Habas A.S., based near Izmir, Turkey, is moving forward with its modernization and expansion strategy. Following the launch of its pickling line/tandem cold mill (PLTCM) project in October 2021, the company initiated the next phase of its collaboration with SMS group in April 2023, marking a new milestone in their longstanding partnership.
The expanded facilities aim to significantly boost Habas’s cold strip production capacity and strengthen its market position. The five-stand PLTCM, equipped with SMS group’s latest turbulence pickling technology and scale breaker, is scheduled for installation by August 2025. Designed for an annual output of 1.65 mln tons, it can process strip widths of 700-1,980 mm and thicknesses down to 0.20 mm. The tandem cold mill features CVC plus technology and an enhanced shifting system for precise flatness and thickness control. Its carousel reel with a new revolving reel mandrel support ensures safe winding, even for high-strength grades under high tension. The mill supports both continuous and batch production modes.
To optimize product quality, Habas also ordered several downstream processing lines from SMS group: an offline skin-pass mill, two continuous galvanizing lines (CGL1 and CGL2), a recoiling and inspection line (RCL), and a tension leveling line. These lines will enable the production of advanced steel grades, including deep drawing and high-strength materials.
The offline skin-pass mill is designed as a four-high mill with a 0.65 mln-ton annual capacity. It handles a range of materials, including cold rolled, annealed, hot rolled, and pickled coils, with strip widths between 965-2,100 mm and thicknesses from 0.25-4 mm. Features like work roll shifting, wet skin-passing, and a blow-off dry strip system ensure precise elongation and dryness before coiling.
The continuous galvanizing lines are key components of the new complex. CGL2, designed for construction-grade steel, includes a horizontal Drever furnace and has a capacity of 440,000 tons per year. It processes cold-rolled strip from 0.25-2.5 mm and hot-rolled strip from 1.20-4 mm, up to 1,930 mm wide. CGL1, tailored for automotive applications, features a vertical Drever furnace, inline skin pass mill, tension leveler, spray passivation system, and side trimmer, with a 400,000-ton annual capacity.
Both lines are equipped with IAS pot systems, Duma-Bandzink air knives, bath equipment, and oiling machines. The X-Pact automation system from SMS group, built on Siemens S7, ensures seamless control and monitoring across all processing stages. This includes terminal and process equipment, furnace automation, Level 2 systems for data integration, and X-Pact Drive for optimized energy efficiency and performance.
The recoiling and inspection line (RCL) further enhances flexibility by handling cold-rolled, annealed, or galvanized material. It integrates welding, inspection, defect marking, trimming, center cutting, oiling, and coil dividing. The RCL operates at speeds up to 300 m/min, with a 300,000-ton annual capacity, processing strip widths of 700-1,930 mm and thicknesses from 0.25-2.5 mm.
The X-Pact Vision HMI system supports efficient plant operation, diagnostics, and troubleshooting. Together with the broader X-Pact suite, these systems provide Habas with a robust platform for future digitalization, system reliability, and product quality improvements.