Steel Mills

Nucor Arkansas Mill to Get High Tech Equipment

March 30, 2017

Nucor Steel Hickman’s new specialty cold rolling mill complex will get equipment from the international technology group ANDRITZ. The expansion at the Arkansas mill was announced in September and is expected to cost an estimated $230 million. The mill will produce specialty grade steels including third generation advanced high strength steel, high-strength low-alloy steels and high-efficiency electrical steel. The expansion will increase production by 650,000 tons per year. Nucor anticipates completion of the project and start-up of production during the second half of 2018.

ANDRITZ described the equipment order in a press release:

“The ANDRITZ METALS scope of supply includes a high-performance push pickling line with line speeds of up to 200 m/min for pickling hot-rolled carbon steel. Besides complete ANDRITZ in-house electrics and automation, an advanced ANDRITZ multi-roll leveler for highly effective shape correction and a powerful ANDRITZ 4-high skin pass mill are included. Thanks to the multi-roll-leveler and the skin pass mill, the push pickling line will achieve superior material flatness in addition to the well-known, excellent ANDRITZ strip surface.

“The order also comprises a reduction cold rolling mill equipped with the ANDRITZ S6-high technology as well as a temper rolling mill in 4-high design, including reduction mode (prepared for future S6-high mode as well). With rolling speeds of up to 800 m/min, the mills process advanced high-strength steel of the third generation and even beyond for material grades of up to 2,000 MPa. All rolling units (skin pass, reduction, and temper mill), which are operated with state-of-the-art ANDRITZ in-house electrics and automation, are equipped with correspondingly fast and automated roll change equipment, integrated bridle rolls, advanced strip drying, and gauge controls to ensure tightest tolerances.”