El Marakby Steel, a leading Egyptian manufacturer of deformed bars and wire rod, is enhancing its production capacity and competitiveness by upgrading its SMS minimill at the 6th of October site.
In early 2023, SMS assessed the existing melt shop to identify optimization opportunities, leading to a 10pct increase in annual production. To further boost capacity and reduce costs, El Marakby Steel is upgrading its equipment.
The 2024 modernization project focuses on key areas: the electric arc furnace (EAF), casting plant, and rolling mill. Enhancements include a 55 MVA transformer, two new-generation CONSO systems for lime and carbon injection, and the CONDOOR automatic slag door, which improves efficiency, reduces electrode consumption, and increases metallic yield.
The upgraded EAF now benefits from additional chemical energy for charge melting and superheating, while the continuous casting machine’s parabolic mold optimizes steel flow, improving quality and reducing COâ‚‚ emissions. The introduction of CONVEX Mold Tube technology enhances heat transfer, surface quality, and dimensional consistency.
A roughing mill stand with two new cantilever systems (horizontal and vertical) increases flexibility, allowing the mill to accommodate a new 150 mm square billet size. This upgrade improves material yield and enables the wire rod line to produce two-ton coils.
With these advancements, El Marakby Steel is expanding its product portfolio and increasing the minimill’s capacity from 400,000 to 460,000 tons of rebar and wire rod per year. Additionally, a new square billet cross-section of 150 mm was introduced in the continuous casting plant.
