Weirton Steel: Refining the Slabs

The Raw
Materials

Transition
to Steel

Refining
the Slabs

Sheet &
Tin Mill
Processing

Illustrated
View

Production Process

Steel slabs are then transported to Weirton Steel's newly upgraded hot strip mill, where they are reduced from the original 9" thickness down to as thin as 1/16". Weirton Steel's hot strip mill can process 10,500 tons per day. Once the slabs are reduced in thickness, the steel is called a "strip."

Steel strips are wound into a coil and "pickled" or immersed in acid to prepare the surface for further processing. This hot-rolled product can be packaged and sent to a customer if no further processing is required. However, Weirton Steel further processes most of its production.

The next stage is the cold-rolling process, where the coils pass through rolling mills which reduce the strip's thickness to meet very fine tolerances. As the gauge is reduced, surface quality is improved.

After cold rolling, one of three things can happen to a coil:

If no further processing is required by the customer, the coils can be strapped, packaged and shipped. Weirton Steel can ship products via barge, trucks or train.
Coils can be transported to Weirton Steel's Sheet Mill for further processing.
Coils can be transported to Weirton Steel's Tin Mill for further processing.