Steel production is now underway at Tenaris’s first melt shop in the United States that will soon supply steel bars for its seamless pipe mills in the States and Canada.
The steel shop in Koppel, PA, part of the company’s strategic acquisition of IPSCO, completed in 2020, has started producing steel bars following a year-long investment of more than $15M USD in upgrades to integrate the facility into Tenaris’ global network of steel mills.
“The vertical integration of Tenaris in the US, a long-term vision for the company, is being realized. We are producing steel at our facility, a central component of our domestic industrial system and at a critical time when supply chains are under severe constraints and costs are surging to unprecedented levels,” said Luca Zanotti, Tenaris US President.
The investments included expansion of the mill’s capabilities to produce a wider range of steel bars. This work entailed new design and install of molds for the caster, where the liquid steel is solidified, and other structural reinforcements. Betterments also included an overhaul of the existing cranes in the mill as well as the addition of new cranes to transfer scrap metal to the furnaces, the integration of a new production management system and additional automation upgrades.
As part of the ramp-up of the steel shop, testing of the facility will continue over the following months to steady production and streamline processes, and align with the company’s integrated high standards for quality, health, safety, and environment. The Koppel facility is expected to be fully commissioned by end of summer.
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