Three indicators hit new highs, and the three major breakthroughs of China New Steel Heavy Plate Division set new records

In the height of July and August, the production floor of the Heavy Plate Division of New Steel Group was bustling with activity, with a series of encouraging success stories pouring in: plate pretreatment capacity reached record highs for two consecutive months, the medium and heavy plate production line achieved its target for unplanned production, and converter gas recovery surpassed a new high of 130 cubic meters per ton. These impressive figures vividly testify to the concerted efforts of all employees in the Heavy Plate Division to overcome production bottlenecks.

Accurate analysis and systematic planning: A "task list" is the key to breaking through.

"The key to achieving these breakthroughs lies in maintaining a problem-oriented approach, using data to inform our thinking, and truly implementing management." Xiong Xiong, Assistant General Manager of the Heavy Plate Division, explained the management logic behind this. Faced with the company's new performance reform requirements, the division proactively responded, focusing on internal benchmarking and tapping potential, promoting technological breakthroughs, and improving management quality and efficiency.

By systematically reviewing cost data from the past three years, the division broke down its macro-gross profit target into each production line, accurately identifying ten key areas for cost reduction and efficiency improvement. Based on this, it developed a "Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvement Task List" covering ten key areas: product efficiency, extreme efficiency, quality improvement, cash reduction, inventory reduction, metal material cost reduction, auxiliary material cost reduction, energy cost reduction, human resources optimization, and key projects.

This list serves as their battle map, with each item having specific goals, key measures, responsible units, and completion deadlines, truly ensuring that "everyone shoulders the heavy burden, and everyone has a target on their shoulders."

With a "battle map" in place, the Heavy Plate Division targeted key areas, launched a series of tough battles, and developed a unique "heavy plate strategy."

Multi-dimensional management and control, production-sales integration, and the "three key breakthroughs" have yielded remarkable results.

Plate pretreatment capacity—online management of "offline equipment"—generated 1.5 million yuan in monthly revenue.

The plate pretreatment line, a key component in enhancing product added value, received unprecedented strategic importance in July and August.

Zhang Zhilin from the Production Management Office explained that the division and the Marketing Center worked together precisely to seize market opportunities. They keenly identified a window of opportunity when demand for ship plate was strong and pretreated plate was most profitable, decisively increasing the monthly pretreatment production target from 70,000 tons to 80,000 tons.

With the goal set, how to achieve it? A comprehensive "battle" centered around pretreatment has begun. The division incorporated pretreatment production and shipping into the core labor competition to bolster frontline enthusiasm. They also broke with the traditional mindset of "offline equipment" and instead managed it according to online standards. They optimized human resources and scientifically organized production to ensure full capacity operation of the three pretreatment production lines in the plate processing area. Furthermore, they established a dedicated internal transfer support team, held on-site coordination meetings every afternoon, and assigned dedicated personnel to conduct on-site vehicle inventory to ensure timely daily raw material transfers and a continuous supply of raw materials to the pretreatment production lines.

Hard work pays off: Pretreatment volumes in July and August both broke historical records, reaching 81,000 and 85,000 tons, respectively! This alone generates an additional 1.5 million yuan in monthly revenue, becoming the cornerstone of the division's gross profit contribution.

The medium and heavy plate production line's non-planned rate—precisely controlled throughout the entire process—has reached its best level in recent years.

"The non-planned rate is like a mirror, reflecting the true level of quality control and production stability throughout the entire process." Xiong Xiong said that to reduce this metric, we must resolutely address the "pain points."

The division addressed the problem, focusing on the "hard bones" of steel crack defects, reducing the steel non-planned rate to the best level of the year. They also worked hard to improve raw material cutting accuracy and equipment support capabilities, achieving a good rolling non-planned rate.

Even when non-planned material is produced, the division avoids waste: By strengthening the linkage between production and sales, the division achieved a record sales of nearly 3,000 tons of raw steel sets in August, truly turning "waste" into "value." In August, the medium plate line achieved a record high in non-planned rate control, and the heavy plate line also achieved its best level in nearly three years—a milestone that marks a new step forward in the division's product delivery speed and quality stability.

Converter Gas Recovery - Collaborative Research to "Fully Recover" Converter Gas, Reducing Costs by 7.36 Yuan per Ton of Steel

"Converter gas recovery can't be accomplished by a single operation area; it requires the collective efforts of many." Xia Huagang, Operations Area Manager, remarked, revealing the secret to this breakthrough. Previously, the division's gas recovery targets lagged behind those of its peers. To catch up, they formed a joint research team with the Energy and Environmental Protection Department and the Steelmaking Operation Area, working across multiple approaches to address the issue.

The operation area collaborated with the Energy and Environmental Protection Department to address the bottleneck of "gas being available but nowhere to send it." They also actively engaged in international benchmarking and learning, boldly optimizing process parameters to achieve "full recovery" of gas. With the active cooperation of the Steelmaking Operation Area, they lowered the height of the active smoke hood, optimized steelmaking operations, and effectively increased the calorific value of recovered gas.

In addition, the operation area established gas recovery volume as a core KPI and established a team competition mechanism, with statistics collected for each shift and monthly rankings. This system assesses both recovery volume and calorific value, encouraging teams to proactively find the optimal balance between quantity and quality. Inspector Xiao Daohong led his team in optimizing pipelines, reducing the three-way valve switching time from 30 seconds to 12-15 seconds. This resulted in an additional 2-3 cubic meters of gas recovered per steel heat, generating annual returns exceeding 1.8 million yuan.

In August, converter gas recovery reached a record high of 131 cubic meters per ton. Compared to the first half of the year, this resulted in a cost reduction of 7.36 yuan per ton of steel, bringing the monthly cost reduction to 2.957 million yuan, achieving a win-win situation for both economic and environmental benefits.

Through precise management and technological innovation, the Heavy Plate Division has deeply integrated the concept of cost reduction and efficiency improvement into every aspect of production and operations, developing a unique "heavy plate approach." This not only lays a solid foundation for achieving annual targets, but also provides valuable experience for the company in navigating market challenges and demonstrating the spirit of the New Steel team, who overcome challenges and pursue excellence.