The Russian pipe producer TMK Group (TMK) has announced that its subsidiary Volzhsky pipe plant (VTZ) has completed its steelmaking and seamless pipe rolling modernization program started in 2005. The program included the upgrade of two continuous casters and an electric arc furnace (EAF), as well as the installation of a gas cleaning system.
Accordingly, as a result of the overhaul, VTZ was able to increase the annual capacity of its EAF, by 400 mt to 900,000 mt per year, enough to provide the mill with self-sufficiency in steel for its seamless pipe rolling operations as well as extra billet capacity to supply other TMK mills.
The gradual upgrade of VTZ's mill No. 3 permitted the switch to round billet, which nearly doubled the mill's annual seamless pipe production capacity to 630,000 mt. The use of round billets significantly improves pipe geometry, production yields and mill efficiency.
In parallel to the modernization of the rolling equipment, VTZ launched 360,000 mt of casing finishing capacity and expanded heat treating capacity to 640,000 mt per year. The mill also invested in the production of premium threaded casing.
The total investment in the modernization of the steelmaking and rolling facilities amounted to more than Ruble 10 billion (approx. $325 million).