Ural Steel, the steel producing subsidiary of the Russian iron ore and steel producer Metalloinvest Holding (Metalloinvest), has conducted the hot trial at its new four-strand continuous billet/bloom casting machine No.1 (CCM No.1), the construction of which is being implemented in the framework of the reconstruction of Ural Steel's steel production capacities.
The commencement of production using the CCM No.1 will allow Ural Steel to cast 50 percent of all its produced steel by the continuous method. In addition, the installation of the new machine will enable Ural Steel to produce tube billets in diameters from 300 to 600 mm, sizes which are not currently produced in Russia.
The new CCM No.1 will have an annual production capacity of one million metric tons of bloom and round (tube) billets upon commissioning. German firm SMS Demag is the main supplier of equipment.