the great and ever increasingvariety of different grades, dimensions, lots and the specific treatment of special steels.

New Greenfield integrated steel plants

After of the world economy from the aftermath of World War II, particularly the Japanese beganto concentrate integrated steel plants on coastal areas where large bulk carriers can unload rawmaterials from overseas and steel products can economically be transported to the processingplants or exported. These steels plants incorporated the latest technologies and most modernprocess routes. Despite the lack of ore and coal, steel product could be produced and sold in thecountry at an economically viable level due to simple construction methods and low labour cost.This productivity of these plants was due to their size and their emphasis on rationalisation of transport.

This development was favoured in Japan by the effective cooperation between industry, banksand government and by well trained and disciplined manpower; this it was possible as long as therequired capital investment could be raised by one single company.

Even a medium sized steel plant based on pig iron with an annual crude steel production of about6 million tons would require more than 8 thousand million US $. Nowadays, this enormousamount of money can hardly be procured by a single company, industrial group or even agovernment.



Vocabulario

Thinkable = concebibleMostly = principalmenteAdvantage = la ventaja

Upswing = mejoraDue = debidoGrowth = incrementoFaced = enfrentadosRegarding = con respecto aRaw = crudoScrap = chatarraSupply = abastecimientoTo ensure = asegurarLongstanding = antiguoMelting = fundicionEnterprises = iniciativaRather = bastanteManagement = direcciónseems rather obsolete = parecen bastantemente obsoletasclear = claroComplying = cumpliendoBulk = la mayor parteUnload = descargarOverseas = extranjeroDespite = a pesar deLack = falta deManpower = mano de obraRaised = incrementado

Questions.

1. On what New Greenfield integrated steel plants are it based and like it is operating now?New Greenfield integrated steel plants be based in the latest technological developments,operating with high efficiency and extremely favourable transport conditions.

2. Where the traditional integrated steel plants can be found?Traditional integrated steel plants can be found where modern steel production has been on theupswing particularly since the middle of the nineteenth century.

3. Which the problems that these face are?They are faced with serious problems regarding flexibility in raw material supply, moderntechnologies, efficiency, market proximity and environmental control.

4. What do the companies make in some countries to ensure the employment and their economy?



In many countries, such plants can only compete by government subsidies in order to ensureemployment and economic potential. In the future, further rationalization measures andcontraction will be inevitable.5. Which are the characteristics of the special steel plants??Most special steel plants can be found in regions with a longstanding steel tradition, since melting

processing and quality control are subject to know-how and qualified labour.

6. What did the New Greenfield integrated steel plants incorporate?These steels plants incorporated the latest technologies and most modern process routes.

7. Which is the emphasis of these plants?This productivity of these plants was due to their size and their emphasis on rationalisation of transport.

8. Which is the cost of a plant medium sized steel plant based on pig iron ?Even a medium sized steel plant based on pig iron with an annual crude steel production of about6 million tons would require more than 8 thousand million US $.

9. Where are they the first mini steel plants?There were primarily located in Germany (Ruh District, the mining and industrial center alongthe Saar river and in Silesia), in France (Alsace – Lorraine), in England, U.S.A (region of Pittsburgh) and Russia (the Ural Mountains).

10. In how many categories the steel plants are divided?The steel plants in the world can be divided into 4 main categories.