Luzhou Xinyang Iron & Steel (Xinyang) in Sichuan Province has signed a purchasing agreement for two 100-tonne electric arc furnaces (EAFs) with Italy's Danieli. The agreement signals substantial progress in Xinyang's capacity replacement project, Kallanish notes.

The steelmaker's upgrade plan is part of Sichuan Province's industry and technology transformation targets in 2019. It plans to start construction at the end of June, with a construction period of 18 months. After commissioning the project, the plant will have 2 million tonnes/year of alloy steel, special steel, automotive spring steel and high strength construction steel capacity.

The project, in Luzhou Economic Industrial Park, has attracted total investment of CNY 2 billion ($296.88 million). For this project, Xinyang aims to purchase two 100-t ultra high powered EAF, two 100-t ladle furnaces, two seven-strand continuous billet casters, and four construction long product rolling mills.