California Steel to Boost Production Capacity

California Steel Industries, Inc. (CSI) announced plans to increase total annual production capacity by one million tons with the addition of a second reheat furnace with state-of-the-art environmental technology. The investment also includes associated additional improvements in cooling-water treatment and in slab-handling facilities, for a total investment of approximately $60 million. The new equipment will give CSI the capability and flexibility to produce up to 3 million tons of carbon-steel flat-rolled sheet and pipe per year.

The new natural-gas-fired walking beam reheat furnace employs selective catalytic reduction (SCR) emission-control technology and highly efficient burners. Emissions will be lower than those associated with the current furnace, which was built in 1997.