We are delighted to announce that the first coil has been rolled on the new Six-High Cold Rolling Mill at Huafon Aluminium, in less than twenty months from the contract coming into force. It is a moment we were all looking forward to, and the start-up went with a speed and smoothness that made it even more special. It is also a new chapter in a relationship that began in 2015 and was renewed in 2025, when Huafon chose MINO once again for two new aluminium cold rolling mills.
A State-of-the-Art Mill for High-End Aluminium
Behind this first coil stands a mill designed for high-end aluminium, with applications ranging from automotive and aerospace to electronics. It rolls AA1XXX, AA3XXX, AA5XXX and AA8XXX alloys, and it was built for productivity, precision and reliability. Here is what it can do:
- Maximum strip width of 2,150 mm and maximum coil weight of 32 tons;
- Rolling speed up to 1,200 m/min, with 6,200 kW of motor power per stand;
- Entry thickness up to 10.0 mm and exit thickness down to 0.10 mm for soft alloys;
- Roll shifting systems with spray bars and shapemeter rolls, for precise profile and flatness control;
- Full coil recirculation system with automatic cranes and horizontal storage, to maximise productivity and minimize downtime.
Every piece of mechanical equipment was designed and built in our own workshops in Alessandria and Tianjin, drawing on forty years of experience in both places.
A Fast and Smooth Start-Up
The first coil is the first proof that the mill does what it was built to do. Installation gave way to production at a pace that made everyone proud, and the first coil marks the start of production on a mill built for tight tolerances and superior flatness.
For Huafon, it opens a new chapter in high-end aluminium, with tight thickness tolerances and superior surface quality for lightweight, high-performance applications.
A Joint Effort
This result belongs to everyone who worked on it. A heartfelt thank you goes to the Huafon team, to our colleagues in Alessandria, Tianjin and on site, and to every worker, technician, engineer and partner who gave their passion, time and energy to this project.
A goal like this is never reached alone. It was made possible by a joint effort, by people who listened to each other, solved problems side by side and kept pulling in the same direction. Thank you.
Looking Ahead
We are grateful for the trust Huafon has placed in MINO over the years, and for the way our teams have worked together. The first coil is a great step, but not the last one: we will keep working side by side with Huafon until the mill runs at full production.
