This formerly was the open-hearth shop. We're the only supplier that melts its own steel. Rail cars carry the ingots to one of 12 soaking pits in the rolling mill. Inside the slabbing mill's pulpit, operators calmly adjust controls that maneuver the ingots into proper rolling position. Ingots pass between the two rolls 21-23 times.
Dials display the slab's gage after each pass.
Lone Star also buys slabs, which are stored outside between the rolling and tubing mills. Krupp and Mannesmann also have sold slabs to Lone Star. Lone Star buys slabs from domestic mills when they're available, but the company has few domestic suppliers. Lone Star also buys some domestic hot band. But more capacity might push companies to seek new markets.