Uzmetkombinat launches hot-rolled steel production in May

Uzbek steel giant Uzmetkombinat plans to launch a new foundry and rolling complex in Bekabad in May this year. Once it reaches full capacity, the plant will be able to produce over 1 million tons of hot-rolled steel annually, allowing the country to reduce steel imports and increase its export potential, Kallanish reports.

The new line operates on the principle of continuous production – semi-finished products are immediately fed to rolling without reheating, which increases efficiency and reduces energy consumption. The company has not yet provided official confirmation of the launch schedule.

The company noted that the project will be a strategic step to strengthen the national economy and increase the competitiveness of the steel industry. The complex is equipped with Danieli technologies: a 120-ton electric arc furnace, a continuous casting machine, a rolling mill, and auxiliary equipment. Modern filtration and energy saving systems are also being installed.

The project is expected to create 1,250 jobs directly at the plant and up to 5,000 in related industries. It will stimulate the development of construction, engineering, and transportation.

Danieli’s investment in infrastructure and equipment amounted to €359.3 million, and €170 million in construction, contracted by Turkey’s Ronesans Eurasia. “Uzmetkombinat is also working on a €190 million syndicated loan insured by Italy’s SACE and Germany’s Euler Hermes.

The company plans to process part of its products domestically, in particular at the Tashkent Cold Rolled Steel Plant, which will open in 2021.

As GMK Center reported earlier, Shandong Aipurui Steel Plate Co. Ltd is going to set up a $120 million steel plant in Uzbekistan’s Fergana region. The project envisages the construction of a metal processing plant in the Tarakkiyot industrial zone in the Toshlok district.