El Marakby Steel commissions SMS group to upgrade its minimill to increase capacity and reduce operating costs

• Ten percent annual capacity growth in 2023, based on an assessment study by SMS group
• Increase in production capacity from 400,000 to 460,000 tons per year
• Caster upgrades to add 150-millimeter square billets to the product portfolio
• Modernization encompasses key areas of the minimill, focusing on the electric arc furnace, casting plant, and the rolling mill 

El Marakby Steel, one of Egypt’s major manufacturers of deformed bars and wire rod, has taken another step to boost its production capacity and competitiveness by contracting SMS to upgrade the existing SMS minimill at its 6th of October site.

As industries and market demands evolve over time, SMS carried out an assessment of the existing melt shop in early 2023, with the focus on identifying areas that can be optimized to increase capacity. The results of this assessment led to a ten percent increase in annual production.

El Marakby Steel plans to boost capacity even further and reduce operating costs by upgrading equipment already in place.

In 2024, the modernization project focused on key areas of the minimill, specifically the electric arc furnace, casting plant, and the rolling mill. Upgrades to the melt shop included the installation of a 55 MVA transformer, two new-generation CONSO systems for lime and carbon injection, and the CONDOOR^® automatic slag door. The CONDOOR^® guarantees enhanced efficiency by reducing the power off-time and electrode consumption while increasing metallic yield, with automatic cleaning cycles not only improving safety but also minimizing the risk of refractory damage.

The CONSO system in the EAF provided the additional chemical energy needed for charge melting and liquid bath superheating. The parabolic mold in the continuous casting machine is designed to optimize steel flow, ensuring high-quality production, improving EAF performance, and reducing CO₂ emissions and energy consumption. The introduction of CONVEX^® Mold Tube technology for 150-millimeter square billets, implemented in the continuous casting machine, enhanced the production process by improving heat transfer and surface quality, ensuring consistent dimensions, and reducing defects.

A roughing mill stand with two new cantilever systems, one in a horizontal design (1H) and the other vertical (2V), will be supplied, thus increasing flexibility and efficiency and allowing the mill to accommodate the new billet size. This will enable the customer to increase the material yield and achieve a coil weight of two tons in the wire rod line.

To expand the product portfolio and boost the production capacity of the minimill from 400,000 to 460,000 tons of rebar and wire rod per year, a new square billet cross-section of 150 millimeters was introduced in the continuous casting plant.

“This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the partnership between El Marakby Steel and SMS group, established in 2013. The strategic expansion 
ensures that El Marakby Steel continues to play a leading role in the steel industry and is well-prepared for upcoming market demands with increased efficiency,” says Enea Pasquali, Key Account Manager at SMS.