Tenova has won an order to supply a 70mt 70mt Vacuum Oxygen Decarburization (VOD) plant for NLMK’s Verona operations in Italy. The turnkey unit contains level 1 and 2 automation, auxiliary equipment, and a deslagging machine.
Once commissioned by the end of H1 2021, the plant will provide an economical supplement process to melt and refine stainless steel, Tenova indicated in a statement on Feb 10. It will also lower the temperature and operating times to melt stainless steel while increasing the availability of the company’s EAF capacity towards active melting.
The Russian steelmaker’s Verona plant already has an electric arc furnace, two ladle furnaces, a vacuum degassing system, a casting plant, and an ingot casting plant. Both the product range, driven by the increased quality of steel, and rate of production will improve with the addition of the new VOD plant. The secondary metallurgy process will remove carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in the steelmaking process.
NLMK Verona has an annual production capacity of 450,000mt and about 260 employees. The site produces forged blocks and ingots as well as forged and rolled plates.