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voda 25 juni 2021 07:06

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GFGAlliance & CreditSuisse Pact on Liberty PrimaryMetals Australia

Reuters reported that GFG Alliance & Credit Suisse Asset Management agreed formal standstill agreement with regard to Liberty Primary Metals Australia. Standstill agreement includes integrated mining and primary steel business at Whyalla and its coking coal mine at Tahmoor. 6 week standstill agreement will enable GFG alliance to complete full refinancing of Liberty Primary Metals Australia, expected to complete within this time frame. The standstill agreement prevents any further moves from Credit Suisse to wind up the Whyalla Steelworks and allows GFG to focus on negotiating its AUD 430 restructuring deal with White Oak.

GFG Alliance said that work is continuing to resolving the company's remaining exposure with Credit Suisse following the collapse of Greensill Capital. They said "Sanjeev Gupta and GFG Alliance's Restructuring and Transformation Committee continue to make good progress on restructuring and refinancing of the group with all creditors. This is supported by record steel and aluminium prices, in addition to operational improvement at its major plants."

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:07

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ABB Completes Melt Shop Digitalization Project at JSW Steel Dolvi

ABB has built on a long-term relationship with JSW Steel Ltd, India’s leading steel company, by integrating its digital solution ABB Ability Smart Melt Shop into a wider expansion at Dolvi Works plant in Maharashtra state. With the project, completed on schedule in March 2021, ABB has improved productivity and energy efficiency for the steel melt shop by developing an operations optimization solution, including ladle and crane tracking system, crane scheduling system and thermal loss models, to predict target temperature for ladle furnaces and ensure the correct superheat at the caster. This is expected to increase the company’s EBITDA profit by around USD two million per annum through four percent higher casting speeds, time savings of one working day per month and additional output equating to 24,000 tonnes a year.

The plant now has real time tracking of steel ladles for process synchronization and better maintenance planning. In wider benefits, the lower energy consumption means fewer consumables used per batch and therefore a lower carbon footprint with less CO2 per tonne of steel produced. Automatic tracking and scheduling increases personnel safety as they are removed from the production area during crane and ladle movements. The scheduling solution also results in reducing tapping delays by ensuring these movements are synchronized with process requirements.

It is an example of overcoming one of the major challenges facing steelmakers today, which is to maintain the optimal temperatures required to make molten steel while balancing high electrical energy costs. Ensuring the right temperature at the right time, together with other parameters in the molten steel, directly determines steel quality and productivity. ABB’s Industry 4.0 led solution minimizes temperature superheat deviation and thermal losses resulting in higher caster speeds by around four percent, improved productivity, energy efficiency and steel quality.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:09

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Danieli to Modernize Rolling Mill at Optimus Steel in Texas

Optimus Steel Inc has selected Danieli to modernize the complete rolling process for its 1 million ton per year minimill producing special steel wirerod in Vidor in Texas in USA. Two HSS High-Speed Shears for automatic cropping will be installed after the wire rod blocks on each of the two rolling strands to perform consistently at finishing speeds up to 115 meters per second. Two Danieli oil-film bearing laying heads equipped with patented, double-pipe rotor technology will guarantee 5-6 times longer pipe life compared to conventional solutions. A new coil-finishing area will include the Sund Birsta technology, in which all coils are processed first along the vertical trestle line and then through a C-hook conveyor equipped with a trimming station, horizontal compactor and unloading system. Full rolling mill modernization is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

Other improvements will be made to upgrade the minimill’s water treatment plant and to supply a new one to guarantee higher environmental standards and comply with local requirements.

A complete electrical and automation package for all technology will be delivered by Danieli Automation.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:09

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MSME’s Seek PM’s Intervention to Control Steel Prices in India

All India Council of Association of MSMEs, formed recently to represent around 170 Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises associations, has written to the India’s Prime Minister Mr N Modi urging the government to intervene after a massive spike in key raw material prices hurt MSMEs. AICA has said that there is erosion in the working capital of MSMEs due to a huge rise in prices of raw materials like steel, iron ore, aluminum, copper, plastics, PVC, paper and chemicals. It further said that the open market is not accepting the resultant effect of the increase in the price of raw materials. AICA further said that the raw materials are being blocked and stocked in the supply chains. AICA said "We understand this volatile situation is temporary in nature, however can cause permanent damage to the MSME sector. In spite of drop in demand due to lockdown, prices are in upswing, particularly steel, pig iron and other raw materials too. It is obvious that there is a cartel created by steel manufacturers, which include private and public sector undertakings. Steel is an essential commodity for overall development of the country and exports should be as per availability of surplus. Steel and other base material manufacturers are declaring 10 to 20 times higher profit whereas all the MSMEs are on the verge of extinction. This clearly shows that the corporate and PSU commodity companies are profiting at the expense of MSMEs.”

AICA said “Easy mechanism to hedge steel for all MSMEs, National Small Industries Corporation should act as a consolidation agency. They should be in a position to consolidate and hedge overall steel quantity in the market place. This kind of hedging should be possible for a period of one year.”

