Tower taking shape at Hamilton steelmaker

A new tower is taking shape on Hamiltons industrial skyline.

ArcelorMittal Dofascos $120-million No. 6 galvanizing line will eventually be 65 metres tall and will be clad in high-strength steel produced in the plant.

It is state of the art. It has all the bells and whistles in terms of fuel efficiency and it will allow us to create a greater product range, said Tony Valeri, vice-president of corporate communications and public affairs.

No. 6, which is replacing No. 2 galvanizing line, will enable the development and production of a range of advanced high-strength steels that are in high demand in the auto sector, said Valeri.

Its the key steel product to (original equipment manufacturer) car designers because it adds less vehicle weight but improved safety, said Valeri.

We want to be the supplier of choice. Its a high-value product.

The flat sheets of steel are dipped in zinc, travel up one side of the tower to be annealed (a heating process that brings hardness and consistency to the coated steel) and then travel down the other side of the tower to be cooled, strengthened and levelled.

The tower design will improve the quality, consistency and reliability of the steel, said Valeri.

The tower controls the final thickness of the coating on the steel and also cools the steel strip in a controlled manner. A vertical tower is more efficient compared to a horizontal arrangement, the company said.

The project is about halfway completed. The line is fully designed, the majority of engineering is done and most of the equipment has been manufactured. What remains is equipment installation, commissioning and startup, the company said.

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Tower taking shape at Hamilton steelmaker