Colakoglu targeting startup of new VOD plant in May

One of Turkey’s largest steelmakers, Colakoglu, which placed an order with Primetals Technologies last October to upgrade an existing VD (vacuum degassing) plant in its Dilovasi meltshop to a VOD (vacuum oxygen decarburization) plant is targeting a May startup, S&P Global Platts learned from Ugur Dalbeler, CEO of Colakoglu, Wednesday.

“We are targeting to produce ultra low carbon steel grades at the plant,” Dalbeler said, adding that by producing interstitial-free grades they should be able to raise their market share notably in the automotive industry, which they are currently serving.

“Our general target is to raise the unit value of our steel production by producing maximum steel grades of hot-rolled coil,” he noted.

With a heat size of 295 metric tons, the VOD plant will be the largest worldwide. Colakoglu will be able to produce special steels, like IF grades, ULC grades or stainless steels at the plant. This will help Colakoglu broaden its product range and enter additional markets.

Colakoglu is one of Turkey’s major longs and flats producers with bar output capacity of 1 million mt/year and HRC production capacity of 4.5 million mt/year.

— Cenk Can