Gerdau selects SMS group for several rolling mill upgrades

Gerdau AmeriSteel Corp. has selected SMS group for the supply of rolling mill stands to upgrade the heavy section mill in Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.A., and the medium section mill in Cartersville, Georgia, U.S.A.

“This important investment will enable Gerdau to leverage the synergies between it’s Petersburg, Virginia and Cartersville, Georgia mills, allowing us to increase efficiencies and maintain our position as one of the leading suppliers of structural shapes in the market”, says Kevin Jilbert, Procurement Manager at Gerdau AmeriSteel Corp. “Following through on “The Gerdau We are Creating” for culture and roadmap planning, we are committed to the implementation of digital innovation and using technology to improve our operations and customer service.”

For the Petersburg location, SMS group will supply two CCS® stands (Compact Cartridge Stand) after the breakdown mill group with the aim of increasing productivity, improving performance and section control and allowing for future production range increases. The CCS® stands, developed by SMS group, are the industry standard for structural steel rolling and are adopted by the majority of producers worldwide. Gerdau Petersburg is operating these stands in the facility already since the start-up of the plant in 1998.

Gerdau Cartersville will be upgraded with the addition of three CS type stands after the breakdown mill and before the continuous finishing mill. In addition, a new cold saw will be added into the finishing section. The upgrade will allow the mill to increase productivity by optimizing the pass design and improving the section control. The heavy-duty CS compact stands are the ideal choice for demanding applications due to their superior rigidity and allowance for higher loads, especially in universal configuration.

“These important orders from Gerdau reaffirm SMS group leadership in the supply of medium and heavy section mill equipment. The Gerdau Petersburg mill was the first mill worldwide where CCS® stands were installed. The new order validates the customers’ satisfaction with these CCS® stands and the projects strengthen the relationship between both companies and are a testament of the long lasting reliability of our equipment.” says Thomas Maßmann, Executive Vice President Long Products from SMS group.

Both projects are slated for installation over multiple shorter shutdowns to minimize production impact. Completion of both is foreseen before the end of 2020.

Source and photo: SMS group