CST Energy Model is based on the optimum use of coal in a coke integrated steel plant, which needs coal to produce pig iron. Petroleum and electricity almost complete autonomy is achieved through the optimum use of coal and derivatives to produce energies and utilities for inward consumption and sales. Furthermore, the CST Energy Model management brings other relevant results in order to reduce CO2 emissions and costs.

To maximize furnace campaigns and to minimize production downtimes through short lining times, the entire integral blast furnace area, including the auxiliary units, has to be theoretically partitioned. The evolution of measures for extending furnace life is in conjunction with the investigation and understanding of the in some respects very complicated wear mechanisms and their causes. Of most importance are the constructional, material and process engineering measures to reduce wear and the measuring instrumentation for early detection and progress monitoring of wear.

The high sensitivity of the local community to the dust issue led us to develop a continuous monitoring of dust deposits in the surroundings of the Dunkerque plant. These measurements are most accurately exploited with a new tool that has been developed to alert and to analyze the strong dust deposits. This information makes it possible to identify the sources of emission that originate the dust deposits and to take appropriate measures to reduce their impact.

The repair of a walking beam furnace is usually achieved by replacing the damage block or by gunning a wet refractory mix on the hot surface. A new alternative is introduced, based on the ceramic welding technology. It has been successfully applied by Industeel in their slab reheating furnaces.

The meniscograph and the sessile drop wetting methods, associated with in situ surface analyses, were used to quantify the influence of the annealing atmosphere on zinc wetting during the hot dip galvanising of high strength steels. If a clear wetting improvement is obtained for higher oxygen partial pressures, associated with a sufficient hydrogen amount, in the soaking area, a dry atmosphere above the zinc bath has however to be preferred.

The paper reviews the 200 series and points out the specificities of the new developed grades. Chemical compositions, mechanical properties, corrosion resistance properties and applications are presented. The lack of international codes for those grades is pointed out. Finally warnings are addressed for improper uses of those grades by end-users.

A new technique for production of bulk ultrafine grained metallic materials is proposed. The principle and possible design of the new technique, referred to as 'cone-cone method' (CCM) are outlined. It is suggested that CCM can be used to produce sheet or strip materials with uniform microstructure. This is substantiated by the results of numerical simulations that demonstrate the viability of the process.