Yamato Steel Co. Ltd. has awarded a contract to SMS group to modernize its section mill in Himeji, Japan, as part of efforts to enhance product quality and operational efficiency.
The project involves replacing the existing universal roughing (UR) and edger (E) mill stands with compact cartridge stand (CCS) technology, designed to offer higher stand rigidity and improved rolling accuracy. The compact design makes the CCS system suitable for brownfield upgrades at heavy section mills.
The scope includes CCS 1000 and CCS 500 E mill stands, enabling the production of H- and I-beams as well as U-type sheet piles. The new stands support both universal and two-high rolling modes and feature hydraulic roll adjustment and quick automatic change systems. The upgrade will also add new roller tables with flange cooling, high-pressure descaling units, and an advanced tandem rolling mill control system to enable real-time process control and automatic gap adjustment.
Completion of the modernization is targeted for summer 2028, with the supplier providing engineering, equipment, automation, technical support, and spare parts to ensure smooth integration with the existing mill.
Yamato Steel said the upgrade will strengthen its heavy section production capabilities and support its position in Japan’s structural steel and sheet pile market.
Yamato Steel, a subsidiary of Yamato Kogyo Group, manufactures structural steel products and large cast steel components for the construction, civil engineering and shipbuilding sectors. Its Himeji plant is the company’s main domestic production site, with integrated steelmaking and rolling facilities and 700,000 tons per year of crude steel capacity.
