Cognor expands production with new reheating furnace at Krakow plant

Fives and Poland's Cognor have commissioned a new reheating furnace at the Cognor Ferrostal Labedy plant in Krakow to boost production capacity. The first hot billet was successfully discharged on the first attempt, marking a key milestone in the company's expansion.

The Cognor Ferrostal Labedy plant produces long hot-rolled steel products for construction and creative industries. To meet growing demand for high-quality square bars, the plant needed to enhance its furnace capacity. The new pusher furnace, with a capacity of 75 tons per hour, reheats square billets (120 to 160 mm thick) for a new rolling mill and spooler line. It features a customized side charging machine for precise billet loading and first-generation AdvanTek wide-flame burners for optimal combustion, reduced gas consumption, and lower scale formation. Advanced automation software allows for fully automatic operation, improving safety and reducing manual intervention.