BSP’s Blooming & Billet Mill completes 60 years of production

Bhilai: Before steel production through the Steel Melting Shop 2 concast route began in the 80s, Bhilai Steel Plant's finishing mills comprising of the Rail & Steel Mill, Merchant Mill and Wire Rod Mill got their inputs for rolling into finished products from the SMS 1 – Blooming & Billet Mill (BBM) ingot route. No wonder therefore that the BBM was referred to as the Mother Mill till the 4 MT expansion of the Plant in the mid-80s was fructified.
The Plant's Merchant Mill & Wire Rod Mill continue to get their inputs in the form of billets from BBM that are rolled into light structurals such as angles, channels and TMT bars in Merchant Mill, plain & TMT wire rods and electrode quality wore rods from Wire Rod Mill – all of which continue to be in demand for use in construction, infrastructure and other projects in the country.

BBM completes 60 years of production on November 12. The workforce of BBM today are just as industrious as they have been in these 60 years. Some of the milestones in its journey include the augmentation of rated capacity to 2.5 Million tonnes (MT) that were completed in Oct 1967, changeover of Billet Mill input section in April 1975, cumulative production of 25 MT achieved in March 1976, introduction of extra pair of soaking pits in Oct 1976, replacement of main drive motors of 1150 mm Stand in June 1986, cumulative production of 50 MT achieved in June 1988, thyristorisation of main drive in Oct 1994.

The Mill recorded cumulative production of 75 MT achieved in August 1999. Highest ever monthly production of 1,90,025 Tonnes from Billet Mill was achieved in Jan 2002. Record despatches of 10,20,469 Tonnes from BBM was achieved in the year 2003-04. Record despatches of 2,30,650 T for export was also achieved in year 2003-04. Highest yearly production of 25,85,490 T from Blooming Mill was achieved in year 2005-06 while highest yearly production of 20,53,455 T from Billet Mill was achieved in year 2008-09.

BBM achieved cumulative production of 100 MT in January 2010. The Mill recorded its highest special steel loading of 2,79,449 T in 2005-06. Highest ever billet supply of 6,19,390 T to Merchant Mill was recorded in 2004-05 while highest ever billet supply of 6,35,297 T to Wire Rod Mill was recorded in the year 2005-06.
As on date, BBM has recorded cumulative production of about 121.5 Million Tonnes.

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