Metals and technologies supplier SMS group in June announced a partnership with US-based metal innovation and technologies company The Systems Group, to deliver safer, more sustainable and lower-maintenance solutions for steelmaking plants operating with electric arc furnaces (EAFs) and secondary metallurgy units.

A significant part of this partnership is the deployment of spray-cooled technology – a patented system developed by operators in the 1980s and owned by The Systems Group since 1999 – which has become a “globally trusted standard” in cooling systems for steel mills, particularly those using EAFs.

SMS group – through this partnership – will offer spray-cooled EAF roofs, sidewalls, hoods and ducts as part of its integrated plant solutions for new installations and upgrades at steelmaking sites worldwide.

Unlike traditional tubular cooling systems, the spray-cooled product operates at atmospheric pressure, eliminating the risk of high- pressure water leaks, which are among the most serious safety hazards in melt shops.

Additionally, the innovation offers notable benefits, such as heat retention, reduced emissions, energy efficiency and ease of maintenance – as well as a flexible design that adapts to a broad range of furnace geometries, making it ideal for steel producers  that prioritise operational uptime and equipment longevity.

“At SMS group, our mission is to deliver the best to our customers –not only in performance and efficiency, but also in workplace safety and sustainability. Partnering with The Systems Group allows us to bring a proven, field-tested technology to our customers that aligns with these values,” says SMS group metallurgy VP Andrea Lanari.

With this partnership, steelmakers can now benefit from a comprehensive and integrated package, combining SMS’s global engineering and project expertise with The Systems Group’s decades of operational experience and patented solutions.

“The Systems Group and SMS have dozens of successful installations, together making melt shops safer and delivering the most uptime of any EAF package on the market,” says The Systems Group CEO Lee Morgan.