Deal for steel

Steel producer

has awarded

a major contract for the supply of equipment to a new steel mill being built in southeastern Ukraine.

The scope of supply includes hot-metal desulphurisation stations, LD steelmaking converters, ladle furnaces, a vacuum oxygen decarburisation plant, dedusting facilities and slab casters.

Siemens will also provide advisory services for erection, start-up, commissioning and training.

According to Siemens, this new metallurgical complex will be capable of producing 4.7 million tonnes of carbon steel grades annually for a range of industrial applications.

Following start-up of the oxygen steelmaking facilities scheduled to begin in late 2010, Zaporizhstal JSC will phase out its open-hearth steelmaking production and ingot-casting route, which is expected to lead to significant cost savings, increased product quality and environmental advantages.