160-Inch Plate Mill

In 2007, Mittal Steel restarted an idled plate mill in Gary, Indiana, due to strong market demand for plate products. The reopening of the 160-inch plate mill created more than two hundred jobs in Northwest Indiana. In 1990, the mill underwent a major modernization program that included automatic hydraulic gauge control. The mill has the ability to produce plate up to 150 inches in width with lengths up to 1,500 inches desired by customers for better productivity. "The reopening of the Gary mill would allow Mittal to meet the increasing demands of the energy market, which is forecasted to be strong for the next several years," said Mittal Plate CEO Shelby Pixley. "Largely due to the strength of this market, plate demand has grown significantly for large-diameter line pipe, wind towers, transmission towers, and tank cars."

Plate mills are a type of rolling mill used in the steel industry to produce heavy plates, which are thick steel slabs often used in shipbuilding, construction, pressure vessels, and other industries requiring thick, strong steel.

In a plate mill, a heated slab or billet of steel is passed between two heavy rolls that reduce its thickness and increase its length. The rolls apply significant pressure to the slab, squeezing it into the desired thickness. This process is typically done in multiple stages or "passes," gradually reducing the thickness of the slab until the desired measurements are reached.

The final product of a plate mill is a flat, rectangular piece of steel with a consistent thickness. These plates can be produced in a variety of sizes, depending on the specific needs of the customer. After being rolled, the plates can be treated further with heat or coated to enhance their properties, such as improving their resistance to corrosion.

Advancements in technology have led to increased precision in the rolling process, allowing for better control over the dimensions of the final plates. Additionally, automation has improved the speed and efficiency of plate mills, making them an integral part of modern steel manufacturing.