AICA further suggested that the public sector enterprises must be instructed to accept cancellation of orders from MSMEs without putting a penalty or blacklisting them as an event of increase in the prices of steel is not within the control of the MSMEs. The industry body also called out for the PSUs to publish steel prices on a quarterly basis and urged that the price should be maintained for a minimum of 3 months at a stretch. It suggested "PSUs like SAIL and Vizag steel should focus on MSMEs for supply of materials on priority basis and all steel industries should allocate at least 40% of their production for Indian MSMEs.”

It has also questioned the fixation of benchmark for steel industry pricing based on international market prices rather than the demand and supply situation in the country.

The MSME sector in India is said to be the second-largest employment creator after agriculture, providing employment to an estimated 11 crore people. It contributes to 30% of the GDP and accounts for 48% of the exports. As a result of the consecutive lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, the MSME sector has been facing a massive liquidity and supply crunch, shortage of labour and non-payment of dues.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:10

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Low Base Results in 42% YoY Surge in Japan’s Crude Steel in May21

Japan Iron and Steel Federation announced that Japan's crude steel output in May 2021 rose by 42% YoY, climbing for a third consecutive month, as industry demand picked up from a coronavirus related slump. Japanese steel output in May 2020 had plunged by 32% YoY as the pandemic collapsed demand, forcing steelmakers to suspend some of their blast furnaces. JISF said "The sharp rise reflected a recovery in demand at home and abroad, as well as restarts of some blast furnaces that had been suspended. Demand from manufacturers, including automakers and industry machinery makers, has been steadily picking up.”

May 2021

Pig Iron Production – 6.124 million tonnes, up by 39% YoY

Crude Steel Production - 8.422 million tonnes, up by 42 YoY

Hot-Rolled Steel Products – 7.078 million tonnes, up by 36% YoY

April-May 2021

Pig Iron Production – 11.801 million tonnes, up by 27% YoY

Crude Steel Production - 16.240 million tonnes, up by 30% YoY

Total Hot-Rolled Steel Products – 13.967 million tonnes, up by 26% YoY

May 2021

Total hot-rolled products (of ordinary steel) -5.521 million tonnes

Total hot-rolled products (of specialty steel) - 1.556 million tonnes

Rails, Tyres and wheels - 43.1 KT

Sheet pilings - 46.9 KT

Sections - 442.6 KT

Bars Heavy - 679.0 KT

Rounds for tubes - 22.1 KT

Wire Rod - 139.0 KT

Hot-rolled sheet & plate - 767.6 KT

Hot-rolled wide strip - 3,341.6 KT

Hot-rolled narrow strip & hoops - 39.6 KT

Cold-rolled wide strip (of ordinary steel) - 1,401.7 KT

Electrical sheet & strip - 116.3 KT

Tin plate - 54.2 KT

Galvanized sheets - 822.3 KT

Seamless pipes & tubes - 19.9 KT

Welded pipes & tubes - 253.5 KT

Cast iron pipes & tubes - 16.3 KT

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:11

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Barrel Type Blender Reclaimer Inaugurated at KIOCL

India’s Steel Mr Dharmendra Pradhan has inaugurated new projects of KIOCL. As part of the modernization of the 3.5 million tonnes per annum capacity Pellet Plant, KIOCL has installed a Barrel type Blender Reclaimer of 1000 tonnes per hour capacity at a total project cost of INR 17.50 Crores. Barrel type Blender Reclaimers homogenously blends different types of iron ore fines received from various sources by its forward and backward movement thereby helps in increasing the operational flexibility.

Solar Captive Power Plant - To develop Renewable Energy Projects in support of National Solar Mission and to meet the power requirement partly for KIOCL units at Mangalore, KIOCL commissioned 8.0 MWac (6.5 MWp) Solar Power Plant at Kathrikehal Village, Chikkanayakanahalli, Tumkur District in Karnataka. The plant was completed with the project cost of INR 24.44 Crores (Excluding GST) in March 2021. KIOCL had entered into an agreement with KPTCL, BESCOM & MESCOM for wheeling of the power generated at the Solar Power Plant. The power is being consumed in the Pellet Plant of KIOCL at Mangalore. The estimated power generation from the plant is 10 million kWh per annum (10,000 M Watt-hour) and approximate savings from this Plant is INR 6.2 crores per annum, payback period is 4 years 8 months. The estimated life cycle of this plant is 25 years.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:12

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Trade Unions Warn of Job Losses in UK’s Steel Sector

The Mirror reported that UK Steel Director General Mr Gareth Stace has warned that the UK’s steel industry would be left exposed to uncontrolled surges in imports if recommendations from the Trade Remedies Authority are approved. He said “UK Steel figures show that the proposed weakening of the safeguards could cost the sector an estimated GBP 100 million as a result of increased imports and subsequent reduced market share and profitability for UK producers. This loss in sales is equivalent to 50% of the entire capital investment of steel producers each year or 2,500 employees, 8% of the total employment in the sector. Such a knock to profits would likely see a mixture of job losses as well as sharp contractions to capital investment made in the sector in future years, jeopardising the sector’s ability to innovate, modernise and decarbonise.”

