Ukrainian mining and steel producing group Metinvest has announced that its subsidiary Ilyich Iron & Steel Works of Mariupol has signed a contract with UK-based plantmaker Primetals Technologies’ subsidiary Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH to develop the basic engineering for the reconstruction of the sheet rolling mill 1700. Metinvest will invest $85.5 million in the project.
Metinvest stated that the project envisages the installation of new equipment that will increase the productivity of the mill, significantly improve the quality of the surface of rolled products and significantly reduce production waste when rolling slabs. In addition, the plant will expand the range of rolled products in demand for further processing positions.
Deliveries of equipment are planned to begin in the autumn of this year, and construction works are planned to begin at the end of 2018. The commissioning of the upgraded mill is expected to be completed by 2020.