Burnpur : In a historic achievement for the Indian steel industry, the Steel Melting Shop (SMS) of SAIL–IISCO Steel Plant (ISP), Burnpur, has set a new national record by achieving 14,000 Heats from a single lining in its Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) No. 3 the highest ever in India.

Director-In-Charge Surajit Mishra, along with senior officials, visited the SMS on 4th October to personally congratulate Team SMS for this remarkable feat, which underscores the plant’s operational excellence, innovation, and commitment to continuous improvement.

Speaking on the occasion, ED (Works) Diptendu Ghosh said, “While BOF #1 and #2 have each surpassed 10,000+ heats, BOF #3 has now crossed the milestone of 14,000 heats — an outstanding example of sustained performance since its current campaign began on 20 April 2023.”

CGM (SMS & LDCP) Jitendra Kumar credited the achievement to “optimized process control, regulation of FeO content in slag, and robust slag-splashing techniques,” adding that such disciplined practices have significantly enhanced the life of the furnace lining.

The Steel Melting Shop at ISP features three 150-ton Converters with bottom stirring, combined blowing, slag retention, and slag-splashing systems all contributing to high productivity and efficiency. It also has secondary de-dusting systems for environmental compliance, a specific oxygen blowing rate of 3.3–4 Nm³/T min, and an average tap-to-tap time of 50 minutes, ensuring superior metallurgical performance.

Commissioned in 2014 with state-of-the-art technology the SMS has a liquid steel production capacity of 2.56 MTPA. BOF #3, which began operation on 20 November 2014, previously held the SAIL record of 12,718 Heats from a single lining, achieved on 10 July 2025.

This new milestone not only strengthens position of SAIL as a frontrunner in steelmaking technology but also reflects the relentless efforts of Team SMS in setting new standards of operational excellence and performance within the Indian steel sector.

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