Al Ghurair Iron & Steel recently announced that it has finished installation of machinery and has started commissioning of individual equipment and that the production of first coil shall start from August 2008.

The United Arab Emirates' first CR and galvanizing plant is being built in two stages. The first stage will comprise a 250,000 tonnes per year CR mill, a 350,000 tonnes per year pickling and oiling line and a 200,000 tonnes per year galvanizing line.

It plans to almost double the new facilities' capacities in a second phase of investment. The planning for the second phase has been done and it will start immediately after completion of first phase. The additional CR output may be used to feed an alu zinc or color coating line.

In second phase, the CR mill capacity will be raised to 420,000 tonnes per year with the addition of an extra reversible stand and the pickling line capacity will increase to 500,000 tonnes per year.

End users will mainly be the construction industry, roofing, sheeting and cladding manufacturers, as well as the air-conditioning industry. The hot rolled pickled and oiled coil will be supplied to service centers locally as well as exported to Europe, which in turn supply to the automotive and construction industry.