Nucor Steel Berkeley has produced its first prime coil on a new continuous galvanizing line (CGL) at its South Carolina facility, marking the completion of commissioning and the start of production operations. The line incorporates furnace heating, rapid cooling, and induction heating technologies to produce advanced high-strength steels and coated steel products for automotive applications.
The new line, located in Huger, South Carolina, was supplied by Primetals Technologies in partnership with CLECIM SAS. The suppliers were responsible for engineering and equipment delivery, including a vertical furnace with galvanneal capability, advanced automation systems, and process technologies for automotive steel production.
With an annual production capacity of approximately 500,000 tons, the line is designed to produce exposed automotive-quality steel and advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) used in structural and safety-critical vehicle components. It is capable of producing galvanized, galvanneal, and zinc-aluminum-magnesium-coated products.
The line incorporates Primetals Technologies’ Rapid Cooling system and Transverse Flux Induction Heating (TFIH) technology. These systems provide controlled heating and cooling rates to achieve the metallurgical properties required for automotive applications.
The vertical furnace includes radiant-tube and direct-fired sections, with the latter incorporating Primetals Technologies’ MID burner technology. The installation represents the first U.S. application of the company’s proprietary combustion system.
The project involved engineering, furnace technology, metallurgical process development, equipment supply, installation, and commissioning contributions from teams in the United States, Japan, and India, as well as consortium partner CLECIM. Primetals Technologies’ service workshop in Berkeley County also assisted with looper roll installation, furnace roll alignment, and fabrication of installation components.
Press release is available in its original form here.
