SAIL Refractory Unit (SRU)

SAIL Refractory Unit (SRU)

Erstwhile Bharat Refractories Limited, carved out in 1978 from the then Bokaro Steel Limited under Hindustan Steel Limited as a public enterprise under the Steel Ministry, was merged with SAIL on April 1, 2007 to become SAIL Refractory Unit (SRU). With its rich experience of decades, SRU is today one of the largest manufacturers of refractories in India. The unit, with an annual turnover exceeding `350 crores, serves SAIL through its extensive manufacturing and marketing network, which employs around 1,600 people.

Headquartered at Bokaro in the state of Jharkhand, SRU comprises several units equipped with a wide range of manufacturing facilities:

• SRU, Bhandaridah is situated on the bank of the Damodar, 40 kms from Bokaro. With an installed capacity of 26,000 tonnes, SRU Bhandaridah is a pioneer in manufacturing tap hole mass, trough ramming mass and ultra low cement castables for application in blast furnaces.
• SRU, Ranchi Road is situated in Ramgarh, 50 kms from Ranchi and 90 kms from Bokaro. The installed capacity of the unit is 7,500 tonnes. Equipped with 2,500-tonne high duty presses, the unit produces superior quality magnesia carbon bricks.
• SRU, Bhilai is situated in the state of Chhattisgarh near SAIL’s Bhilai Steel Plant. The unit is engaged in producing the entire range of basic and silica refractories. It also carries out calcination of lime in its high capacity rotary kiln, which is further used by Bhilai Steel Plant for iron & steel production.
• SRU, IFICO, also situated in Ramgarh, is an ISO:9002-certified unit with an installed capacity of 42,000 tonnes. The unit’s products include a full line of alumino-silicate refractories and various other special products.

Facilities at SRU

Manufacturing Process at SRU:

In SRU, state-of-the-art technology, supported by highly competent and committed technologists, provide a cutting edge to the company for producing high quality products. As a progressively growing unit, SRU has entered into technical collaboration with a number of foreign companies for sharing knowledge and expertise. These include Kawasaki Refractories Company & Shinagawa Refractories Company Limited in Japan, European Refractory giant Plibrico SA (now known as Calderys) in France, among others. Through such international linkages, SRU keeps pace with the demand and technology scenario for the global market for refractories.

Armed with experience and expertise, SRU’s technical service team renders quality service to all its customers. By incorporating customer feedback in its production process, SRU has upgraded process technologies to meet specialised demands. At present, the unit is working towards evolving even higher grades of refractories to meet prospective demands of a burgeoning iron & steel industry.

The latest efforts undertaken by the unit include development of mullite bricks (an import substitute item) for high capacity blast furnace tap hole, tap hole mass – tar bonded as well as resin bonded – trough mass, etc. SRU also works in close collaboration with SAIL’s Research & Development Centre for Iron & Steel (RDCIS), Ranchi, for new product development. Zero-cement castable is one such unique product that has been jointly developed by SRU and RDCIS.

 

Employees at SRU understand that effective usage of refractory material depends upon securing stable furnace operation by matching the lining design and lining work of the refractory material to the operation conditions of the furnaces. Therefore, apart from providing best quality refractory products, SRU also provides comprehensive technological services from design to furnace building, comprising consultancy in:

• Selection of optimum material quality
• Maintenance and control of refractory quality
• Design (profile and refractory combination) and lining work (furnace building and repairing)
• Technical development keeping pace with the change and improvement in furnace operation conditions.

Product mix at SRU

SRU products include:

Fireclay & High Alumina

•  Fireclay Bricks for ladles, dense quality for blast furnaces as well as super duty fireclay bricks.
•  High alumina and super alumina bricks containing 45% to 88% alumina.
•  Mullite bricks for blast furnace application.
•  Fireclay, high alumina mortar, conventional castables

Basic Refractories

• Magnesite bricks with MGO 91%
• Mag chrome burnt
• Chrome mag burnt
• Magnesia carbon bricks
• Mortar, ramming mass, gunniting mass, patching mass

Silica Refractories

• Coke oven quality
• General purpose
• Silica mortar

Specialities

• Slide gate refractories
• Zircon refractories
• Low cement castables & zero cement castables.
• Blast furnace cast house masses & castables

CSR and Community related activities at SRU

Units of SRU at Jharkhand have collectively undertaken developmental projects in their peripheral areas. These include:

• Running school in residential colony
• Providing buses for school going children of nearby villages
• Providing drinking water to residents of  nearby villages
• Organising football/cricket tournaments to encourage tribal boys to participate in sports.
•