Severstal North America is resuming work at its Columbus, Miss., facility in order to complete its Phase II project, which will increase the plant’s crude steel capacity to 3.4 million tons. Phase II is also expected to increase the capacity of Severstal Columbus’ downstream operations by about 30-120% depending on the unit, including a continuous pickling line, batch annealing, temper mill and continuous galvanizing line. The project includes a second electric arc furnace complex with a ladle metallurgy facility, vacuum degasser expansion, a second thin-strip caster, a second shuttle-type tunnel furnace and a second downcoiler at the hot mill. The project is expected to be completed in the second half of 2012.

The finishing side expansion will feature the addition of a fourth pickle tank to the existing continuous pickle line/tandem mill, additional hydrogen batch annealing bases and furnaces, a push/pull pickle line and a second galvanizing line. The primary equipment suppliers are SMS, TMEIC, GE Power, ABB, Schust, Bricmont, Core and Ebner. Severstal North America is also resuming work at its Severstal Dearborn tandem cold-rolling mill and hot-dip coating line.