GFG Alliance has announced that it is planning to build a large-scale steel plant at the site of its existing operations in Whyalla, South Australia. The facility, to be named Liberty Next-Gen Steel, is set to be the biggest of its kind in the Western world.
“Utilising almost perfect local conditions - our own infrastructure including a deep-sea port; rich local resources; and unrivalled community passion - we now plan to build a new steel plant, one of the world’s largest, right here in Whyalla.
“‘Liberty Next-Gen Steel’ will be the largest in the Western world, capable of producing 10 million tonnes per year, with the ability and infrastructure to double capacity in time,” GFG Alliance Executive Chairman Sanjeev Gupta said.
The proposed steel plant is going to be based on ‘state-of-the-art technologies and best-in-class environmental measures’ and the facility will be focusing on producing semi-finished steel including slabs, blooms and billets, which will be exported to downstream operations found in key strategic as well as developing markets across the globe.
“Using the most advanced technologies and our own local resources, we will aim to be one of the most competitive steel producers globally.
“Thousands of job opportunities will be created throughout the construction phase and from the plant’s ongoing operations,” Mr Gupta said.
In addition to the announcement of the proposed steel plant, the company has also announced that it has signed contracts - valued at more than $600 million - that will help transform GFG Alliance’s Whyalla operations.
The contracts signed are for:
A new state-of-the-art rail and structural heavy section steel mill, awarded to Italian manufacturer Danieli
A Pulverised Coal Injection (PCI) Plant, awarded to CISDI Engineering Co
“This transformation will vastly improve the operational, financial and environmental performance of the operations, paving the way for Whyalla to become an enticing, global hub for innovative industry.
“Today’s announcement signifies a major milestone in the Whyalla Transformation Program that will establish our operations as a viable and sustainable facility, producing 1.8 million tonnes of high-quality, high-end steel per year,” Mr Gupta said.
Both the steel mill and the PCI Plant are going to be designed, built and commissioned over the next three years. Once completed, the two components will help the Whyalla operations increase productivity, reduce cost as well as open the opportunity to introduce a new range of products, expanding to new markets and customers.
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Source: Australian Mining; GFG Alliance (1, 2); Australian Financial Review; Whyalla News