Urging ministers to overturn the recommendation, Mr Stace said “The Government must urgently intervene to support the sector and ensure the right decision is made. Inaction will simply condemn the UK steel industry to competing in an unfair trading environment, facing barriers to export while not having adequate defences at home. We would lose share of our home market while not being able to offset this with export gains. We want to work with the Government to level up Britain; instead, they are levelling down our steel sector.”

Community steelworkers' union operations director Mr Alasdair McDiarmid said “The steel safeguards protect us from being flooded by cheap foreign imports and it would be an unforgivable act of self-harm to give up our protections when the EU and the US are maintaining their own defences. This Government has had plenty of warm words for steelworkers but we need action now; failure would make a mockery of Tory promises to support British industry, British workers and industrial communities.”

UK’s International Trade Secretary Ms Liz Truss is poised to scrap safeguards aimed at protecting the sector from cheap foreign imports. She is expected to announce within days that she is accepting a recommendation to axe defences.

Following a review, UK’s Trade Remedies Authority has published its final recommendation to UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade on the future of the UK’s steel safeguard measure in mid June. After reviewing available evidence, the independent body has recommended the extension of the UK steel safeguard measure across 10 product categories for a further three years and the revocation of the measure across nine product categories.

Non Alloy Wire

Non Alloy and Other Alloy Wire Rod

Stainless Wire Rod

Non Alloy and other alloy cold finished bars

Stainless Bars and Light Sections

Angles, Shapes and Sections of Iron or Non Alloy Steel

Non Alloy and Other Alloy Merchant Bars and Light Sections

Non Alloy and Other Alloy Quarto Plates

Tin Mill products

Protections were introduced by the EU in 2018 when the UK was part of EU’s trade rules, in retaliation for Mr Donald Trump's White House slapping tariffs on steel imports. The EU measures carried on in Britain until January when the Brexit transition ended. Measures were extended until June end.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:14

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Fire Reported at Thy-Marcinelle Wire Rod Plant of Riva in Belgium

Riva Group’s Belgium unit Thy-Marcinelle announced that a fire broke out on 21 June at the 150KV transformer which supplies Thy-Marcinelle with electricity. It said “Our fire system and the intervention of the Charleroi firefighters made it possible to control it. No injuries are to be reported. The cause of the fire is being analyzed.”

Riva’s factory in Thy-Marcinelle in Belgium is equipped with electric arc furnace, a ladle furnace, a continuous casting plant and rolling mill. It mainly produces low carbon steel wire rod and limited quantities of concrete reinforcing bars.

Founded in 1954 by Mr Emilio Riva, Riva Group is a major Italian steel operator. Led by Mr Claudio Riva since June 2014, the Group is privately owned and employs about 5,000 people in 21 industrial plants located in France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Spain and Canada.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:15

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Steelwind Nordenham Celebrating 10 Years of Operations

Supervisory Board of Aktien-Gesellschaft der Dillinger Hüttenwerke decided to establish a subsidiary company to produce the foundations for offshore wind turbines known as monopiles in 2011. The company is located on a shipyard site in Nordenham, at the mouth of the Weser River where it merges into the North Sea. A lot has happened since then. Steelwind Nordenham is celebrating its anniversary

Steelwind Nordenham was founded in 2011. Since completion of the plant in 2014, the company has been manufacturing premium-quality monopiles and transition pieces for offshore wind farms around the world. Soon it will begin manufacturing single-piece monopiles that integrate the transition piece. Monopile dimensions reach record-breaking unit weights of up to 2,400 tonnes and lengths of up to 120 meters, with diameters of up to 10 meters. The high-tech steel plate for the monopiles comes from the parent company Dillinger in Saarland.

By 2015, Steelwind had already received an order to manufacture foundations for the Race Bank wind farm in England. Several other projects have since been successfully completed. Most recently, especially large “Beyond XXL” monopiles were produced and delivered for the Yunlin offshore wind farm in Taiwan. Production will start soon for another major order, the Arcadis Ost 1. Steelwind has become well-established in the expanding offshore wind farm market due to the high quality of its products and delivery service.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:15

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GFG Alliance Advisory Board Met Only Three Times since October

The Guardian reported that an advisory board appointed by Mr Sanjeev Gupta to address governance concerns in his metals empire has only met three times since October 2020 for sessions that lasted about half an hour. A former Liberty Steel executive who is a member of the advisory board, Mr Jon Bolton, told MPs during UK Parliament’s Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee hearing that its input had been very limited, despite the crisis facing Liberty. Mr Bolton said the advisory board had met only three or four times and that recent sessions were only very short, half-hour meetings just to really hear a statement from Sanjeev.

GFG Alliance had announced the launch of a Global Advisory Board, in October 2020, saying that world leading industry experience and insight of 17 expert will guide the company in delivering its strategic priorities and achieving best practice in Environment, Social and Governance, particularly towards its Carbon Neutral 2030 target. The board was divided into five regional sub-groups reflecting GFG Alliance’s key markets in Australia, India, continental Europe, the UK and the Americas, which was to meet four times a year. The full board was to meet every year under the Presidency of Mark Elborne, former CEO and President, GE UK and Ireland, and hold informal group discussions each month.

