- ABB has reached a cooperation agreement with Zhangjiagang Rongsheng Special Steel Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Shagang Group, to carry out the construction of a high-end wire rod plant renovation and upgrading project.
The project introduces advanced ABB electrical, automation and intelligent manufacturing solutions to support the stable production of various types of high-value-added wire rods.
This cooperation will help Shagang continue to optimize its product structure and achieve high-quality development.
ABB has officially reached a cooperation agreement with Zhaotiangang Group’s Zhangjiagang Rongsheng Special Steel Co., Ltd. They will jointly carry out a high-end wire rod transformation and improvement project aimed at optimizing the product structure of the rod and wire factory. As an important part of the transformation and improvement project, ABB will undertake the construction of the electric control system for the rolling line. By introducing advanced electrical and automation solutions, it will further enhance the manufacturing capacity and production efficiency of high-end wire rods produced by Shazheng, helping the enterprise continuously promote product structure optimization and high-quality development.
Shagang Group is located in Zhangjiagang City, Jiangsu Province, in the core area of the Yangtze River Delta economic belt. It possesses a complete production process ranging from sintering, iron smelting, steelmaking to cold and hot rolling of steel. It is a significant steel production base in China. Its products cover various categories such as wide and thick plates, hot rolled plates, cold rolled plates, ultra-thin strips, and high-speed wire rods, and are widely used in infrastructure construction, equipment manufacturing, emerging industries, and many other fields, and serve a number of key national projects.
This project focuses on upgrading the product structure of the rod and wire factory. After the transformation is completed, the factory will have a reliable production capacity for various types of high-value-added wire materials, covering medium carbon steel, high-quality carbon steel, cord wire steel, alloy welding wire steel, spring steel, and other types of steel. This will better meet the needs of high-end manufacturing and specialized markets.
ABB will develop a complete electrical control solution for this project, covering transformers, medium-voltage drives and synchronous motors, low-voltage drives and asynchronous motors, primary and secondary automation systems, as well as sensors. The system employs a number of advanced control technologies, including PTC clock control, DTC direct torque control, high-precision shearing control, and head positioning of the yarn spinner, in conjunction with ABB’s intelligent manufacturing solutions for the steel and non-ferrous metal industries. This will provide a strong guarantee for high-speed and stable rolling rhythm and consistent product quality. The project is designed to achieve a maximum production speed of 120 meters per second.
It is worth noting that during the design phase of this project, great attention was paid to ensuring the compatibility of the renovated production line with the existing multiple production lines of Shanggang Rod and Wire Factory. The use of common automation and transmission equipment spare parts helped to reduce operating and maintenance costs. Through the application of efficient motors and transmission systems, the project not only expanded production capacity but also significantly reduced energy consumption, achieving a balance between energy conservation and efficiency.
ABB’s cooperation with Shagang Group dates back to 1999. Over the past two decades, ABB has jointly built more than ten high-line projects with Shagang. The related systems have been operating well and a mature and efficient technical communication and service support mechanism has been formed. This project is planned to be completed for commissioning in January 2027. ABB will continue to dispatch experienced engineering and project management teams to participate in the optimization of the plan, installation and commissioning, and operation support throughout the process, ensuring the high-quality delivery of the project.
The implementation of this project will significantly enhance Shagang’s manufacturing capabilities in the high-end wire rod sector, helping it reach the international leading level. It will have a positive exemplary significance for promoting high-quality development in the industry and will also continuously deepen ABB’s practical application and implementation of high-end automation solutions in the steel industry.
