The existing facility, commissioned by WISCO in 2008, was built using first-generation thin slab casting and rolling technology. Consisting of vertical casting machines, tunnel furnaces, and a seven-stand finishing mill, the plant will undergo a complete transformation to adopt an entirely new production concept under the investment project.
Primetals to convert a CSP plant for the second time
Primetals Technologies will convert the facility into a conventional hot strip mill while retaining selected sections of the existing equipment. Scheduled for completion in approximately 21 months, the project will mark the company's second CSP conversion. Primetals previously completed the successful conversion of thyssenkrupp Steel's CSP line at its Duisburg-Bruckhausen plant in Germany into a conventional hot strip mill in 2025.
New line to focus on high-value-added steel products
The new production line will be supplied by new continuous casting machines capable of producing slabs with a thickness of 230 mm and will be supported by two new walking beam reheating furnaces.
The project includes the installation of a single-stand reversible roughing mill with high rolling force, while two separate edging systems will be used for heavy edge reduction operations. New cropping and descaling systems will be installed between the roughing and finishing mill sections.
In addition, the finishing mill, laminar cooling system, and coiling unit will be upgraded to accommodate a broader product range and higher quality requirements.
Upon completion of the investment, the facility will focus on high-value-added products such as advanced high-strength steels (AHSS), high-carbon steels, microalloyed steels, and electrical steels (silicon steels). The plant's annual production capacity is expected to nearly double, reaching 4.2 million tonnes.
Entire automation system to be upgraded
In addition to engineering the new equipment, Primetals Technologies will supply key process equipment for the project. The company will also provide Level 1 and Level 2 automation systems for the facility.
As part of the project, Primetals will implement Ski Expert, designed to improve production efficiency; Wedge and Camber Expert, which optimizes strip geometry; and Asset Life Expert (ALEX), which enables real-time monitoring of equipment condition.
A major step in the modernization of aging steel plants
Primetals Technologies stated that the investment represents one of the key modernization projects for China's aging steel plants. The project is expected not only to strengthen WISCO's hot strip rolling infrastructure and expand its capacity to produce premium-grade steels, but also to support the Chinese steel industry's transition toward higher-quality production.
WISCO's long-standing heritage
A subsidiary of China Baowu Steel Group, WISCO operates in the Qingshan District of Wuhan. The company officially began production in 1958 and is widely regarded as one of the first large-scale integrated steel producers in the People's Republic of China.
WISCO manufactures cold-rolled silicon steel, automotive steel, high-strength structural steel, pipeline steel, container steel, and railway steel. Its products are widely used in strategic sectors such as power transmission systems, automotive manufacturing, construction machinery, bridge projects, and high-speed railway infrastructure.
The partnership between Primetals Technologies and WISCO dates back to the 1990s. Since then, the two companies have collaborated on numerous projects, particularly in hot rolling, continuous casting, cold rolling, and silicon steel production.
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