New Capacity Roundup - November 2021

Here is a selection of the major steelmakers' latest production and capacity investments announced this month.

Europe

Ovako has ordered a new continuous casting line for SBQ grade round billet, to be installed at its plant in Smedjebacken, Sweden. The equipment, expected to enter service in the first quarter of 2022, will produce billet up to 120mm in diameter.

Italian steelmaker, Arvedi, has announced that it plans to install a hot dipped galvanising line and a colour coating line at its Servola facility, in Trieste. The new equipment will have capacity to process up to 200,000 tonnes of coil, per year, when commissioned, in the second half of next year.

North America

JSW Steel confirms that it has started the second phase of modernisation at its Baytown plate mill, in Texas. This involves installation of a new finishing mill, roll shop and heat treatment unit. The upgrades will be completed in 2023. This project forms part of the company’s US$260 million investment package to enhance product quality and increase output at the Baytown facility.

Canada’s Algoma Steel has announced that it plans to replace blast furnace and basic oxygen steelmaking operations, at Sault Ste. Marie, with two new EAFs. The company is set to invest close to US$550 million in the project, which it expects to commission in summer 2024. The plant’s annual crude steel output is due to rise to 3.7 million tonnes, when the work is completed.

Asia

Tsingtuo Stainless Steel has submitted applications to install three million tonnes of hot rolled stainless coil capacity at one of its existing facilities in Ningde, Fujian province. The plans include a hot strip mill with associated heat treatment facilities and several annealing and pickling lines. Construction is expected to take 18 months to complete, once approval is granted. The company currently operates a stainless steel bar and wire rod mill at the site, which it is in the process of expanding.