Russian steel producer Ashinskiy Metallurgical Works (Ashinskiy) has reached an agreement to secure a three-year credit facility from Russia's Alfa Bank to complete the full modernization of its steel smelting production facilities, Ashinskiy's general director Vladimir Evstratov has stated.
According to Mr. Evstratov, in the first quarter of 2010 Ashinskiy plans to commission its new electro-smelting shop, which will include a 120-ton electric arc furnace (EAF-120). This will allow the plant to close all its open hearth furnaces, with the last furnace scheduled to be closed in June 2010. In addition, by the end of March 2010 the plant plans to build a new bell-type furnace at its flat rolling shop No. 3.
Moreover, Mr. Evstratov said that Ashinskiy is currently in talks with several firms to increase the capacity of its continuous slab caster from the current 800,000 mt to 1.2 million mt, in order to be able to use all the crude steel produced at its new EAF-120. "We hope to receive the project presentation in the coming year and to implement it in 2011," Mr. Evstratov said.
"But the main task for us next year is to work towards the construction of a new flat rolling shop. We will start with developing technical specifications, which will define the product range, production volumes, etc. Hopefully by the end of 2010 or early 2011, we will receive all the necessary materials for the development of the shop's technical design," Mr. Evstratov added.
In its existing rolling shop, Ashinsky plans to build and in 2010 to commission a unit for the accelerated cooling of flats, which will allow it to increase the production of plates by 30,000-40,000 mt next year.
Commenting on the results for the current year, Mr. Evstratov said, "The expected output of steel and flats at flat rolling shop No. 1 is higher than last year. Thus, the production of plates has increased by 55,000 mt compared to 2008. This exceeds the monthly output. Other shops finished the year with different results. But, in general, considering the situation in the market, we have been working at a steady rate."