Gerdau has completed construction of a new continuous caster at its Monroe, Michigan facility, according to a press release from the company Thursday. The new caster is part of an earlier-announced $155 million multi-year capital investment program to increase production capacity and quality at the mill, was showcased at a ribbon cutting ceremony held on Wednesday, October 24.
The new continuous caster takes liquid steel and forms it into solidified steel billets for subsequent re-rolling. The caster is part of the first phase of capital improvements being made at the Monroe mill that will increase the facility's overall installed annual capacity for special steel by 300,000 short tons to meet growing customer demand.
Additional upgrades are being made throughout the mill. The melt shop will install a new vacuum degasser slated to begin operations in the second half of 2013. Major improvements to Monroe's existing rolling mill facilities are also underway, including the installation of six additional rolling mill stands and a new walking beam reheat furnace. The overall capital project at the specialty steel mill in Monroe is slated for completion by the end of 2013.