February 2025 Volume 7

MATERIALS

REHEATING STEEL, REIGNITING PROGRESS BLOOM BY BLOOM By Chad Lacher and Peter Bogan

Metallus took another major step in 2024, securing up to $99 million in funding through a strategic agreement with the U.S. Army to increase munitions produc tion for national security. The agreement facilitates the commissioning of two major assets: a continuous bloom reheat furnace (bloom furnace) and a roller hearth heat treat furnace. Once operational, these assets will support the defense sector by creating steels for munitions and military grade equipment that meet the need for exceptional strength and reliability. To the benefit of all customers, the furnaces are expected to enhance produc tion capacity, improve processing efficien cies, increase first-time quality and reduce yield loss as specialty steelmaking forges ahead at Metallus’ Faircrest campus in Canton, Ohio. In particular, the bloom furnace represents more than an operational enhancement— it’s a next-level investment, bringing

together smart digital controls, streamlined automation and energy efficiency to boost performance alongside the jumbo bloom vertical caster. Forging has always been about adapting to meet the highest standards. With the bloom furnace slated to become opera tional by the end of 2025, Metallus is focused on giving customers the highest quality products to meet emerging chal lenges. Casting Excellence Since it was commissioned ten years ago, Metallus’ jumbo bloom vertical caster has become a vital part of modern steel making. Its massive structure—180 feet above ground and 90 feet below— produces steel blooms that are both large and remarkably clean to meet exacting standards required for some of the world’s toughest applications.

T he evolution of steelmaking is marked by progress, driven by advances in materials, methods and technology. Vertical casters and continuous reheat furnaces are examples of how the industry constantly redefines its potential to raise the bar on precision and efficiency, giving forging the foundation it needs to grow. With a legacy rooted in pushing bound aries and a steadfast focus on quality, Metallus has embraced these advance ments not as endpoints but as drivers to new possibilities—a spirit perfectly exem plified by the jumbo bloom vertical caster, introduced in 2014. It’s the largest of its kind in North America, producing some of the cleanest and most consistent steel blooms for high-stakes applications within aerospace and defense, energy, industrial and automotive spaces.

Metallus’ new bloom furnace plays a central role in the company’s ongoing collaboration with the U.S. Army, focusing on increasing its production of specialty steel for essential defense needs. Additionally, the most recent agreement calls for Metallus to invest in a roller hearth heat treat furnace and commission upgrades to its finishing lines.

FIA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2025 42