Acindar | Grupo ArcelorMittal, Argentina

ENKOTEC nail machines have allowed Argentine steel producer ACINDAR to produce a high quality with high efficiency, reaching company objectives of production, profitability and quality, delivering full satisfaction to their customers and stakeholders. In this line, there is firm consensus to continue adding more ENKOTEC machines to further gain in capacity and productivity.

Improving productivity and competitiveness

The story of ACINDAR begins with World War II, as there was a shortage of steel products, both domestically and internationally. That inspired a private initiative, led by Eng. Arturo Acevedo, then owner of a building company, whom in 1942 created another company, named Aceros Industria Argentina, ACINDAR, with the purpose of producing steel products for local demand.

First facilities were built in Rosario, Santa Fe, and, in 1943, ACINDAR begun its operations with around 450 employees. During the first year it reached a production of about 3.500 tonnes. The end of WWII further increased the demand of steel, which prompted ACINDAR to expand for suppling international markets, building a new plant in Villa Constitucion, near Rosario, in 1951. By 1954, ACINDAR already was the most important steel mill in Argentina.

By middle 50’s ACINDAR had increased 65 times its initial production employing 2.200 people. Then, in 1975, begun the construction of a new plant for direct reduction, producing over 500.000 tonnes per year in 1979.

Belonging to ArcelorMittal - world leader in steel production

In 1981 ACINDAR merged with Gurmendi Group, another steel producer, which enabled control over 70% of steel market in Argentina. During late 90’s there was a crisis with strong drop in price and demand, which was faced by a strategic Alliance with Brazilian BELGO MINEIRA, which belonged to ARCELOR.

Then, the companies ARCELOR and MITTAL merged in 2007, which created ARCELORMITTAL, world leader in steel production, controller of ACINDAR. Now ACINDAR, belonging to ARCELORMITTAL , produces 1.700.000 tonnes per year.

ACINDAR nail production begins in 1966 in Villa Constitucion Plant, by mean of conventional machines, mostly made in Europe. Market demand increased and caused production to operate in two sites: Heredia, Rosario (small nails), and San Luis (medium/big nails). During 2003 the Heredia and San Luis Plants were closed down to concentrate all production in the newer facility of Villa Mercedes (San Luis), manufacturing approximately 700 tonnes/year.

Delivering full satisfaction to customers and shareholders

In response to increasing demand for quality and volume, the first four ENKOTEC machines were acquired in 2004, in addition to 54 conventional machines.

Once experiencing ENKOTEC's performance, it was decided to make a progressively replace conventional nail machines with ENKOTEC rotary machines, with the objective of further improving productivity and competitiveness. 4 ENKOTEC NH01 and 2 TA01 thread rollers were aded in 2012.

In 2013 two more nail machines were added, together with one more thread roller, which raised the contribution of ENKOTEC produced nails to 85% of total production.

ENKOTEC's nail machines have allowed ACINDAR to produce a high quality with high efficiency, reaching company objectives of production, profitability and quality, delivering full satisfaction to their customers and stakeholders.

In this line, there is firm consensus to continue adding more ENKOTEC machines to further gain in capacity and productivity.