• Hyundai Steel and POSCO in Louisiana make a multi-billion-dollar investment to supply automotive steel to US automakers
• The new steel plant in Louisiana is to start operations in 2029 
• New rolling mills from SMS designed for capacities of 2.8 million tons for hot-rolled steel and two million tons for cold-rolled steel each year

HYUNDAI-POSCO Louisiana Steel LLC (HPLS), a joint venture comprising Hyundai Steel, POSCO, Hyundai Motor Company, and Kia, has commissioned SMS group to supply all the rolling mills for a new greenfield plant in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, US: the order covers a hot strip mill (HSM) and a pickling line tandem cold mill (PL/TCM), including an acid regeneration plant (ARP) and AMOVA logistics solutions. Equipped with state-of-the-art automation and process control systems, the rolling mills are designed for the production of premium automotive grades. The digital-ready automation systems allow for the seamless integration of additional functions and easy expansion with future digital solutions. HPLS’s new steel plant is scheduled to go live in 2029 and will boast a total capacity of 2.8 million tons of steel products.

High-performance hot strip mill 

The high-performance hot strip mill processes incoming slabs into high-quality coils. A sturdy four-high roughing mill with a slab sizing press and a vertical edger is fitted with the camera-based X-Pact^® Sense system for ski-up control. Cost-efficient and precise temperature control is guaranteed by HIBOX^® heat insulation hoods and the latest generation of ELOTHERM inductive edge heaters. The seven-stand finishing mill is fitted with SMS’s iconic CVC^® plus technology (Continuous Variable Crown), a laminar cooling with edge masking unit, and a double downcoiler section. 

The X-Pact^® Integrated Process Model (IPM), a comprehensive automation and process control package, optimizes mill performance and delivers significant savings. It includes the X-Pact^® Profile, Contour and Flatness process model (PCFC), which meets all the requirements for manufacturing advanced, high-end products with an exceptionally wide range of properties and dimensions, ranging from 1.2 to 25.4 millimeters thick and up to 1,900 millimeters wide. The desired mechanical properties of the hot strips are achieved with the aid of the X-Pact^® Microstructure Property Model (MPM) and the MPM Optimizer. Precise strip steering for a stable rolling process throughout the entire line is ensured by the X-Pact^® Centerline Control system.

SMS’s integrated mechanical, electrical, and automation solutions guarantee outstanding mill performance with fewer operating crew members working from a central X-Pact^® One Pulpit. 

SMS delivers AMOVA logistics solutions for the safe transport of coils on pallets as well as a strip inspection line. Its integrated transport management system (TMS) organizes coil transportation from the hot rolling mill right through to the cold rolling mill.

The result is an annual output of almost 2.8 million tons of hot-rolled steel, with an expandable design that allows for future increases in production capacity.

Pickling line/tandem cold mill

The compact layout of the pickling line/tandem cold mill combines SMS’s turbulence pickling technology with a five-stand CVC^® six-high tandem cold rolling mill. A particular feature is the integrated acid regeneration plant with fluidized-bed technology, which every hour can recover up to 9,000 liters of the hydrochloric acid used in the pickling process, thus ensuring ecological and cost-effective acid recycling with minimal wastewater emissions.

The coupling of the pickling process and the rolling process enables a continuous production flow without the need for intermediate material storage. This means that an annual output of almost two million tons of high-quality cold strip can be achieved. In addition, the line can be operated in pickling mode alone, producing pickled and oiled hot-rolled coils at an annual capacity of 112,000 tons. The broad product portfolio that includes strip widths of up to 1,850 millimeters and cold-rolled thicknesses from 0.40 to 3.50 millimeters is geared toward sophisticated automotive steel grades.

The line comprises two main sections: the turbulence pickling section and the cold rolling mill. The high-performance pickling section includes an X-Roll^® laser welder and a turret-type side trimmer. The pickling process, designed for efficient scale removal, is dynamically controlled by the X-Pact^® Turbulence Pickling Model, which increases productivity while at the same time reducing energy and acid consumption. 

The cold rolling mill consists of five mill stands and a fully continuous exit section with a carousel reel and an inline “Rotary Inspect" surface inspection station. To produce strips within tight flatness and thickness tolerances, SMS will equip all six-high mill stands with its renowned CVC^® plus technology. The configuration is particularly relevant for the production of third-generation advanced high-strength steels (AHSS), which require precise roll gap control at high rolling forces.

Integrated X-Pact^® level 1 and level 2 control systems minimize off-gauge strip lengths and thickness deviations while enhancing rolling stability. One of the technological highlights is the X‑Pact^® Hot Start Assistant, which ensures a fully automatic restart after a stop, with the strip remaining in the rolling mill. Optimal rolling mill settings provide for a safe restart with good strip flatness and a rapid attainment of the target strip thickness.

After cold rolling, the coils are transported to the downstream processing area by an AMOVA high-speed car (HSC) system controlled by the integrated transport management system.

“With this order, SMS group underscores its leading position as an expert and preferred supplier of integrated solutions for large rolling mills in North America. The new investment in Louisiana secures the local supply of high-quality automotive steel sheet to the US plants for major automakers, including Hyundai Motor Group,” said Steffen Krausa, Sales Director, SMS group.