FAIRFIELD, Alabama — U.S. Steel Corp. today announced the successful start-up of a new technologically advanced electric arc furnace steelmaking facility at its operations in Fairfield, marking a strategic milestone for the company.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel said the EAF at the Fairfield Works, located near Birmingham, has an annual steelmaking capacity of 1.6 million tons. It’s an important step in the company’s strategy to incorporate both integrated and mini-mill technologies.
“The EAF significantly enhances our ability to deliver customer-centric solutions and results. We made a commitment to add electric arc steelmaking to our operating footprint as part of our ‘Best of Both’ strategy,” U. S. Steel President and CEO David B. Burritt said.
“This successful start-up delivers on that promise, and I am very pleased with the way our people safely accomplished this while navigating the disruptive influences of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added.
Our #USSteel facility in Fairfield, Alabama had a successful start-up of our new electric arc furnace (EAF). EAF technology melts #recycled steel scrap into liquid steel and adds significantly more #sustainable #steelmaking to our portfolio. https://t.co/6qudtzB8LY pic.twitter.com/ku8DRlB2pX
— U. S. Steel (@U_S_Steel) October 26, 2020
SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY
The EAF method of steelmaking utilizes electrical energy to melt a heat of steel. This process charges recycled steel scrap into the furnace, which is then heated by electric arcs; melting the scrap into liquid steel.
In the start-up process, Fairfield EAF #1 commenced its first arc, charged and melted steel scrap, and on Oct. 20, tapped its first heat of liquid steel.
“Fairfield EAF #1 adds significantly more sustainable steelmaking technology to our portfolio,” Burritt said.
The start-up climaxes a construction project at Fairfield Works that was re-launched in February 2018. The EAF project had been initiated in 2015 but put on hold due to market conditions.
“I am proud of the Fairfield team for their perseverance and continued focus throughout the construction and start-up processes, especially on our core value of safety,” said U. S. Steel Senior Vice President – Tubular Products Douglas R. Matthews.
U.S. Steel has been making steel in Birmingham for over 100 years.
With extensive iron ore production and an annual raw steelmaking capability of 22 million net tons, U. S. Steel produces high value-added steel products for the automotive, infrastructure, appliance, container, and energy industries.
