LIBERTY Galati, the largest integrated steel producer in Romania, continues its strategy to expand its portfolio of high value-added products and increase production flexibility and profitability, by starting the installation of a new modern accelerated cooling unit at its Heavy Plate Mill.

Following an investment worth RON 150 million, the integrated plate cooling technology will enable the company to address the most profitable market segments, increases department productivity, expands the value-added product portfolio and improves the quality of finished products for its customers in the offshore, shipbuilding, construction and pressure vessel markets. LIBERTY Galati will be able to offer a new category of high-quality products, reinforcing its commitment to offer the best products to its customers in Romania, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and America.

Sandip Biswas, CEO, LIBERTY Primary Steel & Mining, said: “This state of the art plate cooling system represents another milestone in LIBERTY Galati’s strategy to expand its portfolio of high value-added products and increase production flexibility and profitability. The integrated cooling system is essential for modern plate mills, as we have here at Galati, to produce higher strength and value-added grades which require higher cooling rates and better cooling accuracy. The project will be completed next year and will allow us to respond to our customers’ demand for higher value and quality products.”

Ajay Aggarwal, LIBERTY Steel Group’s President Europe and Chairman of the Board of LIBERTY Galati: “We are continuing to progress our GREENSTEEL transformation while modernizing and developing our operations. Our investment in this new unit is yet another step forward by our Galati team towards our long-term goals. Along the way, we are pleased to collaborate with partners with the highest expertise, such as Primetals Technologies who have developed some of the most advanced cooling technologies.”

Primetals Technologies, a renowned global supplier, will provide LIBERTY Galati with the state-of-the art MULPIC (Multi-Purpose Interrupted Cooling) system and water treatment plant. MULPIC is an advanced technology that offers an in-line plate cooling system capable of achieving the desired cooling rate and temperature reduction for plates of different product dimensions.

At the moment, the LIBERTY Galati’s Heavy Plate Mill produces plates up to 4,000 mm wide and up to 180 mm thickness and Thermo-Mechanically Controlled Processed (TMCP) grades, but also has a fully integrated flow including a new hot leveler machine, US testing machine and a marking machine.

LIBERTY Galati produces a wide range of quality flat products (plates, coils, galvanized sheets & coils, and organic coated products) as well as welded tubular products and supplies steel to customers across Romania and in approximately 30 countries worldwide. The steel products made in Galati are used in shipbuilding, construction, pressure vessels, automotive, transportation, as well as other sectors. Recently, LIBERTY Galati announced the installation of a state-of-the-art pipe coating line at its specialist company LIBERTY Tubular Products Galati, following a total investment of RON 40 million.

LIBERTY Galati products have been used in many of Romania’s major infrastructure projects, including: the new bridge over the Danube in Brăila, which will be the third largest in Europe; the railway bridge connecting the “Henri Coandă” International Airport terminal with the National Road 1; and the bridges over the Mureș River which are part of the A10 Sebeș – Turda motorway. Its steel has also been used on Turkey’s “Osman Gazi” bridge over the Gulf of Izmit and the pedestrian walkway at Koge Nord railway station in Denmark.