The walking beam furnace has a capacity of 91 metric t/h. It will supply the merchant bar mill that will be erected by SMS in the Nucor Kankakee plant in the town of Bourbonnais, 100 km south of Chicago. The start-up is scheduled for late 2019 pending permits and other regulatory approvals.
John Ferriola, CEO of Nucor Corporation, has declared that the investment is “perfectly in line with our long-term strategy, aimed at profitable growth of our business.” Ferriola went on to say that the operation “solidifies our position as a low-cost producer, and allows us to replace the volumes of steel that are currently supplied by our competitors outside the region.”
“Besides prefabrication, our unique and globally recognized selling point, what sets us apart is our post sales support, both in terms of spare parts and supervision and maintenance,” explained Forni Industriali Bendotti CEO, Michele Bendotti. “Our furnaces have an obsolescence of more than 40 years, a clear demonstration of manufacturing quality. As we only make reheating and heat treatment furnaces, we can interface with all the main rolling mill manufacturers, exchanging data with a view to Industry 4.0.”
_{(Source: Forni Industriali Bendotti)}