BMZ upgrades continuous billet caster No.3

Byelorussian Iron and Steel Works (BMZ) has announced that it has started the upgrading of its continuous billet caster No.3 at electro-smelting shop No.2, and that the work in question is scheduled to be completed within two months.
 
As a result of the upgrading, BMZ expects to increase the capacity of its continuous billet caster No.3 to up to one million mt per year, in order to remove the imbalance between the plant's steel melting and casting, as the capacity of the plant's arc furnace No.3 exceeds BMZ's casting capacities. In addition, the modernization of the caster is in line with BMZ's aim to increase product quality, to cut production costs and to expand the range of its products.
 
Currently, BMZ's concaster No.3 produces billets of 250 mm x 300mm and 300 mm х 400 mm sizes, which are delivered to customers or are used by the plant's rolling mill 850 for the production of long products of different ranges.
 
In July 2007, BMZ concluded an agreement with the Italian plantmaker Danieli for the supply of the equipment, engineering and services for the modernization of its continuous billet caster No.3. As a result of the modernization, the caster will also be able to produce round billets of 200 mm diameter for the production of seamless hot rolled pipes at the plant's seamless pipe production line, thereby allowing BMZ to reduce its production costs.