The final step in the creation of Zenith Nantong Steel’s new meltshop has now been achieved.

Basic oxygen furnace 1 has passed hot testing. The meltshop was constructed by CISDI to an EPC mode and its completion marks the culmination of a hugely successful project to transform the company’s plant in China’s Jiangsu Province into a true Factory of the Future.

Production at the plant’s BOF3, LF2, BOF2 and LF1 workshops went smoothly into operation in April, May and July this year.

Thanks to the application of CISDI’s advanced equipment and smart technologies, Zenith’s Factory of the Future is closer to achieving up-sized, efficient, intensive, green and intelligent production. It will feature Zenith’s key targets – a high level of equipment, environmental protection, brand, management and benefit.

CISDI created a number of benchmarks at Nantong during the construction of three 190 tonne BOFs, twin LFs, three argon-blowing wire-feeding stations, utilities, main workshop buildings for steelmaking and continuous casting (rolling mill’s transitional and feedstock bays included), plus civil work and foundation treatments for three 12-strand continuous casters. 

There were numerous challenges to overcome throughout - a tight schedule, complicated coastal geological conditions, typhoons, the pandemic and market variations. 

Strict protocols protected construction teams from the risk of infection during the pandemic, and workers displayed a strong sense of responsibility during urgent, dangerous and unexpected tasks. 

The CISDI-built BOF1 is successfully hot commissioned at Zenith Nantong Steel