Russian steelmaker NLMK has announced that it has started hot tests at its new 2 million mt per year ladle furnace at its main production site in Lipetsk. The new ladle furnace will enable the company to expand the product mix by allowing production of high-quality steel for the automotive industry, construction, the manufacture of white goods and electrical engineering.
The new ladle furnace will be used for the secondary treatment of steel prior to casting at continuous casting machines. With a similar facility started up last year, the total cost of the two ladle furnaces amounted to approximately RUR 2.6 billion ($87.13 million).
Following the completion of the second ladle furnace, the total capacity of ladle furnaces at the Lipetsk site will increase to 12 million mt per year.