Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) plans to produce a trial batch of 60 x 30 mm rectangular steel pipes with wall thicknesses of 1.5 and 2.0 mm by the end of May or in June.
At present, the reconstruction of the slab machine at the continuous caster No. 3 is being carried out at the producer's oxygen-converter shop No. 1. This equipment is due to be commissioned at the end of the year.
As a result of the modernization, the productivity of machine of the continuous caster will be increased up to 1 million mt per year (currently in the range of 700,000-750,000 mt), while the technical feasibilities of the upgraded equipment will enable to produce slabs in thicknesses up to 315 mm (currently it can produce slabs in thickness of up to 240 mm).