Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) has announced that it has finished hot-testing the continuous hot dip galvanizing line HDG-1 at its Lipetsk production site following upgrades. HDG-1 is expected to reach full capacity in April this year. Investment in the project totaled approximately RUB 2 billion ($25.98 million), with a payback period of two years.
The project has boosted the annual output capacity of HDG-1 by 30 percent to 500,000 mt and increased the value-added output capacity at the Lipetsk site of HDG steel for the construction, automotive and white goods sectors, as well as for further use in the production of pre-painted steel, by 11 percent year on year to 1.25 million mt. Alongside the increase in production, the reconstruction of HDG-1 will also result in a 25 percent reduction in natural gas consumption due to the installation of furnace control and modernization systems, a 15 percent reduction in electric energy consumption through optimizing equipment configuration, and a 30 percent reduction in air emissions through optimizing the natural gas afterburning system.