US-based Minerals Technologies, a resource and technology-based growth company,  said its unit has signed an deal with United Steel Company (SULB) for the refractory maintenance at its greenfield steel mill in Bahrain.

SULB is a joint venture between Bahrain-based Gulf United Steel Holding Company (Foulath), the Middle East's leading steel investment and holding company, and Yamato Kogyo Company of Japan, a leading global beams and structural sections producer.

The greenfield steel mill located in the Hidd industrial area of Bahrain is due to start up during the third quarter.

As per the contract, Minteq, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Minerals Technologies, will be responsible for co-ordinating refractory materials, manpower and equipment with Magnesita of Germany and Krosaki-Harima of Japan.

Commenting on the contract, Joseph C. Muscari, chairman and CEO of Minerals Technologies, said, 'We are extremely pleased to work with a world-class company like SULB to provide refractory materials, service and equipment for steel-making and molten metal transport vessels at its new steel production facility in Bahrain.'

Minteq, he said, will work with other refractory companies to co-ordinate refractory maintenance of the steel furnaces and the other steel production vessels at the mill, he added.

Han Schut, vice president & managing director of Minteq International, said this was the first time Minteq had been given responsibility for the full-service refractory maintenance of a complete steel mill. Also it was Minteq's first such contract in the Middle East.

'We look forward to a fruitful and long-lasting partnership that will increase SULB's productivity in the most economical way,' he said.-TradeArabia News Service