Zekelman Industries announced the completion of exterior building work on its new mill in Blytheville, Ark., constructed for its Atlas Tube division. Foundation work has begun, and the mill is scheduled to start rolling in September 2021. Located next to one of Atlas Tube’s existing mills, the company says the 515,000-square-foot facility will be the largest continuous electric resistance welding (ERW) mill in the world, rolling HSS from 8 to 22 inches square. Rounds will be available up to 28 inches OD and rectangles up to 34 x 10 inches, with wall thicknesses up to 1 inch.

The facility will include new welding technology designed to handle the 1-inch-thick sections. Zekelman Industries says quick-change technology will give the mill the shortest cycle times in the industry, and the line will feed into a fully automated warehouse to reduce delivery times and increase efficiency.

Currently, the largest HSS rolled in the United States is 16 x 16 x 5/8 inches, and builders looking for bigger sizes need to have them shipped from overseas. The new larger sizes will be suited for applications like bridges, warehouses and stadiums.