Steel Mills
New EAF for Liberty Steel Georgetown
Written by Sandy Williams
October 10, 2019
Liberty Steel USA will get a new $25 million electric arc furnace at its Georgetown, S.C., rolling mill next year. Georgetown’s aging EAF has an annual capacity of 500,000 metric tons, but actual production has fallen far short of that amount.
“We have a very efficient rolling mill at Georgetown and we now want to put a world-class melt shop behind it so we can achieve our goal to become the leading supplier of wire rod to the region and secure the long-term future of the site,” says Michael Setterdahl, chief executive officer of Liberty Steel USA.
Setterdahl said the facility’s EAF is running significantly behind the capabilities of the more modern rolling mill. The upgraded melt ship will boost billet quality and output substantially, said the company in a news release.
Liberty Steel USA plans to increase wire rod production at Georgetown to more than 400,000 MT per year to serve the automotive and construction industries. The rolling mill has an annual capability of 680,000 MT per year.
The installation of the new EAF will include new electrical systems, improvements to water and natural gas supply and ancillary equipment to support improved melt shop operations, along with environmental permits for modifications to regulated processes. In addition, substantial structural upgrades, including strengthened foundations, will be required. Liberty Steel will work with Danieli Corp. on the upgrade.
The project is expected to take six to nine months, during which time Georgetown will source billets externally, including from its sister plant in Peoria, Ill.
Liberty House Group bought the idled Georgetown facility from ArcelorMittal in December 2017 and restarted production in mid-2018.
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills
AISI outlines key issues for steel to Trump admin
The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) has reached out to the Trump administration, as well as some members of Congress, to present a blueprint of issues that are top of mind for steel producers. “2025 presents an opportunity for the new administration and Congress to take a holistic look at the key issues impacting […]
Algoma to shut down line in Ontario ahead of EAF start
The 106” Mill was part of Algoma's plate and strip combination facility.
Nippon trial vs. US government to begin early next month: Report
Nippon Steel’s litigation against the US government is set to begin in early February, according to a report by Japan’s Kyodo News Agency. Nippon will file its opening brief on Feb. 3. And both parties will conclude their claims by March 17 in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Kyodo […]
Nucor carbon targets certified by GSCC
Nucor’s “ambitious” carbon targets by the end of the decade and beyond have been certified by the Global Steel Climate Council (GSCC). The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker used a base year of 2023 for its science-based emissions targets (SBET). It set an SBET of 0.975 metric tons (mt) of CO2 emissions per mt of hot-rolled steel […]
SSAB halts talks with Feds on Miss. green steel plant
The Department of Energy's Industrial Demonstrations Program page states that it is no longer moving forward with SSAB.