YK Steel plans on becoming market leader with new rebar minimill by SMS group
In late 2021, YK Steel initiated the modernization of an existing plant in Korea, which will now be replaced by a completely new mill supplied by SMS group. This new rebar minimill encompasses melting casting, and rolling systems and will start production in 2025 at the company’s Dangjin site. It is equipped with advanced electrical and automation systems, using the latest technologies. With these technologies, the minimill is projected to achieve a production capacity of 1 million tons per year.
Why choosing a completely new minimill over a renewal?
The strategic decision to renew the minimill was driven by YK Steel's ambition to become a market leader in rebar manufacturing within Korea. With the decision for a completely new minimill, YK aims to benefit from the complete supply and provision of the plant and to reduce operating costs in the long-run by using innovative technology. Additionally, a new minimill provides a more robust and scalable foundation for future expansions, aligning with YK Steel's ambition to become a market leader in rebar manufacturing.
What is special about this rebar minimill?
The technology is special due to several key components. The plant operates entirely on scrap metal, which not only reduces waste but also minimizes the consumption of natural resources. The use of the innovative X-Pact® AURA feeding system and CONVEX mold technology reduces electrode and energy consumption, while accelerating the production process to 4.0 meters per minute. Further, the integration of the latest eco-friendly technology and low NOx self-recuperative burners in the rolling mill's walking beam furnace ensures that the operations are environmentally sustainable, reducing harmful emissions.
Plant Technology | Optimized production process
At its Dangjin site the new minimill will operate entirely on scrap metal, utilizing a 115-ton DC Edge Electric Arc Furnace equipped with the innovative X-Pact® AURA feeding system. These technologies will reduce both electrode and energy consumption. The mill features a 5-strand billet casting machine capable of producing 150-millimeter square billets. The application of CONVEX mold technology accelerates the production process to 4.0 meters per minute.
The integrated rolling mill is connected via a hot-charge roller table to a new 140t/h walking beam furnace, which incorporates the latest eco-friendly technology and low NOx self-recuperative burners. The rolling mill comprises 18 new housingless stands and a new thermo-processing water-cooling system for precise temperature control and quenching of the rolled stock. The market will be supplied with sub-bundles ranging from 6 to 12 meters in length, weighing between 450 and 550 kilograms and master bundles with a maximum weight of up to 2 tons.