Hoa Phat Hai Duong Steel transformed with many technological advances and diversified products

On August 17, 2019, Hoa Phat Hai Duong Steel Joint Stock Company with the Complex produced iron and steel using the first modern closed blast furnace technology of the Group, turning 12 years old. At that time, many innovations and technological changes were made at this Complex to save costs, improve productivity, quality as well as diversify product categories, create new steel lines to meet domestic demand and export.

Advances in unrefined technology

In the period from March 2010 to October 2011, the process of producing embryos usually goes through technological steps: Blowing furnace -> Refining furnace -> Continuous casting machine. With this technological process, the liquid steel after blasting has to be refined before being transferred to the casting machine - similar to producing steel from scrap steel by electric furnaces.

Realizing that the stage of the refinery can be omitted in most low-alloy steel grades, the Company's technical staff has repeatedly calculated, met, and discussed this issue but has not agreed with the plan because there are many external factors that have not been fully calculated, it is necessary to consider reality and learn from mature production before deployment.

With the support of the Board of Directors, many technical staff have visited and learned from advanced manufacturing factories abroad. After a period of direct observation, the key points of technology are captured and put into practice in the Complex.

From November 2011, the first batches of steel that did not pass through the Refining Furnace were transferred directly from the Blowing Furnace to the Continuous Casting Machine. The rate of unrefined goods in the first month reaches 8%, this rate increases with each successive month, in March 2012 reached 78%, and in August 2012 reached 99.3%. From that time until now, Hoa Phat Hai Duong Steel has only refined with high-demand steel grades such as: high alloys, deep impurity reduction ...

Blast technology helps Hoa Phat Hai Duong Steel to produce high-quality steel grades

The production of unrefined steel reduces the production time of a batch of steel, reduces the consumption of refractory materials, does not consume electricity and coal electrodes to refine, reduces alloy consumption, reduces labor costs , increasing productivity ... As a result, the total cost of production decreased by 3-4%, bringing many competitive advantages in the market.

Using coal gas blast furnaces, furnaces to replace coal gas Generators

Researching and improving technology at the Complex is carried out continuously at all stages of the factories. During the period from 2010 to 2014, rolling mills # 1 and # 2 used coal gas from biogas furnaces (using lump coal) to serve production, this fuel cost accounted for 2-3% of total expenditure.

Since the beginning of 2014, after the # 2 blast furnace has been put into operation, the amount of coal in the Complex is in surplus, after calculating that this amount of coal can be used as fuel for rolling mills, but the amount is not enough. Therefore, after many working sessions with prestigious design institutes and visiting production sites in foreign countries, the Board of Directors of the Company has deployed a system of coal gas recovery furnace to take full advantage of the power source. This amount, combined with coal gas, is used for rolling mills.

The utilization of coal gas from blast furnaces and blowing furnaces for rolling lines has contributed to saving production costs

In December 2014, Hoa Phat Hai Duong started the conversion and parallel use of coal gas. Gas generators and coal gas mixes (blast furnace + blast furnace) for rolling mills yielded positive results. Since January 2015, rolling mills have only used coal gas from blast furnaces and blast furnaces as fuel to ignite the billet, combined with the use of maximum hot billet, ensuring production and completely stopping using coal Gas generators.

Stopping the use of coal gas Gas generators (using lump coal) and making use of the available fuel source in the Complex are Coal gas, High furnaces and Blowing furnaces, which have contributed to improve the environment and saving 2 - 3% of the cost of producing finished steel products, bringing great advantages to Hoa Phat compared to other manufacturing companies.

Developing new products

With the quality of products and ability to meet the demands of the domestic market, Hoa Phat Steel has supplied in projects from small to large, from civil construction steel products, to construction steel products with high-quality to serve large projects such as high-rise buildings, underground tunnels, hydroelectric works, large bridge systems, overhead rail system (metro) ... Hoa Phat Steel has been trusted and chosen by both domestic and foreign investors, supervision consultants for important project.

Not satisfied with what is available, the Board of Directors of the Group realized that the domestic and international market always has a great demand for steel lines than other construction steel, such as wire drawn steel lines, welded steel rods, etc. The Group's leaders have directed the research, study and trial of these products.

Wire drawn steel line

Through many discussion between functional departments, the Company realized that with the current equipment of the Complex, it is possible to produce this product line to meet the demands of both domestic and foreign markets, replacing imported goods by deploying just a standard technology process.

Hoa Phat has helped domestic mechanical manufacturers take initiative in the source of raw materials

After reviewing and learning about production technology, in June 2014, Hoa Phat Hai Duong Steel started to produce tested steel grades and draw the first batches. Initially the production of products was not optimal, the quality did not reach the desired. After many times considering drawing experience from production, adjustments, fine-tuning to achieve satisfactory products, Hoa Phat Hai Duong has successfully mastered the technological steps of producing wire-drawn steel lines.

The first order is 9.5mm rolled goods - SAE1012 to Australia market in August 2014 has received very positive feedback from customers, creating the basis of orders and expansion to other international markets. Other than: USA, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand …

Along with the supply of wire drawn steel product to the international market, since late 2014, Hoa Phat has supplied goods to the domestic market to reduce the dependence on imports. Thus, instead of Vietnam having to import 100% of this steel, the domestic mechanical manufacturers have been proactive in sourcing raw materials at competitive prices.

Welding rod steel

After the success of the production of wire drawn steel lines, the Board of Directors of the Group continued to assign the task of researching and deploying the production of welding rod steel lines since May 2016.

Receiving the task, Hoa Phat Hai Duong Steel Joint Stock Company started to study and research on the preliminary production technology process, then sent a team of officials to conduct field surveys at some factories that were producing on world to build the technological process to produce this grade steel.

In July 2016, the Complex started testing production of welding rods, which are difficult to produce because of the low alloy content, high oxygen content in the steel, and control with difficult technological process. The initial batch of test results were not good, the percentage of finished products was very low, unsatisfactory.

The following months, after researching to overcome the errors that have been encountered, by applying technologies such as the use of insecticides, preventing re-oxidation by using steel-covered cup ... To September / 2016, the factory tested again, the results improved compared to the previous production periods.

Welding rod steel products were the first orders to be launched on the domestic market in October 2016. Up to now, Hoa Phat Hai Duong is increasingly optimizing and improving the technology to offer the best quality welding rods and other steel products to meet the market demand.

Dang Viet Thanh