NLMK looks to future of Clabecq division with major investment

The NLMK Group recently approved an investment plan for its NLMK Clabecq mill totalling €30 million. Despite the current COVID-19 crisis, the Belgian mill specialised in heavy steel plate of thin gauges, and a major supplier to these products to mining markets such as mining truck bodies, continues to pursue its development plans. The key brands made at Clabecq are its QUARD® abrasion resistant steel that can withstand intensive wear in many mining functions; and QUEND® extra high strength steel plate made from slabs with a high degree of purity.

The projects include the upgrading of the descaling system with two new descalers and the 4-stand continuous finishing mill. The investments will allow the production of very thin plate in high strength ranges with better tolerances while reducing gas consumption and CO2 output. The NLMK Clabecq thin gauge product range allows customers to design lighter solutions that reduce life-cycle CO2 footprints. NLMK stated: “The investments will enable the mill to continue to position itself as a key player in the thin-gauge steel market and provide customers with best-in-class surface, flatness and dimensional tolerances for the QUARD® and QUEND® range of products. The modernisation of the descaling system and the revamping of the finishing mill will be concluded in late 2021.”

Ben de Vos, VP International Operations for NLMK, said: “These investments will strengthen the position of NLMK Clabecq by further enhancing our groundbreaking QUARD® and QUEND® product ranges. The project also reflects the confidence and commitment of the NLMK Group to develop continuously our products and our business, despite the current crisis. It will support our drive towards producing steel for a greener future and will enable customers to reduce their environmental footprint.”

In mining industry related orders, NLMK Group recently supplied a batch of Quend 700, its extra high-strength structural steel grade produced by NLMK Clabecq, to Pnevmash (Pneumatic Machine Building Company) for the production of beneficiation equipment. Pnevmash produces equipment for the mining sector, including a variety of grizzly screens used for separating raw materials by size. This type of equipment operates under sustained high loads coupled with constant vibration, which means the manufacturer has to place extra emphasis of the quality of the steel used. The Quend high yield strength plates are designed for lifting and hoisting equipment, truck chassis, handling equipment, trailers, and other applications where high structural strength is of critical importance.