Dearborn, Michigan-based steelmaker Severstal North America announced Thursday that it has successfully launched its new five-stand, six-high 72'' wide coupled pickle line tandem cold mill (PLTCM) at its steel mill in Dearborn, Michigan. The $450 facility is expected to ramp up to full capacity of 2.1 million net tons within six months.
The launch of the PLTCM is complemented by the construction and impending start-up of a $285-million hot-dipped galvanizing line in the same production complex in Dearborn. The new coating line will be targeting critically exposed applications for automotive customers and other critical cold roll consuming manufacturers. It is currently nearing completion with a scheduled launch in December of 2011.
Sergei Kuznetsov, Chief Executive Officer, Severstal North America, said, "The launch of our new cold rolling complex is a key component in our goal of becoming one of the world's most efficient and advanced steel producers. The new equipment will enable us to offer products of superior quality and provide exceptional service to our customers, as well as produce the next generation of advanced high strength steels (AHSS) for automotive applications."