UK-based plantmaker Primetals Technologies has announced that Chinese steel producer HBIS XuanHua Iron and Steel Group has recently started operations at the new slab caster at a low-carbon-emission plant in the Xuanhua district of Hebei Province.
The slab caster with an annual capacity of 1.5 million mt has been fully developed by Primetals and includes a comprehensive automation solution. The slab caster was put into operation two weeks ahead of schedule and is able to produce slabs with 250-330 mm thickness and 900-1,900 mm width. The output of the caster will be utilized for a wide variety of steel grades as well as for stainless steel production.
HBIS’ plant in Xuanhua is recognised as the world’s first hydrogen-based iron- and steelmaking facility on an industrial scale. The one-strand slab caster is now part of a production chain consisting of a DRI plant and electric steelmaking facilities. The almost zero-carbon steel produced in the plant will be used to meet the needs of demanding sectors such as the automotive industry.