The award, presented by AIST, which has 18,500 members in 70 countries, recognizes the implementation of new practices, policies, and procedures that significantly improve reliability in iron and steel production in North America. NLMK Indiana’s EAF modernization project carried out in collaboration with Primetals played a key role in receiving the award.
The modernization work carried out on the 118-ton capacity electric arc furnace located at the company’s Portage facility in Indiana drew attention with its rapid completion. The comprehensive upgrade process conducted by Primetals was completed with only a six-week shutdown period, while during the commissioning phase, more than 20 heats per day were achieved within four days.
The main focus areas of the modernization included enhancing plant safety and simplifying maintenance processes. In this context, the single-point roof lifting system and integrated crane solution eliminated the need for operators to physically access the furnace roof during maintenance. Additionally, the faster delta change process enabled by the new equipment reduced maintenance-related downtime and improved operational efficiency.
The Gold Reliability Achievement Award is given to producers implementing innovative practices that enhance reliability in iron and steel production, and it also highlighted the strength of the collaboration between NLMK Indiana and Primetals. The project was considered an example demonstrating how engineering, planning, and execution processes can come together to achieve tangible progress in safety, reliability, and efficiency across the industry.
All details of the electric arc furnace modernization will be addressed in a technical paper titled “NLMK Indiana Electric Arc Furnace Modernization and Equipment Replacement.” The study will be presented at the AISTech 2026 conference, which will be held on May 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh, United States.
NLMK Indiana produces a wide range of products, including hot-rolled, pickled, and oiled steels. Located on the shore of Lake Michigan, near the Port of Indiana, the facility serves industries such as pipe and tube manufacturing, energy, agriculture, construction, and automotive. The company employs more than 1,100 people across its operations in Indiana and Pennsylvania and has an annual steel production capacity of 2.7 million tons.
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