Primetals Technologies to modernize steel production at Gerdau Special Steel North America

Primetals Technologies has received an order from Gerdau Special Steel North America, a producer of special bar steels, to modernize an existing electric arc furnace at its plant in Monroe, Mich. The facility also will be equipped with a new twin-ladle furnace and a new material handling system. The aim is to increase the plant's annual production capacity by 176,370 tons of rolled end products.

End-to-end automation and the use of LiquiRob robot systems will help increase productivity and reliability, optimize workflows in the steel works, and reduce operating costs, says Primetals. The ladle furnace and material handling system are scheduled to come into operation at the end of 2019, with the modernized electric arc furnace starting production in mid-2020.