VIZ-Stal, the Ekaterinburg-based subsidiary of the Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK), has announced that in late July this year it plans to commission the first two of its eight new high-temperature annealing furnaces, with the remainder to be commissioned in September, after passing warranty tests.
Currently, VIZ-Stal has started the supervised installation, lining and adjustment of the high-temperature annealing furnaces together with German-based company LOI.
The new furnaces will allow VIZ-Stal to improve the electrical steel quality and reduce by at least half its energy consumption per mt of steel.
The project, the total investment for which amounts to about Ruble 940 million (about $31.3 million), is being implemented within the framework of VIZ-Stal's integrated program for technical reequipment of its transformer steel production, aimed at improving product quality and increasing production efficiency.