Global Advisory Board members:

Mr Mark Elborne (President of Board) - Former President and CEO, GE UK and Ireland after being Corporate General Counsel, GE EMEA and a senior partner at CMS Cameron McKenna

Mr Jon Bolton - Former Chairman of UK Steel and senior leader at British Steel, Corus, Tata Steel and Liberty Steel.

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton - UK Member of Parliament for 14 years including Government roles as Lord Commissioner of the Treasury and Minister of State for the Armed Forces

Mr Carwyn Jones - Former First Minister of Wales and Leader of the Welsh Labour Party

Mr Alexander Downer - Former Australian High Commissioner to the UK and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs

Ms Anne Lange - Senior executive at Cisco before co-founding software start-up Mentis in 2014. Sits on the board of Orange, Pernod-Ricard, Inditex and FFP

Mr Henri Proglio - Former Chairman and CEO of EDF, Veolia Environnement and Compagnie Générales d’Entreprises Automobiles

Mr Sigieri Diaz della Vittoria Pallavicini - Chief investment officer of Rottapharm since 2004 and has held executive roles across the pharmaceutical and finance sectors

Mr Cristian Colteanu - Formerly GE’s President & CEO for Romania, Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova, and prior to that Secretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Romania’s Ambassador to Italy and Malta

Mr Peter Stracar - Most recently President and CEO, GE Europe, following senior roles at Hilti Group

Mr Michael Setterdahl - Among several board memberships across the steel industry, he was Managing Director of international steel trading company Novosteel SA before becoming the sole owner from 2000 until 2007

Mr Ray LaHood - Extensive career in US politics, serving in the House of Representatives and as Secretary of Transportation

Mr Ray Horsburgh - Chairman of three ASX-listed companies, with deep steel industry experience. Awarded Order of Australia for his service to the steel industry

Mr Simon McKeon - Former Executive Chairman, Macquarie Group (Melbourne office) and Chairman/President of several Federal Government bodies

Mr Michael Morley - Led GFG Alliance in Australia and served as senior vice-president in Nyrstar

Professor Ross Garnaut - Professorial Research Fellow in Economics at the University of Melbourne. Chairman of Sunshot Energy and Director of ZEN Energy

Mr SJ Mukhopadhaya - Former justice of the Supreme Court of India, Chief Justice of the High Court of Gujarat and most recently first chairperson of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:16

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EUROFER Analysis of EU Stainless Steel Sector Performance in 2020

Eurofer’s Director Stainless & Specialty Steel Mr Matteo Rigamonti has highlighted the market condition, supply & demand and consumption of stainless & specialty steel in Europe in 2020 for 2020 in EUROFER’s Annual Report. He wrote “World stainless crude steel production fell (-2.5%) in 2020, to around 50.9 million tonnes. Alongside the cyclical downturn of some steel using sectors in the advanced economies, the COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented market deterioration in almost all stain- less producing countries. By contrast, following the sharp contraction during the first quarter of 2020, the Chinese economy made a relatively swift recovery. This translated into a stainless crude steel production increase (+2.5%). At the same time, Indonesia also increased its stainless melting production, benefiting from the additional domestic export-oriented capacity increase.”

European stainless steel demand has been significant impacted by the economic slump in the EU, with market supply of stainless steels finished products dropping (-13.9%) in comparison to 2019. However, for the first time in the past six years, import penetration eased, mainly driven by the drop of imports of stainless steel hot rolled sheets and strips following the introduction of anti-dumping duties against three exporting countries. Stainless steel melting in the Union further declined (-7.1%) year-on-year, falling slightly to just over 6.3 million tonnes, more than 1 million less than two years earlier.

In the stainless steel flat product segment, EU apparent consumption decreased (-13.6%) in 2020 compared to 2019. Domestic deliveries by EU producers fell (-5.2%) and imports of flat products declined (-34.3%) with different patterns between the flat products families, in particular, imports of stainless steel cold rolled flat products declined (-16.3%). With regard to stainless steel long products, market supply in the EU dropped (-15.4% year-on-year) as both domestic supplies and imports from third countries registered double digit decreases (-13.6% and -19% respectively).

EU market supply of alloy engineering steel long products decreased (-13.6%) in 2020 compared to 2019, both deliveries by EU mills deliveries and imports from third countries dropped at the same pace (-13.7% and -12.8% respectively). Exports by European producers to non-EU markets de- creased as well but to a lesser extent (-2.5%), sustained by a positive demand in wire rod products in third countries.

Alloy special steels (other than stainless) Total market supply of finished alloy special steel products on the Union market decreased for the second consecutive year in 2020 (-14.1% year-on-year). Demand was severely impacted by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and both EU producers and traditional exporting countries suffered showing similar regression on the EU market. With regard to the tool and high-speed steels segment, there was decrease in total apparent consumption (-19%) in 2020. EU producers’ deliveries to the Union market dropped (-17.4%) year-on-year, whilst imports from third countries fell significantly (-23.5%). Whilst exports of high-speed steels products decreased (-8.2%), exports to third countries of alloy tool steels reduced slightly (-2.5%).

