Tata Steel Limited has awarded John Cockerill India Limited a major contract for the engineering, design, manufacture, and supply of a Push-Pull Pickling Line (PPPL) and Spray Roaster Acid Regeneration Plant (ARP) at its Jamshedpur Tinplate Division in Jharkhand. The scope also includes supervision of erection and commissioning to meet full performance guarantees.

The PPPL will have an annual capacity of 350,000 tonnes, capable of handling strip widths up to 1,350 mm and thicknesses of up to 3.8 mm at speeds of 120 metres per minute. John Cockerill will draw on its expertise from over 150 reference pickling lines worldwide, ensuring flexibility to process multiple strip sizes and steel grades. Features include V-shaped granite blocks for easier strip uncoiling, advanced rinsing systems, and a two-step scrubbing process to reduce acid fumes, creating a safer working environment.

The installation will also include double uncoilers, a stitcher, three high-efficiency pickling tanks, an in-line side trimmer, and delivery equipment to produce clean, scale-free strips for cold rolling and tinplating. Integrated with a 2,700 LPH Spray Roaster ARP, the project will run as a closed-loop system regenerating more than 99.5 per cent of acid, significantly reducing fresh acid consumption, operating costs, and environmental impact. The system will also produce high-purity iron oxide for use in paint and allied industries and comply with strict emission norms up to 15 mg/Nm³.

The project will be supported by John Cockerill’s Taloja manufacturing facility near Mumbai and complemented by automation solutions and components from reputed suppliers.