A major U.S. steel producer recently commissioned an international engineering group with the expansion of its steel plant in Osceola, Arkansas, including the supply of electric arc furnaces and other furnace lines, increasing the plant’s annual output to about 3 million tons of steel.
Since commissioning of the new mill in 2017, Big River Steel has been producing high-quality steels, including tube grade sheet for pipeline construction, silicon steels for a wide variety of energy and electric motor applications, and advanced high-strength steels for the U.S. automotive industry.
SMS group will supply BRS with mechanical equipment, electrical and automation systems, and digitalization. After completion of the next expansion, the steel plant will have two electric arc furnaces and two twin-ladle furnaces. Installation of an additional gas cleaning system will ensure compliance with strict environmental legislation. A second strand, a second tunnel furnace, and a further downcoiler will be added to the CSP® plant. Big River Steel’s CSP® plant produces up to 1,930 millimeters wide coils, making it one of the widest CSP® plants in the world. Also as part of this project, the continuous galvanizing line (CGL) will receive an additional coiler.
Also in the second construction stage, Big River Steel will see the installation of the PQA® (Product Quality Analyzer) system developed by SMS group company MET/Con as a central module of the process automation system.
“I have purchased several technologically advanced steel production facilities from SMS over the past twenty years and I am fully confident that SMS group will again deliver a high-quality mill that sets the standard in terms of product capability, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability,” said David Stickler, CEO of Big River Steel.
“Working closely with the management and staff of Big River Steel, we have succeeded in digitalizing a highly complex steel plant in a way that meets the targets of stable and resource-saving production,” said Burkhard Dahmen, Chairman of the Managing Board of SMS group. “We are very pleased about Big River Steel’s decision to also award us the order for the next expansion stage of the steel plant and to continue on the proven successful way with SMS group as their partner.”