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:22

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Russia & Ukraine May Impose Tax on Steel Exports

Reuters reported that Russia is preparing new export taxes for steel products, nickel, aluminium and copper which will cost their producers USD 2.3 billion between August 1 and December 31 as it wants to protect its defence and construction industries from further growth in raw materials costs as prices for metals rise at a global level. Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Mr Andrei Belousov said “Our economy is not ready for the kind of avalanche-like shock transfer of global prices to the domestic market that we have seen over the past year. The increase in domestic prices for certain metals ranged from 60% to 100%. Taxing ferrous metals such as steel will bring in 114 billion roubles (USD 1.6 billion), and base metals such as nickel and aluminium 50 billion roubles. That represents 20-25% of the excessive income firms will get from a favourable market.”

Metal Bulletin separately reported that a group of Ukrainian parliamentarians have proposed a tax on excess profits from the export of commodities including iron ore, non-ferrous metals, ferrous scrap and rebar etc. A set of draft laws published by Ukraine’s parliament Verkhovna Rada on June 16 suggests changes to the country’s tax, customs and budgetary codes. These draft laws would mean that taxes would be imposed when there is profit received by a business entity taking advantage of a favorable market situation, or a significant price increase on domestic market

If such measures are implemented, the current elevated global steel export prices may further strengthen.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:23

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British Government in Catch 22 Situation over Steel Safeguards

With just 6 days to go, The Star reported that several elected British leaders of constituencies with steel mills have called for an urgent reform of trade laws to protect UK’s steel industry from unfair global trading practices. Conservative MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, which is home to Liberty Speciality Steel, Ms Miriam Cates in a speech in the House of Commons, called the decision by an independent body to remove nine safeguards incomprehensible and said that the Government does not have the legal powers it needs to prevent this from happening. She said “Steel supports hundreds of jobs in Stocksbridge, and is vital for our local economy. We simply cannot afford to lose these important protections when the EU and US are keeping their safeguards in place. This is a complex legal issue, but one that must be resolved urgently to avoid potentially devastating consequences."

Sheffield Central’s Labour Party MP Mr Paul Blomfield wrote to Prime Minister Mr Boris Johnson urging him to protect the industry saying cheap foreign imports could undercut Sheffield’s steel production. He said “Margaret Thatcher destroyed thousands of steel jobs in Sheffield, David Cameron pulled planned support for local steel producers, and now Boris Johnson is betraying remaining steel producers. It’s putting their ideology of free trade at any price before British jobs. So while the EU keeps these safeguards for their steel producers, the UK government are failing to do the same, making us doubly vulnerable as the target for cheap foreign steel.”

In Rotherham, Labour Party MP Ms Sarah Champion said that she fears for the future of the Liberty Narrow Strip Mill in Brinsworth if the protections were dropped. She said “The Government is gambling with the future of steel workers in Rotherham should it allow safeguards to lapse. This is the first real test of Britain’s independent trade policy following Brexit, but rather than using its new-found freedom of action to defend this vital strategic industry, it stands to be thrown to the wolves.”

Labour MP for Slough & Shadow Rail Minister Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi said that “It is essential for the UK government to extend steel safeguards beyond their June 2021 expiry date, or we risk job losses and endangering this treasured British industry. British made steel is one of the pillars that built this great nation to what it is today, contributing GBP 2 billion to the UK economy in 2020 alone. The British steel industry produces enough for 70% of the UK’s annual requirement of crude steel each year. With 96% of it used in construction and infrastructure recycled and used, over and over. Yet, for 11 years, this Conservative government has failed to understand the strategic importance of the UK steel industry. UK now risks the real prospect of leaving our own steel industry needlessly exposed.”

Grimsby Telegraph separately reported that Scunthorpe’s Conservative MP Ms Holly Mumby-Croft met British Prime Minister Mr Boris Johnson to discuss steel safeguards and press for changes to steel safeguard removal recommendations. Speaking after the meeting, at which the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Steel was joined by neighbouring fellow Conservative MPs Mr Andrew Percy and Mr Martin Vickers, she said “Today I joined other steel MPs in meeting the Prime Minister to voice our significant concerns regarding the independent TRA's recent recommendation on steel safeguards. The Prime Minister has assured us that he shares our commitment to the future of the British Steel Industry. We hope to have more to say on this in the coming days and weeks - I will, of course, continue to press him and the government on this important issue. The Prime Minister remains an ally of steel, having ensured that his government paid the salaries of steelworkers in Scunthorpe for months following the collapse of the previous owners."

Labour Party’s attempt to force emergency legislation through to extend current rules beyond their June 30 expiry while the issue was revisited was thwarted in a Commons vote earlier this week by 355 to 271 votes.

