Posco’s stainless steel slab caster back on track after revamp

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“The single-strand continuous (SSC) 2 caster at Stainless Steel Mill 2 was equipped with a number of technology packages from Siemens, enabling Posco to produce a wide range of different and advanced stainless steel grades, and to further enhance the quality of the slabs cast,” Siemens said.

The caster can produce slab of thicknesses ranging from 140mm to 200mm and widths between 1,000mm and 1,850mm, the company said.

Siemens did not indicate whether the upgrade will lead to a higher production capacity at the caster.

The company originally supplied the SSC 2 caster in 1996, with an initial overhaul undertaken in 2003.

“The latest modernisation project covered a replacement of the entire casting plant,” it added.

In 2013, Posco sold 2.88 million tonnes of stainless steel products to external customers – that is, without considering sales through its subsidiaries.

While this accounted for just 9.9% of the company’s total 2013 steel shipments to external customers of 29.10 million tonnes, it represented almost one quarter of its total steel sales revenues.