High-quality steel for India’s automotive industry
Operational excellence
Vardhman Special Steels aimed to produce special steel grades locally while improving billet heating quality, reducing scale loss, and lowering emissions from its existing reheating furnace.
Fives designed and supplied a new walking beam furnace - Stein Digit@l Furnace® - with a capacity of 45 tonnes per hour. The successful discharge of the first hot product on March 14, 2026, marked the transition from project execution to industrial reality, with the new technology demonstrating stable, high-performance operations.
The furnace is equipped with advanced AdvanTek® burners, which delivered optimized combustion, strong environmental performance, and reduced NOx emissions from the very first heats.
“Seeing the furnace deliver its first hot product is a proud moment. It confirms our shared vision and the right technological choices. We sincerely thank Vardhman and our teams for their dedication and collaboration in achieving this milestone,” says Nirod-Kumar Pradhan, Senior Site Manager at Fives Stein India Projects, a Fives’ subsidiary in India.
As commissioning progresses, efforts are shifting toward optimizing throughput, ensuring operational stability, and gradually increasing production. Reaching full capacity will enable Vardhman Special Steels to further localize high‑value steel grades, reduce imports, and compete more effectively in both regional and international markets.