Construction of the World’s Largest Continuous ERW Mill has been completed as announced by Zekelman Industries. The company announced that the exterior work on the building in Arkansas has been completed, a building that was made for the Atlas Tube division of the industry. The ERW mill is expected to begin processes in September of 2021. The high-tech, 515,000-square-foot facility will be the largest continuous electric resistance welding (ERW) mill in the world, rolling HSS from 8″ to 22″ square. Rounds will be available up to 28″ OD, and rectangles up to 34″ x 10″, with wall thicknesses up to 1″.
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The facility will feature world-class engineering that will give it industry-leading capabilities, including new welding technology designed to handle the 1″-thick sections. Quick change technology will give the mill the shortest cycle times in the industry, and the line will feed into a fully automated warehouse, cutting down delivery times and boosting efficiency. Currently, the largest HSS rolled in the U.S. are 16″ x 16″ x 5/8″, and builders looking for bigger sizes need to have them shipped from overseas. That means long lead times and unpredictable delivery schedules, making large HSS sizes less appealing in domestic construction. With Atlas Tube’s new mill, all sizes will be available for order with 2- to 4-week lead times, the shortest in the industry, as well as from floor stock at service center partners across North America.
Zekelman Industries is committed to sustainable construction practices, and the new mill is being built with all-recycled steel, including HSS, conduit, and sprinkler pipe rolled by Zekelman companies. “Installation continues for the world’s largest continuous ERW mill. Equipment is arriving daily and we are still on schedule for September 2021 startup,” said John Chatterton, V.P of Engineering and Technology. “Foundation work is scheduled to finish in mid-May, and that’s when we can start installing some of the exciting technology that will help power the mill.”