UK’s Trade Remedies Authority, which made the decision, is independent of government and the UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade can only accept the recommendations in full or allow all 19 protective measures to fall instead. The Secretary of State does not have the legal power to amend the recommendations or to extend the existing safeguards against the TRA's recommendations. A spokeswoman for the Department of International Trade said “Rejecting the TRA’s recommendation would mean all 19 of the product categories within the safeguard measure expire on 30 June, even the 10 the TRA recommends the UK should keep. Any forcing through of legislation in order to disregard the TRA recommendation, which is based on evidence provided by interested parties including importers, domestic producers and overseas exporters, would breach World Trade Organization rules, leaving us open to challenge and retaliation.”

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:24

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EC Opens AD Probe into HDG Imports from Turkey & Russia

The European Commission announced June 24 it has opened an investigation into hot-dipped galvanized coil imports from Turkey and Russia, alleging imports of certain corrosion resistant steels originating from these countries were being dumped. The investigation of dumping and injury will cover the period from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020. The examination of trends relevant for the assessment of injury will cover the period from 1 January 2017 to the end of the investigation period. The complaint was lodged on 12 May 2021 by Eurofer. The complaint was made on behalf of the Union industry of certain corrosion resistant steels.

The product subject to this investigation is flat rolled products of iron or alloy steel or non-alloy steel: plated or coated by hot dip galvanisation with zinc and/or aluminium and/or magnesium, whether or not alloyed with silicon; chemically passivated; with or without any additional surface treatment such as oiling or sealing: containing by weight: not more than 0.5 % of carbon, not more than 1.1 % of aluminium, not more than 0.12 % of niobium, not more than 0.17 % of titanium and not more than 0,15 % of vanadium: presented in coils, cut-to-length sheets and narrow strips the product under investigation').

The following products are excluded

1. Stainless steel, silicon-electrical steel and high-speed steel

2. Not further worked than hot-rolled or cold-rolled

All interested parties wishing to submit information on the product scope must do so within 10 days of the date of publication of this Notice.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:29

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Primetals HYFOR Pilot for HDRI Starts at voestalpine in Donawitz

In April, the Hydrogen based fine-ore reduction HYFOR pilot plant developed by Primetals Technologies was commissioned at the voestalpine site in Donawitz in Austria. First tests were successful. Test with various iron ore concentrates will continue to collect a sound data basis. Use of 100% Hydrogen as reduction agent reduces the CO2 footprint close to zero. The HYFOR pilot plant employs the world’s first direct reduction process for iron ore fines concentrates from ore beneficiation, not requiring any agglomeration like sintering or pelletizing. This reduces CAPEX and OPEX costs. HYFOR represents the only process worldwide capable of processing iron ore concentrate fines with 100% particle sizes smaller than 0.15 mm, and a wide variety of ores, e.g. hematite and magnetite, supplied by different customers of Primetals Technologies worldwide. The direct reduction plant will come in a modular design, allowing for a tailor-made scaling for customers for all sizes of steel plants. The aim of the HYFOR pilot plant is to verify this break-through process and to serve as a testing facility to provide the data basis for upscaling the plant size to an industrial-scale prototype plant as the next development step.

The HYFOR pilot plant consists of three parts: a preheating-oxidation unit, a gas treatment plant and the actual reduction unit. In the preheating-oxidation unit, fine ore concentrate is heated to approx. 900 degree Celsius and fed to the reduction unit. The reduction gas, 100% H2, is supplied over the fence from a gas supplier. A dry dedusting system takes care of dust recycling to prevent emissions from the processes involved. The hot direct reduced iron HDRI leaves the reduction unit at a temperature of approx. 600 degree Celsius before it’s cooled down and discharged from the HYFOR pilot plant. The next step will be the addition of a Hot Briquetting Testing facility to produce Hot Briquetted Iron

First tests have been successfully executed in April and May 2021. The scale of one test run is in the range of processing of 800 kg iron ore. The HYFOR pilot plant shall be operated for at least 2 years in multiple campaigns to test various ore types and to evaluate the optimal process parameters for the next scale up step. Smooth operation assumed, a hot briquetting unit will be added to verify the hot briquetting step as well as the HBI quality to be expected from the HYFOR technology.

Primetals Technologies has developed the world’s first direct reduction process for iron ore concentrates not requiring any agglomeration like sintering or pelletizing. Primetals Technologies can resort to the comprehensive experience from the earlier Finmet/FINORED and FINEX development and plant installations. The new technology can be applied to all ore types (hematite and magnetite) and particle sizes of up to 100% smaller than 0.15 mm. As primary reduction agent, the new process uses 100% Hydrogen from renewable energy or alternatively H2-rich gases from other gas sources like natural gas pyrolysis or conventional steam reformers. This results in a low or even a zero CO2 footprint. The direct reduction plant will come in a modular design, making it available for all sizes of steel plants. The product is hot DRI for direct hot transport and feed to the downstream melting like EAF or Hot Briquetted Iron for being sold to the market.

