Chateauneuf
Industeel Chateauneuf
Chateauneuf plant produces plates using EAF route and bottom poured ingots. Its RH degasser enables the plant to ensure extremely low levels of dissolved gases such as hydrogen in the molten steel, which is critical to produce high-quality steels. Chateauneuf plant has a forging press in line with quarto rolling mill, therefore the mill can produce both quarto rolled plates, forged and rolled plates and forged “blocks” up to 1200 mm thickness. In addition to usual finishing facilities, the mill provides also oxycutting and sawing services enabling finishing to exact customer specifications.
Industeel specializes in the production of hot rolled and forged sheet metal, ingots and steel forgings. It employs more than 2,300 people at six production sites in France and Belgium. Industeei comprises 3 EAF-based production sites Le Creusct 120,000 tonnes of plate per year, Chateauneuf 60.000 tonnes per year in France and Charleroi 250,000 tonnes per year in Belgium, as well as two finishing facilities in France and one ring mill in Belgium. The company has one of the widest plate product portfolios in the world, being capable of producing hot rolled and forged steel plates as well as ingots and formed pieces in carbon, low alloy, stainless and nickel alloyed st.eels in 4950 mm thickness, up to 4,300 mm width and up to 100 tonnes weight.
*https://www.steelguru.com/steel/arcelormittal-mulling-options-for-subsidiary-industeel
Image photography
By Viktor Macha in 2005.
Plant facts and figures
The plant have an annual capacity of 150000 tons.
The following processes are conducted in the plant:
- Steel making
This plant produces the following type of products:
- Plates
- Ingots
Full description
The history of the largest heavy plate mill in Europe is dating back to 1853, when the Marrel brothers established their first rolled products factory in Rive-de-Gier near Lyon, later known as Marrel Frères.
In 1864, the production was expanded to newly established plant in Châteauneuf. The main production range consisted of armor plates and artillery cannons.
An interesting fact is that, for example, the heavy armored bunker towers of the Maginot Line were made here.
In 1932 the unique rolling mill combined with a forging press was installed in Châteauneuf and it is still in use today.
After World War II the Marrel Brothers Company became part of the Creusot Loire Group. But after the bankruptcy several years late the USINOR took the production over. The plant had various names
throughout the years; Creusot Loire Industrie, CLI Fafer, or Usinor Industeel.
At present, the mill is owned by the ArcelorMittal Group and manufactures heavy plates up to 3200 mm wide and 80 tons in weight.