History of the South African primary steel industry
|
Prospectus of the South African Coal and Iron Company is published. | |
|
Mr Sammy Marks, through the efforts of AH Nellmapius, obtained a concession to erect factories and furnaces for the smelting of iron. | |
|
Mr CL Green produces a small quantity of pig iron from a rudimentary blast furnace at Sweetwaters, near Pietermaritzburg to European methods. The venture was terminated. | |
|
The Transvaal Iron and Steel Company is formed in Kempton Park and buys a rolling-mill plant from New Zealand. It intends to rework scrap into sheet-metal products. The plant is broken up and sold as scrap in 1913. There was no commercial production. | |
|
The railways acquires a Bessemer converter and uses it in the Pretoria workshops to produce small quantities of iron from the ore found near Pretoria. The project failed due to the cost of importing suitable coke. | |
|
Sir Robert Kotze, the Transvaal government mining engineer, advocates the building of a moderate furnace and steel plant. Instead the government calls in FW Harbord, a British specialist, to draw up a report. The report suggests electric furnaces to smelt the considerable quantity of railway scrap available. | |
|
The Transvaal government acts on the Harbord report and awards a tender to Mr Hawkins for erection of a furnace to transform railway scrap to steel. He fails to carry out his obligations, the contract is forfeited and awarded to Sammy Marks. | |
|
Mr Wright and Mr Sammy Marks establish the Union Steel Corporation (USCO). | |
|
Machinery merchants Cartwright and Eaton starts producing puddled and merchant iron. The company name is changed to Dunswart Iron and Steel Works in 1914 - later aquired by Iscor. | |
|
USCO starts production from a 10 ton open hearth furnace in Vereeniging - later acquired by Iscor. | |
|
|
|
|
Mr Delfos constructs a blast furnace and produces 4 000 tons of pig iron in three campaigns up to 1921. Mr Delfos is convinced that an iron and steel industry could succeed only if it had a sufficiently large capacity and encourages him and his associates to form the SA Iron and Steel Corporation in 1919. | |
|
Mr Marks and Mr Lewis floats the Transvaal Blast Furnace Company in 1917 to built an experimental blast furnace at USCO in Vereeniging. Participating in the project are the Industrial Development Company and Mr Neame, chairman of Dunswart Iron and Steel. The furnace is blown in and produces a total of 650 tons of pig iron. | |
|
Mr JK Eaton constructs a blast furnace at Newcastle. |
|
|
Newcastle works commissioned; Newcastle Iron and Steel Works, Limited formed. Production starts in 1926 as the Newcastle Iron and Steel Works. The works is renamed Armcor Iron Works and later acquired by Iscor. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
A German company, Gutehoffnungshütte, publishes a positive report on the potential of the South African steel industry. The report is pioneered by Mr Delfos, who then starts to canvas government support for the expansion of the local steel industry. |
|
|
SCAW Metals starts operations in Johannesburg as a steel ceilings and aluminium window frames manufacturer. SCAW moves to Germiston in 1939. |
|
|
Legislation is tabled in parliament that effectively leads to the founding of the South African Iron and Steel Industrial Corporation - Iscor. | |
|
Iscor founded as a statutory parastatal. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cape Gate Fence & Wire Works (Pty) Limited is founded in Parow, Western Province by the Kaplan / Kushlick families as a wire netting manufacturer. |
|
|
State-owned Iscor starts production in Pretoria. | |
|
Iscor commissions a heavy plate mill at Vanderbijlpark. | |
|
Iscor expands by establishing a green field integrated steel works and flat products mill in Vanderbijlpark completing the first phase in 1953. Major expansions followed during 1964 to 1968 and during 1973 to 1977. |
|
|
Minerals Engineering of Colorado opens a plant in Witbank designed to produce approximately 1,4m kg of vanadium pentoxide annually. | |
|
In November 1959 Anglo American Corporation of South Africa acquires a two-third share in Minerals Engineering and in August 1960 the company's name is changed to Transvaal Vanadium Company (Proprietary) Limited. |
|
|
