Dec 2 2004
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation announced that its continuous electric arc furnace (EAF) completed its first heat at approximately 11:50 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 28, less than 16 months after the project was authorized. The EAF is located at the company's Mingo Junction, OH, Plant.
"This is a historic moment for Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel," said James G. Bradley, Wheeling-Pittsburgh Chairman, President and CEO. "Today marks the beginning of a new era for our Company and our employees. We had to overcome many obstacles to reach this goal. I cannot say enough about the hard work, determination and expertise that our employees have brought to this task. Together with the leadership of the United Steelworkers of America and government officials from West Virginia and Ohio, we accomplished something that will have a positive impact on the Upper Ohio Valley for many years to come. I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished together."
The Consteel(R) EAF is a state-of-the-art continuous steelmaking furnace. Its integration into Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel's traditional blast furnace hot end is unique in the United States.
Among the EAF's advanced features are: a continuous scrap feed conveyor; a preheating process that heats the scrap steel used to charge the furnace to 1,000 degrees; and the ability use either 100 percent scrap or a mix of scrap and liquid iron. The electric arc furnace will produce steel that meets all Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel's current requirements.
"We had a controlled and successful startup that produced the furnace's first heat," said Don Keaton, Vice President of Steel Manufacturing and Procurement. "Today's milestone was the culmination of months of preparation and training by the Steelmaking Division, which is prepared to ramp up production in 2005 to world class levels."
Utilization of the EAF is expected to increase over a number of months. Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel will decommission its No. 1 blast furnace, located in Steubenville, OH, from production next year, sometime after the EAF reaches full capacity. The Company's No. 5 blast furnace, located in Mingo Junction, will continue to operate.
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