The right competence in welding
and machining was crucial
for LKAB Mekaniska

In the project New cooler KK3, LKAB’s subsidiary LKAB Mekaniska was chosen as the main supplier, which in turn chose Jernbro as one of its main suppliers. The purpose of the project is to replace the pellet cooler in Kiruna Kulsinterverk 3, which has now been in operation for 25 years.

– We are very pleased that all partial deliveries have been carried out according to our wishes. We are now looking forward to a fully functioning machine that cools down the iron ore pellets to be able to be taken care of for further distribution, says Jan Andersson, project manager at LKAB Mekaniska.

Picture from the test assembly at Jernbro with a frame on the left and a sheet metal with grooves where the pallets are cooled, on the right.

– We are a strong supplier since we are complete in terms of welding and machining, but also because we are certified according to the correct standards SS-EN ISO 3834-3. We can also transport these large volumes, says Mikael Fors, department manager at Jernbro in Kiruna. For example, one of the parts, a huge ring, measures 27 meters in diameter and what we have delivered just over 300 tonnes in total.

– What has complicated the project is that the material suppliers have been far away from us and that there have been large volumes to ship. But with good planning and good cooperation with suppliers and our machining in Avesta, deliveries have taken place according to the customer’s wishes, says Mikael.

The partial deliveries have taken place from the turn of the year until May. From June to July, the final assembly and test assembly took place in LKAB’s truck workshop in Mertainen, outside Kiruna. In September 2020, during a stop for preventive maintenance, everything was transported to Kiruna for installation. At the end of October, the plan is that operations and production will to be up and running.