Nucor selects Danieli for new Plate Steel Mill Complex

Danieli has been selected to supply equipment for Nucor Corporation and its new greenfield plate steel mill complex in Brandenburg, Kentucky, USA.

Danieli will supply the new Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Melt Shop and Plate-/Steckel-Mill, as well as an electrical and automation package provided by Danieli Automation.

Nucor will invest approximately $1.35 billion USD to build the mill, which will be capable of producing 1.2 million net (US) tons per year of steel plate products. The value of Danieli supply is approx. $330 million USD.

The selected location on the Ohio River will give Nucor logistical advantages in the heart of the largest steel plate consuming region in the United States. Nucor currently operates plate mills in North Carolina, Alabama and Texas.

“We are proud to be able to continue our long-time, successful relationship with Danieli.” said Johnny Jacobs, Vice President & General Manager of Nucor Steel Brandenburg. “Our new plate mill will serve as a benchmark for our industry and will make Nucor the market leader right in the center of America's largest plate consuming region.”

The EAF will be a full platform design with an EBT tapping system, equipped with all modern mechatronic devices to improve the performance and the safety of the EAF, such as: Q-Melt and Zero Man Turn Around.

Danieli will also supply secondary metallurgy equipment, including a twin station LMF and a twin station VTD equipped with mechanical pumps. Both units will be equipped with the latest automation and process models to ensure precise chemistry and temperature control, whilst minimizing transformation costs.

The Plate-/Steckel-Mill will be equipped with two stands: a roughing mill and a Steckel-mill, where the roughing mill will also be designed for the rolling of 36” ingots. The complete design of the plate mill will be optimized for the production of thermo-mechanical rolled plates, production of API-grades, as well as high hardness wear resistant plates up to a rolled width of 160” and coils up to a rolled width of 125”. Subsequent to the Plate-/Steckel-Mill mill will follow the latest EVO 5 hot leveler designed for two different types of cassettes and a plate finishing and shearing line for the handling and cutting of 250 ft mother plates.

Final products will be plates and heavy plates in a thickness range of 3/16” up to 14” and coils from 3/16” up to 1”. When operational, the new plate mill will capable of producing 97% of plate products demanded in the U.S. market. The first plate is expected to be rolled in 2022.

Source and Photo: Danieli