The Highveld Development Company Limited is established on 19 May 1960 to investigate the viability of processing titaniferous magnetite ore for the production of liquid pig iron and vanadium-bearing slag. |
|
|
Cape Gate (Pty) Limited is established by the purchase by the Kaplan family of a small wire netting plant on 15 hectares in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng Province. |
|
|
RMB Alloys Ferrochrome Pilot Project is launched in Middelburg. | |
|
In November 1964 the Highveld Development Company embarks on a programme to build an integrated iron and steel works near Witbank. |
|
|
The stainless steel Southern Cross Steel Co (Pty) Ltd is established. In 1968 it becomes the Steel Division of Middelburg Steel and Alloys (Pty) Ltd and in 1990 MS&A Stainless (Pty) Ltd is established. Columbus Stainless (Pty) Ltd is formed in 1991 when the initial partners, Samancor and Highveld Steel, acquire the stainless steel facility of MS & A Stainless from the Barlow Group. |
|
|
The name of the Highveld Development Company Limited is changed to Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation Limited ("Highveld") on 11 June 1965. |
|
|
Cape Town Iron and Steel Works (Pty) Ltd - CISCO is established. | |
|
Following the acquisition of the remaining shareholding of Transvaal Vanadium Company (Proprietary) Limited, this company, in August 1966, becomes a division of Highveld, the largest vanadium producer in the world. |
|
|
Cape Gate (Pty) Ltd - The Sharon Wire Mill division is established to produce uncoated and galvanized wire, welded mesh, diamond mesh, barbed wire, field fence and other products. |
|
|
Iscor starts erecting an integrated steel works and long products mill at Newcastle. Blast furnace produces first iron in 1976. | |
|
Iscor takes ownership of CISCO. | |
|
Cape Gate (Pty) Ltd - The Davsteel division is established, and rolling mills for the production of wire rod, re-bar and rounds is commissioned in Vanderbijlpark. |
|
|
Highveld Steel acquires a 65% share in Transalloys (Proprietary) Limited. The remaining interest is acquired in 1985 and Transalloys now operates as a division of Highveld, producing manganese alloys. |
|
|
Highveld Steel acquires the total issued share capital of Rand Carbide Limited, which was founded in 1918 in Germiston. The plant moved to Witbank in 1926 and Rand Carbide now operates as a division of Highveld, producing ferrosilicon and various carbonaceous products. |
|
|
Cape Gate (Pty) Ltd - An EAF meltshop consisting of a 45 ton electric arc furnace, casting machine and associated plant for steel manufacturing is commissioned. |
|
|
Cape Gate (Pty) Ltd - The Oren Wire division, to produce specialist wire products, is established. | |
|
Highveld Steel - The group acquires Rheem South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, a company involved mainly in the manufacture of drums, pails and crown closures, in 1985. It operated as a division of Highveld until the various parts were sold partly effective from 1 January 2002 and the rest early 2003. |
|
|
First commercial Corex unit in the world is commissioned at Iscor Pretoria. | |
|
Iscor privatises and is listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange on 8 November 1989. | |
|
Highveld Steel - the group expands its activities into stainless steel with the acquisition of the stainless steel operation of Middelburg Steel & Alloys (Proprietary) Limited in partnership with Samancor Limited resulting in the formation of the Columbus Joint Venture. |
|
|
Iscor gains full control of the USCO steel works south of Johannesburg and renames the facility Iscor Vereeniging Works. | |
|
Highveld Steel - Highveld and Samancor each sell a one-sixth share of the Columbus Joint Venture to the Industrial Development Corporation. | |
|
Highveld Steel acquires the vanadium producer, Transvaal Alloys (Proprietary) Limited, on 1 January 1994. | |
|
Iscor Pretoria works is upgraded to produce stainless steel. | |
|
CISCO formed a JV with Reinforcing Steel Contractors, known as RSH. | |
|
Construction of the Saldanha Steel plant, a joint venture between Iscor and the Industrial Development Corporation, commences. | |
|
Highveld Steel - Hochvanadium Holding AG and a wholly-owned subsidiary Hochvanadium Handels GmbH commences business in Austria on 1 December 1998 for the purpose of processing and selling vanadium products. |
|
|
Iscor Pretoria works is decommissioned. | |
|
The Saldanha Steel plant is commissioned. | |
