UrBC, Yekaterinburg, June 22, 2018. EVRAZ Holding’s Nizhniy Tagil Integrated Metallurgical Works (NTMK) is about to launch its fifth full-cycle railway wheel treatment line. All the appliances have been assembled, with four new automated mills set up in the wheel department. The holding has invested RUR 800m into the project, the company press service reports.

‘Our workers are now busy assembling the equipment meant for robotized transportation, loading, and unloading of wheel ingots, the metal chip crushing/cleaning units, and the coolant treatment station. They are also working on cables and are putting up fences to ensure safe working conditions. The old engineering infrastructure had to get removed first; additionally, the new foundation had to be prepared and the current mechanical treatment line had to get relocated and repurposed as a wheel center manufacturing line,’ the press service explains.

‘Our primary task is to meet the Russian customers’ growing demand for rail wheels,’ says EVRAZ Vice President for Sales & Logistics Ilya Shirokobrod.

‘The new mills will be used for treating the plant’s premium produce: S-shaped wheels for freight railcars and locos and wheels for high-speed rolling stock. The mills are also suited for treatment of export goods.’