30 Processing Lines
48 EPS Cells
7.2 Million Tonnes Annual Pickling Capacity
30 Processing Lines
48 EPS Cells
7.2 Million Tonnes Annual Pickling Capacity
30 Processing Lines
48 EPS Cells
7.2 Million Tonnes Annual Pickling Capacity
EPS Enjoys Global Acceptance And Growth
EPS Technology is now serving all major steel-producing regions of the world. In Europe and North America, EPS is viewed as preferable to investment in resuscitating aging pickling operations. In Asia and South America, as new steel processing capacity is planned, EPS is viewed as much more practical than building acid pickling facilities. In all regions, the environmental and economic advantages of EPS over acid pickling are too compelling to ignore.
Below are profiles of the companies – both steel mills and processors – that made the commitment to EPS Technology.
China is the world’s largest steel producer, so it makes sense that it is also the largest user of EPS technology. Since 2018, Zhejiang Jingu Company has been the exclusive authorized supplier of EPS Cells to the Chinese market. ‘Jingu’ has delivered 16 EPS Cells which operate in 13 EPS pickling lines – a mix of Sheet Lines and Coil Lines. Jingu’s arrangement with TMW assures that China’s EPS customers have access to the latest EPS features and capabilities, like EPS Generation 4.
Todoaceros is a rapidly growing service center in Spain and a part of the Network Steel family. Their wide coil EPS cell was installed immediately after an SCS unit in their existing RBI coil line. Dual Bradbury levelers allow them to process up to 15mm x 2000mm 700 MPa coils. The line is unique: it will provide EPS processed material in coil form or go directly to sheets via a downstream flying shear. The EPS cell began operation in November 2019.
Metall Profil is a large producer of corrugated sheet, metal tiles and materials for steel wall panel and roofing systems with operations in Russia and the CIS. It added a 2-Cell EPS Coil Line to its extensive coil processing capability. The line pickles cold-reduced strip up to 3.5 mm thick and began operation 4Q 2018.
Xinyu Bishui Steel Strip Company, Ltd. of China built a toll processing facility for EPS and cold reduction of carbon steel strip and high quality steel grades. Bishui is a “reformed acid pickler.” They operated an acid pickling line in their old plant, but selected EPS for their new plant. Their 3 Cell EPS Coil Line began operation in March 2018.
Talleres y Aceros (TYASA) of Mexico installed a 2-cell EPS Coil Line in its advanced, environmentally friendly minimill. The EPS line descales thin strip Castrip® poured from a Simetal EAF Quantum electric arc furnace. TYASA wanted the most efficient, sustainable steelmaking and processing technologies available, so EPS was selected for pickling.
Zhejiang Jingu Company, Ltd. is China’s largest manufacturer of steel wheels, supplying many of the world’s leading automotive and truck OEMs. ‘Jingu’ operates a one cell EPS Sheet Line that uses the 4 Slurry Turbine Sheet/Plate Cell. It pickles sheets from 1.8 mm to 12 mm thick and began operation in March 2016. Jingu is also authorized to manufacture EPS Cells for sale in China only and is a partner in Ansteel’s service center operating a 2-Cell EPS Coil Line.
Anshan Iron and Steel Group, ANSTEEL, is one of China’s largest and most integrated steelmakers, producing hot and cold rolled strip, galvanized and pre-painted strip, silicon steel, heavy rail, seamless pipe, wire rod and steel ropes. ANSTEEL operates a wide coil 2 Cell EPS Coil Line in a new service center that started up in January 2016.
Steel Technologies LLC is a leading steel service center network offering pickling, slitting, annealing and cut-to-length of flat rolled steel. Its state-of-the-art 300,000 sq. ft. processing center in Monterrey, Mexico started up a wide coil 4-Cell EPS Coil Line in October 2013 to serve regional automotive suppliers and OEMs with dry and oiled EPS.
Taiyuan Iron and Steel Group (TISCO), a leading China steel company and the world’s largest producer of stainless steel, started up its wide coil 3-Cell EPS Coil Line in August 2013. TISCO conducts research into improving steel making and wanted to replace acid pickling as it expanded its operations in an environmentally responsible manner.
Hemnil Metal Processors Pvt. Ltd., a steel service center located in Pune, India, operates a single EPS cell integrated into a slitting line. The Cell is located before the slitting head, making the line capable of producing clean, scale-free slit coils from master coils of hot roll black. This line went into operation in July 2013, an is an example of the flexibility of EPS Technology, as it allows Hemnil to operate in-line pickling and slitting in a compact, cost-effective arrangement.
The Stripco division of Steel Technologies in Mishiwaka, Indiana processes for customers in the automotive, agricultural, outdoor power equipment, RV and other industries. It has been operating a wide coil 1-Cell EPS Coil Line since December 2011, processing material up to 0.393″ and 72″ wide including high carbon and alloy grades.
Jeong An Hi-Tube Co., Ltd. (JAS) is a leading producer of steel pipe products and the first producer of in-line galvanized steel pipe in South Korea. JAS acquired the EPS ‘Alpha’ Coil Line from TMW in 2010 and uses it to pickle steel coils prior to slitting them for the widths required for its pipe products. The decision to use EPS was consistent with JAS’ emphasis on minimizing its operations impact on the environment.
Using EPS Cells To Improve Acid Pickling Lines
All EPS installations have, so far, been complete replacements for acid pickling lines. However, it is possible to use EPS Cells to increase the capacity of acid pickling lines. This can work two ways:
- replace acid tanks with EPS Cells to convert an acid pickling line to an acid-free EPS line
- place an EPS Cell ahead of the acid tanks to ‘pre-descale’ and lessen the load on the acid tanks to boost line speed.
Acid picklers interested in evaluating the economics, technical requirements and costs of a hybrid EPS/Acid configuration are encouraged to please CONTACT US.
