Xiangtan Iron & Steel (Group) Co., Ltd. has awarded SMS group a contract to supply a new four-strand SMS Concast bloom caster (CCM#12) for its existing BOF steel plant in Xiangtan, China. The new continuous casting machine will expand the company’s production capacity for high-grade special bar quality (SBQ) blooms used in the automotive industry, renewable energy sector and other demanding applications.
The caster is designed to produce exceptionally large blooms, including sections of 450 × 530 mm and 395 × 410 mm. According to SMS group, this represents the largest bloom size ever implemented on a curved caster worldwide.
The CCM#12 will incorporate several advanced technologies to ensure high metallurgical quality and dimensional accuracy. These include the Dynamic Mechanic Soft Reduction (DMSR) system to reduce central porosity and segregation, as well as an advanced Mechanic Hard Reduction (MHR) system designed for high torque loads.
Additional equipment will include CONFLOW® stopper technology for precise control of steel flow into the mould, a hydraulic oscillation system, containment and air-mist spray cooling, and a complex electromagnetic stirring arrangement. The plant will also feature a dedicated quenching system and individual bloom discharge from a deep pit with a pass line at minus 8.5 meters.
Despite space limitations at the existing facility, including a tight strand spacing of 2,500 mm, the caster design has been optimized to operate efficiently within the available footprint.
With the new caster, Xiangtan Iron & Steel aims to strengthen its position in the high-end SBQ market and meet growing demand from sectors such as automotive manufacturing and renewable energy.
Commissioning of the new CCM#12 is scheduled for the end of December 2026.
