Vinton Steel, the US subsidiary of Japan’s Kyoei Steel Group, has inked a contract with Tenova to supply a new walking hearth reheating furnace. The furnace will be used to produce high-carbon steel billets for large-diameter grinding media, a product currently in high demand from the mining sector.

This project is part of Kyoei Steel Group's strategic expansion in North America. The new furnace will operate alongside Vinton Steel’s Green CityMill™ Flex project, which will increase the company’s rebar production to 400,000 tons annually.

Tenova's President and CEO, Francesco Memoli, said the new furnace will be the most advanced of its kind, equipped with modern control systems and low-NOx burners.

The furnace is scheduled to begin operations in the first half of 2027.