In April, the Hydrogen based fine-ore reduction HYFOR pilot plant developed by Primetals Technologies was commissioned at the voestalpine site in Donawitz in Austria. First tests were successful. Test with various iron ore concentrates will continue to collect a sound data basis. Use of 100% Hydrogen as reduction agent reduces the CO2 footprint close to zero. The HYFOR pilot plant employs the world’s first direct reduction process for iron ore fines concentrates from ore beneficiation, not requiring any agglomeration like sintering or pelletizing. This reduces CAPEX and OPEX costs. HYFOR represents the only process worldwide capable of processing iron ore concentrate fines with 100% particle sizes smaller than 0.15 mm, and a wide variety of ores, e.g. hematite and magnetite, supplied by different customers of Primetals Technologies worldwide. The direct reduction plant will come in a modular design, allowing for a tailor-made scaling for customers for all sizes of steel plants. The aim of the HYFOR pilot plant is to verify this break-through process and to serve as a testing facility to provide the data basis for upscaling the plant size to an industrial-scale prototype plant as the next development step.

The HYFOR pilot plant consists of three parts: a preheating-oxidation unit, a gas treatment plant and the actual reduction unit. In the preheating-oxidation unit, fine ore concentrate is heated to approx. 900 degree Celsius and fed to the reduction unit. The reduction gas, 100% H2, is supplied over the fence from a gas supplier. A dry dedusting system takes care of dust recycling to prevent emissions from the processes involved. The hot direct reduced iron HDRI leaves the reduction unit at a temperature of approx. 600 degree Celsius before it’s cooled down and discharged from the HYFOR pilot plant. The next step will be the addition of a Hot Briquetting Testing facility to produce Hot Briquetted Iron

First tests have been successfully executed in April and May 2021. The scale of one test run is in the range of processing of 800 kg iron ore. The HYFOR pilot plant shall be operated for at least 2 years in multiple campaigns to test various ore types and to evaluate the optimal process parameters for the next scale up step. Smooth operation assumed, a hot briquetting unit will be added to verify the hot briquetting step as well as the HBI quality to be expected from the HYFOR technology.

Primetals Technologies has developed the world’s first direct reduction process for iron ore concentrates not requiring any agglomeration like sintering or pelletizing. Primetals Technologies can resort to the comprehensive experience from the earlier Finmet/FINORED and FINEX development and plant installations. The new technology can be applied to all ore types (hematite and magnetite) and particle sizes of up to 100% smaller than 0.15 mm. As primary reduction agent, the new process uses 100% Hydrogen from renewable energy or alternatively H2-rich gases from other gas sources like natural gas pyrolysis or conventional steam reformers. This results in a low or even a zero CO2 footprint. The direct reduction plant will come in a modular design, making it available for all sizes of steel plants. The product is hot DRI for direct hot transport and feed to the downstream melting like EAF or Hot Briquetted Iron for being sold to the market.

voda 25 juni 2021 07:30

0

Arkan Board Approves Merger with ADQ’s Emirates Steel

UAE-based Arkan Building Materials Co’s board has approved its proposed all-share acquisition of Emirates Steel Industries. Arkan will acquire Emirates Steel with 5.1 billion ordinary shares at AED 0.798 dirhams each for a total value of AED 4.07 billion The deal will leave Arkan 87.5% owned by Senaat, a unit of Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ. The merger still needs to be approved by Arkan’s general assembly. The deal, which will create a listed 'building materials and construction champion'

Arkan Chairman Mr Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri said “This transaction with Emirates Steel will accelerate our ambitions by combining two sector leaders in the UAE, thereby expanding our product portfolio and order book significantly. Arkan is poised to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the construction and building materials sectors, as the world begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Senaat, the UAE’s largest industrial conglomerate, proposed the deal on May 9. ADQ assumed ownership of Senaat from the Abu Dhabi Executive Council in March 2020.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:31

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HBIS Unveils Plan for Low Carbon Steel Development in China

HBIS Group Co Ltd Chairman Mr YU Yong wrote in a blog in worldsteel “Like other steel producers around the world, we at HBIS recognise that the steel industry’s contributions to climate change are under increasingly intense scrutiny from our customers, the communities in which we operate, and our governments. Quite rightly so in my view, and it is with not inconsiderable pride that I see the industry as a whole accelerating its efforts to mitigate our impact.”

He wrote “In September 2020, at the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Chinese President XI Jinping announced China‘s intention to see its carbon emissions peak in 2030 and for the country as a whole to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. This clearly puts pressure on HBIS and others, but we are equal to the challenge and indeed welcome it. According to Guidance on Promoting the Implementation of Ultra-Low Emissions in the Iron and Steel Industry, a document jointly published by five Chinese government departments, over 80% of Chinese steelmaking capacity should be compliant with these stringent regulations covering all production processes by the end of 2025. With Chinese capacity of around 1.15 billion tonnes according to the OECD, this will be a great accomplishment for the steel industry as a whole.”

He wrote “At HBIS we are investigating a number of approaches that will see our carbon emissions come down even further. We have announced our intention to achieve a peak in our carbon emissions by 2022, reduce them by 10% compared to the peak by 2025, and further reduce them by 30% compared to the peak by 2030, eventually getting to net-zero by 2050. As such, HBIS has formulated a series of measures in the areas of energy structure innovation, process innovation and material performance innovation. We are building China’s first hydrogen DRI demonstration plant in HBIS XuanSteel, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei province. The first phase of the project, due to be completed by the end of 2021, will see the site have the capacity to produce 0.6 million tonnes of iron per annum using hydrogen sequestered from coke ovens at HBIS’ integrated sites elsewhere in Hebei province.”

