Finland-based stainless steel producer Outokumpu has awarded Primetals Technologies an order to upgrade a ladle treatment stand at its Calvert plant in Alabama to a 180 mt twin ladle furnace, with startup scheduled for March 2028.
Replacing equipment commissioned in 2012, the new furnace will provide electrical heating after the argon oxygen decarburization converter, improving temperature control, process flexibility and productivity while reducing energy consumption and the plant’s carbon footprint. The project will utilize the facility’s existing layout and foundations to facilitate integration.
The scope includes mechanical and electrical equipment, automated argon lancing, hydraulic systems, Level 1 automation and Primetals Technologies’ Melt Expert electrode control system, which dynamically regulates the melting process to enhance stability and efficiency.
Outokumpu’s Calvert facility melts up to 100 percent stainless steel scrap in a 160 mt electric arc furnace before processing the material in a 180 mt AOD converter. Commissioned in 2013, the single-line plant also comprises two 180 mt ladle treatment stands and a single-strand slab caster.
