Posted on 25 Sep 2018
Esfahan Steel (Esco) has produced its first, 1,000-tonne batch of UIC60 rail, used in high-speed lines. The rail is produced according to the European standard EN 13674-1:2011. It will eliminate the need to import rail following the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran, the steelmaker says.
Earlier this year the firm dispatched the first batch of U33 rail produced at its 400,000 tonnes/year rail mill commissioned in late 2016 (see Kallanish passim). This was part of an order to supply 40,000t of U33 rail to the country’s rail operator, Iran Railways, marking the first time Iran sourced rail domestically. Iran Railways was also expected to sign a further contract to procure from Esco 100,000t of UIC60 rail.
As the Middle East’s first rail mill, Esco eventually plans to export rail across the region to cater for its planned network expansion, which has in recent years been delayed by the slump in oil prices. Rail production has been achieved through the modification of Esco’s 650 sections rolling mill.
To support the rail expansion, Esco commissioned in 2016 its continuous billet caster no.5 that took overall production capacity of the semi to 3.6 million t/y. The firm has for some time been mulling the restart of blast furnace no.1 to enable pig iron production to ramp up to near its full 3.6m t/y capacity. However, this has been delayed by liquidity issues.
