24/10/2025 – Supplied by SMS to serve Bangladesh’s growing construction market
Abul Khair Steel starts production at the world’s fastest rebar rolling mill
Abul Khair Steel Limited (BWRM), a subsidiary of the Abul Khair Group, has started production at its new high-capacity rolling mill, built by SMS group in Sitakunda, Chattogram, Bangladesh.
Overall view of the 1.6 Mtpa high-speed rebar mill in operation at Abul Khair Steel, Bangladesh. © SMS Group
The new mill, designed to produce 1.6 million tons of deformed bars annually, meets the country’s growing demand for high-quality construction steel, supporting Bangladesh’s rapid construction and infrastructure development.
The new rebar mill, supplied by SMS, is the world’s fastest. Engineered to manufacture deformed bars ranging from 8mm to 40mm in diameter, the mill achieved a record-breaking production speed of 52.5m/s during its initial operational phase, later achieving 55.04m/s when producing 2mm x 10mm deformed bars.
SMS delivered the entire high-capacity rolling mill from a single source, equipping it with innovative technologies to ensure sustainable and efficient production. The mill includes the versatile SMS “EcoFlame+” burner, designed for low NOx emissions and installed in the reheating furnace to reduce energy consumption and fossil fuel usage. An Elotherm induction furnace is strategically positioned at the entry side of stand 1 to recover billet heat losses after welding, thereby maximizing thermal efficiency.
Further, the “Ebros” endless bar rolling system increases productivity, with a general increase of up to eight percent over a one-hour production period, an improvement of two percent in material yield, and better plant efficiency overall. This system ensures uninterrupted billet-to-billet welding, and more than 10,000,000 billets have been successfully welded to date using this innovative process. The rolling mill is also equipped with “Meerdrive” blocks, providing exceptional operational flexibility and ensuring consistent product quality across all production sizes. Its individual drive technology (one motor per pass) minimizes wear and maintenance, typically reducing roll ring stocks by approximately 60% compared to conventional blocks. Additionally, the “HSD” (High-Speed Delivery) system ensures precise and high-speed delivery of rebar, with 8,000,000 tons produced using “HSD” drums requiring no maintenance, thereby ensuring consistent quality and exceptional operational efficiency.
With this suite of technological solutions, Abul Khair Steel has significantly reduced both capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX), making its production processes more competitive.
This investment reflects Abul Khair Steel’s commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s growing infrastructure while adopting environmentally responsible manufacturing practices.
“This project shows SMS group’s expertise in delivering innovative rolling mill technology that combines speed, efficiency, and sustainability. By achieving record-breaking speeds and ensuring reliable operations, we are helping Abul Khair Steel serve its customers more effectively and contribute to Bangladesh’s infrastructure growth,” Bernhard Steenken, CSO, APAC+MEA, SMS group.
