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In October 2024, the El 6 Novocherkassk plant launched the production of a new line of 750 mm diameter EGSP-UHP grade graphitized electrodes made with needle coke. The first industrial batch will be shipped in Q4 2025. The client is a major Russian metallurgical enterprise. The innovative electrodes will also be included in the El 6 Group's export portfolio. A test shipment to a foreign client will take place this September.

Large-sized graphitized electrodes are required for steel smelting in new-generation electric arc furnaces (EAFs). They provide a greater current-carrying capacity, withstand higher temperatures and significantly reduce steel smelting time, which is critically important for modern metallurgy.

The first batch of electrodes successfully passed all production stages and a comprehensive audit (of the product itself and production facilities) by client plants. The equipment has confirmed its high efficiency when working with blanks of a large diameter and weight. One blank with a nominal diameter of 750 mm (762-765 mm) weighs 0.4 tons more than the previously produced blank with a maximum diameter of 710 mm.

“As a manufacturer that supplies components to metallurgical enterprises, we are in the same development cycle as our clients. Metallurgists are constantly increasing the volume and power of their steelmaking furnaces — we are expanding our range of electrodes by adding ever-larger diameters so that the furnaces can operate at full capacity. For 750 mm diameter graphitized electrodes, we have even outpaced the market, because pioneers operating in the Russian market are just starting deploying the new generation of furnaces. Considering the potential that the international market has, this product line also can expect a promising export future,” comments Andrey Kruglov, General Director of El 6. 

El 6 Novocherkassk is the only Russian producer of large-section graphitized electrodes. The plant regularly introduces new large-sized models. For example, the production of 710 mm diameter electrodes began in 2009, and 650 mm diameter electrodes in July 2016. The 750 mm electrodes now produced at El 6 Novocherkassk are the largest models in the world for electric arc furnaces. The El 6 Group is one of 5 manufacturers in the world with a complete line of 100 to 750 mm graphitized electrodes in its product portfolio.

“My colleagues and I recently discovered an important fact. In the 21st century, our El 6 Novocherkassk plant has produced more than 1.5 million electrodes of various types. As it turned out, we made the milestone electrode on August 20, the very same 750 mm graphitized electrode. This is all rather symbolic,” added Andrey Kruglov.