February 2025 Volume 7

INDUSTRY NEWS

Investing in the Building Blocks of SBQ Production Today, Charter Steel’s state-of-the-art facility is a testament to the team’s commitment to quality. It features advanced technology, including two back-to-back KOCKS blocks with six stands each using 3-roll technology, cutting-edge non-destructive testing (NDT) equipment and a dedicated team of SBQ experts focused on producing premium SBQ bar, rod and wire. While operators were already highly skilled in evaluating surface quality for coil, the team underwent additional training to address SBQ-specific aspects, such as straightness. This enhanced expertise allows them to react and adjust in real time, ensuring every product meets the highest quality standards. The steelmaking process begins with the carefully controlled melting of recycled mate rials such as automotive scrap and machine shop waste. Using electric arc furnace (EAF) technology, Charter Steel gains greater flexibility, reduces energy use, shortens produc tion times and achieves a smaller carbon footprint compared to traditional blast furnace processes.

As the team continues to invest in cutting edge technologies and build long-term partnerships, Charter Steel is poised not only to meet current demands but also to anticipate and exceed future expectations in the industry and with new markets. This forward-thinking approach will keep Charter at the forefront of the SBQ sector, delivering high-quality products that continue to support the crucial applica tions in industries that rely on them.

In the rolling process, the team uses the existing and proven roughing mill to feed into the newly added KOCKS blocks to shape squared billets into round bar. This system ensures twist-free rolling, preci sion and consistent size control. As the first SBQ producer in North America to utilize two KOCKS blocks back-to-back, Charter Steel is able to achieve exceptional accuracy and consistency. To ensure the structural integrity of SBQ products, Charter Steel has invested over $50 million into in-house NDT capa bilities since 2021. The advanced ten-roll straightening system removes any distor tions, while ultrasonic testing allows for detection of center soundness and subsur face imperfections. Magnetic flux leakage testing (MFLT) identifies even the smallest surface or near-surface defects, ensuring the quality and performance that all SBQ customers expect.

Jon Knight Senior Product Manager Charter Steel

The Importance of Innovation and a Future-Focused Vision At the heart of Charter Steel’s continued success is a vision rooted in growth, team work, trust and a relentless focus on the customer. This vision, which first led the team to explore the SBQ steel market, continues to guide Charter Steel’s evolution and will fuel all future advancements. By fostering a culture of collaboration where each team member plays a vital role in problem-solving and innovation, Charter Steel can serve as an ally to every customer, ensuring that they feel connected to the process that drives consistency and quality in their end product. Trust—both within the team and with customers—has been a corner stone of this five-year journey in SBQ. Charter Steel’s customer-centric approach is built on actively listening to and understanding the needs of those served. In addition to tracking traditional metrics like shipments and orders, the team places a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction as a measurement for success. Annual and monthly customer satisfaction surveys provide critical feedback that drives improvement and helps Charter Steel deliver a positive customer experience.

Amber Bonacci Director of Technical Services Charter Steel For more information contact commercial@ chartersteel.com.

FIA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2025 77