Tata Steel’s European operations are reconfiguring some of its assets in the South Yorkshire area of the UK based on customer feedback from it US clients to serve the vital North American market better.
Tata Steel’s speciality steel business has been producing high-quality metric-sized products for the global market for many years. Now the company has brought in imperial sizing specifically for the North American market. Tata Steel can roll round bar products in diameters from 7/8ths of an inch to 15”, but in equivalent metric sizes, at its two South Yorkshire plants before reducing them on a lathe to their required imperial sizes. This will be the first time the mill in Stocksbridge will have inch-size capability.
Tata Steel has installed seven new rolls and laser-size gauges on each of the two finishing lines on the rolling mill at its Stocksbridge, UK, facility. The new rolls will enable the mill to hot roll inch-sized round bars in the range of 3”–10” diameter for the first time, with the possibility of extending to 12” diameter.
The new GBP 1.3M development will enable Tata Steel to comply with the requirements of its North American customers by eliminating several processing steps, including lathing, leading to shorter lead times and more precise delivery schedules.
The new rolls have been going through a trial and validation process throughout the first half of 2013 and are expected to be commissioned in the fourth quarter of this year.
