ArcelorMittal Ostrava revamps continuous billet caster

Global steelmaker ArcelorMittal's Czech Republic-based unit ArcelorMittal Ostrava has announced that it is revamping the continuous billet caster at its steel shop to improve the quality of products and increase exports.
 
According to ArcelorMittal Ostrava, the revamping project worth CZK 1 billion ($53.2 million) is expected to be completed at the end of 2013. The revamping will help the steelmaker to export to pipe manufacturers outside Europe who cater to the growing oil and gas exploration industry. ArcelorMittal Ostrava's exports currently account for approximately 50 percent of its output.
 
The modernization will also enable the company to cast round billets for the manufacturing of seamless pipes with diameter of up to 400 mm compared to the current maximum diameter of 210 mm. The new formats will be used for the manufacture of high quality products, notably seamless pipes produced by new rolling technologies. The production of square billets for the company's own rolling mills will be retained.