The South African mining company, Hernic Ferrochrome, has ordered four ABB transformers to install in what will be the largest ferrochrome smelter in the world.
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Hernic Ferrochrome mines chrome ore and produces ferrochrome, which is the final product of smelted chrome ore and is used in the production of stainless steel.
The company is currently undergoing an expansion that will increase output by 60 percent. The 26-MVA ABB transformers are due to be installed in January 2005, and the new furnace will increase smelting capacity by 420,000 tons per year.
Manufactured in South Africa
For Hernic Ferrochrome, which operates from the town of Brits in the North West Province of South Africa, the fact that the transformers could be locally produced was a decisive factor in choosing ABB, which can offer cost-effective transportation and ongoing technical support.
Three of the transformers will be manufactured in ABB’s Pretoria West plant, and the remaining unit will be produced in Italy.
“Hernic Ferrochrome turned to ABB for industrial transformers because of our world class quality and our local presence,” says ABB project manager Bruno Bukasa.
Growing stainless steel industry
Ferrochrome is a major ingredient in stainless steel production, an industry that is growing by around five percent each year. To keep pace with the rapid growth, a new ferrochrome furnace like Hernic’s must be built every 12 to 18 months.
South Africa currently produces 60 percent of the world’s ferrochrome, and that number is expected to reach as much as 75 percent within the next five years.