Severstal Dearborn, Inc. has received the Engineering Society of Detroit’s annual Construction and Design Award for the construction of its C Blast Furnace.
The award recognizes the design and construction efficiencies involving the $340 million project. C Furnace began operation in October 2007 and is said by Severstal to be the newest and most modern blast furnace in the United States.
Also honored at the ceremony as part of the project construction team were Comprehensive Structural Services, Inc., Royal Oak, Mich.; Graycor Industrial Contractors, Inc., Homewood, Ill.; and Metro Industrial Contracting, Oak Park, Mich.
“To meet the then-strong demand for our products, C furnace needed to be brought on line as quickly as possible and was completed (‘wind off’ to ‘wind on’) in 97 days, well ahead on the planned 106-day schedule,” said David Morris, Vice President of Engineering for Severstal North America. “The fact that this massive construction project was completed with an outstanding safety performance while not interfering with ironmaking production literally right next door at B furnace is truly remarkable.”
The project, beginning with 18 months of pre-construction planning led by Graycor, utilized three major business partners, five consulting firms led by ATSI, Inc., Amherst, N.Y., and more than 100 manufacturers and suppliers worldwide. More than 1200 craftsmen and 1000 truck loads of materials and equipment were used.
In addition, construction involved two of the largest cranes in North America to hoist several critical pieces. Many of the heaviest crane lifts weighed hundreds of tons, with the largest single lift being more than 500 tons.
Severstal Dearborn is a subsidiary of Severstal North America, the fourth largest steelmaker in the United States. Specializing in the full range of high-quality light flat rolled products, Severstal North America operates fully integrated operations in Michigan, Maryland, Ohio, and West Virginia. A new state-of-the-art electric arc furnace operation in Mississippi serves the growing demand for steel in the southeastern U.S. Severstal North America also has several joint ventures for high quality coated products.