A leading global steel producer recently announced multiple projects as part of a series of planned investments in its UK business. Around £30 million is being earmarked to help secure the future of steelmaking in South Wales, UK.
Tata Steel, headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, with steelmaking in the UK and Netherlands, and manufacturing plants across Europe, will replace a Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS) vessel — weighing 500 tonnes – at its Port Talbot site. At the same time, the company is replacing the massive cranes in the steel plant and installing enhanced dust extraction hoods and energy-efficient drives to minimize emissions.
The 11-meter high BOS vessel is a steel cauldron used to convert iron into steel before it is further processed and delivered to customers making products like cars, innovative packaging, and energy-efficient buildings.
Earlier this year Tata Steel unveiled the UK’s most advanced robotic steel welding line which supplies material for car makers from its site in Wednesfield, UK.
Port Talbot produces high-quality steel which is further processed at Tata Steel’s steel mills around the UK for manufacturers in Britain, mainland Europe and other countries around the world. Once installed, the new steelmaking vessel will be able to convert 330 tonnes of iron into steel in each cycle. This is done by pumping oxygen through liquid iron at twice the speed of sound, removing unwanted carbon and allowing employees to produce critical grades of steel.
“We have two steelmaking vessels and they run 24/7 at temperatures of up to 1,700C, apart from short planned maintenance periods. Despite this, they last for around 20 years each and replacing them is an important part of ensuring reliable operations,” said Dave Murray, Project Manager.
