Russian steelmaker Severstal has announced that it has completed a series of major equipment overhauls at the converter steel production facility of its Cherepovets Iron and Steel Works (CherMK), taking advantage of the scheduled shutdown of converter No. 2 to modernize several associated units.
The RUB 1.3 billion ($15.3 million) project included the replacement of the converter's upper section, boiler caisson and blower rotor, as well as repairs at continuous casting machines Nos. 1 and 4, ladle furnace No. 2 and metal finishing unit No. 3. The works covered steel ladle positioning, cooling and slab transfer systems, alongside repairs to water-cooled equipment, rail infrastructure and lubrication systems.
According to Severstal, the upgraded equipment handles around 90 percent of the company's steel production. Evgeny Vinogradov, CEO of Severstal's Russian Steel and Resource Assets division, stated that the overhaul will improve equipment reliability, working conditions and gas cleaning efficiency, while supporting environmental compliance, consistent product quality and the company's competitiveness.
Severstal's internal divisions and contractors from Russia's Vologda region carried out the project.