|
Murray & Roberts Limited acquires full ownership of CISCO. | |
|
Iscor transfers its mining companies and businesses to Kumba Resources Limited, save a portion of the mineral rights at Sishen mine entitling it to delivery of 6,25 Mtpa of iron ore. Kumba is successfully unbundled and separately listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange on 26 November 2001. |
|
|
Acerinox of Spain acquires a 64% stake in Columbus Stainless with effect from 1 January 2002 from the three founding partners of Columbus i.e. Highveld Steel, Samancor and the IDC. |
|
|
With effect from 1 January 2002 Highveld Steel disposes of 64% of its interest in Columbus Stainless, thereby retaining a 12% interest in Columbus and acquiring a 2.9% interest in the share capital of Acerinox, S.A. |
|
|
Iscor acquires the IDC's 50% shareholding in Saldanha Steel and fully integrates Saldanha Steel into Iscor's flat steel products division as from April 2002. |
|
|
The Highveld Steel corporation acquires a 50% shareholding in South Africa Japan Vanadium (Proprietary) Limited with a plant situated at the steel works, which produces ferrovanadium specifically for the Japanese market. |
|
|
LNM acquires more than 51% of Iscor Ltd and the LNM subsidiary's name is changed to Ispat Iscor Limited as from September 2004. | |
|
On 14 March 2005, Ispat Iscor Limited is officially renamed Mittal Steel South Africa Limited. This development follows the December 2004 merger of Ispat International and LNM Holdings, the parent company, to form Mittal Steel Company N.V. |
|
|
Highveld Steel - Half the Acerinox S.A. interest is sold on 7 January 2005 and the balance together with the investment in Columbus Stainless (proprietary) Limited on 13 May 2005. |
|
|
Columbus Stainless - Acerinox increases its shareholding in Columbus Stainless by 12% from 64% to 76% on 13 May 2005. |
|
|
Following Anglo American's announcement on 26 October 2005 that it had decided to rationalise its portfolio and increase the focus on its controlled mining businesses, Anglo American reduced its 79% interest in Highveld Steel & Vanadium Corporation Ltd. On 13 July 2006 Evraz and Credit Suisse have each acquired 24.9% of Highveld's share capital from Anglo American. Anglo American retains a 29.2% interest in Highveld. |
|
|
Anglo American plc disposed of its remaining 29.2% shareholding in Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation Limited to the Evraz Group S.A. As of May 4, 2007, Evraz owns approximately 54.1% of all outstanding shares in Highveld. |
|
|
Evraz executed the option to acquire the remaining Credit Suisse shares in Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation. As of 28 September 2007 Evraz owns 80.9% of the entire issued share capital of Highveld. |
|
|
Following the merger between Arcelor and Mittal Steel to form the world's largest steel company, formerly Mittal Steel South Africa Limited is known as ArcelorMittal South Africa Limited. |
|
|
On 29 August 2008 the conditions set by the Commission of the European Communities for Evraz Group S.A. in relation to the divestment of Highveld's vanadium-related assets were met. |
|
|
The name of Highveld Steel and Vanadium Limited was changed to Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium Limited on 19 July 2010. |
|
|
Murray & Roberts disposed of the Cape Town Iron and Steel Works (Cisco) in September 2012 to DHT Holding, a Turkish investment group. Cisco had been placed on care and maintenance in 2010. |
|
|
The sale of Scaw South Africa (Pty) Ltd. and related companies by Anglo American plc was completed on 23 November 2012. Anglo American announced on 24 April 2012 the sale of Scaw South Africa to an investment consortium led by the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (“IDC”) and Anglo American’s partners in Scaw South Africa, being Izingwe Holdings (Pty) Limited, Shanduka Resources (Pty) Limited and the Southern Palace Group of Companies (Pty) Limited. |
|
|
|
||
|
On 12 August 2014 Evraz plc signed an agreement to sell 34% of the issued share capital in Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium held by Evraz to Macrovest 147 Proprietary Limited. As result of the transaction, Evraz will remain a 51% shareholder of Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium. |
 History of the South African primary steel industry.pdf
|
[ ] | 32 Kb |