- The Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST) recognizes NLMK Indiana with the Gold Reliability Achievement Award for its innovative EAF upgrade project with Primetals Technologies
- The award honors the adoption of new practices, policies, or procedures that significantly improve iron- and steelmaking reliability in North America
- Highlights the technical success of the EAF modernization and the strong partnership between NLMK Indiana and Primetals Technologies
NLMK Indiana has received the “Gold Reliability Achievement Award” from AIST, a non-profit iron- and steel organization with 18,500 members in 70 countries. This award recognizes the recent upgrade of the company’s 118-ton electric arc furnace (EAF) at its facility in Portage, Indiana, U.S.A., completed in collaboration with Primetals Technologies.
Primetals Technologies carried out a comprehensive modernization of the furnace, completing a shutdown time of only six weeks until the first heat, followed by a short ramp-up period with more than 20 heats per day after just four days.
Increased Safety and Streamlined Maintenance
A central focus of the modernization was NLMK’s desire to increase safety and simplify maintenance at its Portage site. To tackle these challenges, Primetals Technologies developed two key solutions: a single-point roof-lifting system and an integrated gantry. These upgrades eliminate the need for operators to physically access the furnace roof when disconnecting chains for maintenance, substantially improving safety. Additionally, maintenance downtime has decreased, increasing productivity due to a faster delta-replacement process with the new equipment.
Recognition for Innovation and Reliability
The Reliability Achievement Award recognizes organizations and the individuals within them who develop, apply, and prove new practices, policies, or procedures that significantly improve iron- and steelmaking reliability in North America. Presented at gold, silver, and bronze levels, the award is granted exclusively to iron and steel producers.
The Reliability Achievement Award not only highlights the technical success of the furnace modernization but also the strength of the partnership between NLMK and Primetals Technologies. This project has become a strong example of how excellent engineering, strategic planning, and project execution can produce meaningful advancements in the industry’s safety, reliability, and productivity.
The full scope of the EAF upgrade is detailed in the technical paper co-authored with Primetals Technologies, “NLMK Indiana EAF Modernization and Equipment Replacement,” which will be presented at this year’s AISTech conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Monday, May 4.
About NLMK Indiana
NLMK Indiana produces a range of steel products including hot rolled and pickled and oiled steels. Located close to the Port of Indiana along Lake Michigan, NLMK Indiana primarily serves markets for pipe and tube manufacturing, energy, agriculture, construction, and automotive. NLMK Indiana is part of NLMK USA which employs more than 1,100 people across its facilities in Indiana and Pennsylvania and produces 2.7 million tons of steel annually.
Pictured are the Primetals Technologies and NLMK teams standing alongside the Gold Reliability Achievement Award.
The first heat for NLMK Indiana’s 118-ton EAF after the modernization by Primetals Technologies.
Primetals Technologies, Limited, headquartered in London, United Kingdom, is a pioneer and world leader in the fields of engineering, plant building, and the provision of lifecycle services for the metals industry. The company offers a complete technology, product, and services portfolio that includes integrated electrics and automation, digitalization, and environmental solutions. This covers every step of the iron and steel production chain—from the raw materials to the finished product—and includes the latest rolling solutions for the nonferrous metals sector. Primetals Technologies is a Group Company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, with around 7,000 employees worldwide. To learn more about Primetals Technologies, visit the company website www.primetals.com.
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