He added “The second phase will see the site expand so as to be capable of producing a further 0.6 million tonnes of iron per annum through the electrolysis of water, the electricity for which will be produced from 100% renewable sources. HBIS will take hydrogen metallurgy as the breakthrough point and build a total annual capacity of 3.6 million tonnes of hydrogen-based iron during the 14th Five-Year Plan period to provide clean and high-quality raw materials for domestic electric furnaces and advance our industrial upgrading and sustainable development.”

He concluded “There is clearly a long way for the industry to go, but we at HBIS along with other steel producers in China and elsewhere around the world are striving with a new momentum to make sure that the sustainability credentials of both our industry and our products will be unparalleled in the 21st century.”

HBIS Group was world’s third largest steel maker in 2020 with crude steel production of 43.76 million tonnes, after Baowu Group at 115.29 million tonnes & ArcelorMittal at 78.46 million tonnes.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:32

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Ukrainian Vazhmash Submits Proposal for Egyptian Iron & Steel Co

Mada Masr reported that an offer from a Ukrainian firm to modernize and operate Egyptian Iron and Steel Company could reverse liquidation plans that have placed the jobs of 7,000 Egyptian workers at risk. State owned Metallurgical Industries Holding Company, the parent company of Egyptian Iron and Steel, informed Egyptian Exchange “An official offer from the Ukrainian government-owned Vazhmash company to rehabilitate and develop Iron and Steel’s Helwan plant via a profit-sharing scheme with the Egyptian government has been submitted and is currently under review.”

According to the official offer, the Ukrainian company’s proposal consists of a 36-month modernization plan aiming to increase the plant’s production capacity to 1.2 million tonnes under the Ukrainian company’s leadership, followed by a 20-year period during which the company would be jointly managed via a partnership between Vazhmash and the Metallurgical Industries Holding Company. In exchange for financing the required investment, Vazhmash proposed a profit-sharing scheme whereby it would take 90% of the profits while the holding company would take the remaining 10%. Vazhmash has conditioned its offer on Egyptian Iron and Steel’s slate being wiped clean of debts, which the Public Enterprise Ministry has said stand at LE 10 billion, with Vazhmash proposing that the holding company pay off any outstanding dues before the deal is finalized. The offer also pledges to keep 4,000 out of the current 7,000 workers on the payroll, with spending on each worker to average USD 500 dollars per month including salaries and other benefits, such as health insurance. The fate of the company’s other 3,000 workers is unclear.

Vazhmash’s offer comes three weeks after the last operating furnace of Egyptian Iron and Steel Company was shut down and an official party appointed to manage its liquidation. Instructions issued in May also forbade company bus drivers from transporting workers to the Helwan plant. Protests against the closure of Iron and Steel, once the pride of Egypt’s burgeoning post-independence industrial sector, have erupted multiple times since the January decision to liquidate the company. In the latest incident, 10 workers were detained for two hours after a spontaneous sit-in held by employees after the company’s final furnace was suddenly extinguished in May.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:33

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Rockwell Automation Helps Turn Steel Plant Emissions into Ethanol

Rockwell Automation’s expertise in digital transformation is helping more companies improve and grow business by incorporating innovative sustainability practices. One example is Rockwell Automation’s work with LanzaTech, a company dedicated to recycling carbon emissions into safe, sustainable and marketable products. LanzaTech used Rockwell’s digital technologies to help global steel producer ArcelorMittal convert carbon from its Belgium steel plants into ethanol. As a result, what was previously a harmful by-product of the steel-making process has created a new commodity that can be used as aviation fuel, building blocks for plastics, and synthetic fibers for textile or CarbonSmart packaging.

Thanks to advancements in technology and digitalization, more industrial executives are looking to apply sustainable processes to their existing operations and identify new areas of business opportunity.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

voda 25 juni 2021 07:41

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US Steel Imports in Jan-May 2021 up by 7% YoY

Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported that the US imported a total of 2,513,000 net tons of steel in May 2021, including 1,845,000 net tons of finished steel (down 4.8% and up 11.3%, respectively, vs. April final data). Through the first five months of 2021, total and finished steel imports are 11,780,000 net tons and 7,966,000 net tons, up 7.1% and 8.8%, respectively, vs. the same period in 2020. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2021 would be 28.3 million net tons and 19.1 million net tons, up 28.4% and 18.5%, respectively, vs. 2020. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 20% in May and is estimated at 19% over the first five months of 2021.

Key finished steel products with a significant increase in imports in May compared to April are tin plate (up 240%), wire rods (up 57%), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 24%) and cold rolled sheets (up 47%). Products with a significant year-to-date increase vs. the same period in 2020 were hot rolled sheets (up 42%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 30%), cut lengths plates (up 30%), plates in coils (up 28%), tin plate (up 17%), wire drawn (up 16%) and sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 12%).

Source - Strategic Research Institute

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