Ulsan Aluminum issued a final acceptance certificate (FAC) to Primetals Technologies after the successful modernization of its hot finishing mill in South Korea.

The project upgraded basic and process optimization systems (Level 1 and Level 2) by virtualizing automation servers, improving IT security, and migrating the process database from Oracle to Microsoft SQL Server to lower licensing costs.

Engineers utilized a shadow-mode strategy to run old and new models in parallel, minimizing commissioning risks. Consequently, the mill resumed three-shift operations immediately after a five-day shutdown, with the first aluminum strip meeting all commercial quality standards.

Jihwan Jung, Hot Mill Engineering and Automation Team Leader, praised Primetals Technologies as a dependable partner.

Established in 2017, Ulsan Aluminum, a joint venture between Novelis and Kobe Steel, can produce 400,000 tons of flat-rolled aluminum annually.