Who We Are

The Institute for Steel Processing and Products, University of Wollongong (ISPP) was established in 1995 consolidating a long history of collaboration between the University and BHP Steel. Renamed to BlueScope Steel Metallurgy Centre, University of Wollongong in 2004, it undertakes strategic, basic and applied research that complements the in-house research capacity of BlueScope Steel and provides related undergraduate and postgraduate education. Operating funds are shared almost equally between UOW, BlueScope Steel and the Federal Government’s Australian Research Council (ARC) through competitive research grants. A new agreement spanning a further 6 years has been signed on the 1^st of August 2008.

The Centre focuses on research outcomes, development of research capacity, and the fostering of an awareness of steel research in the national and international arena. In this capacity it provides opportunities for academic staff to play a greater part in supporting the local steel industry and for technologists from industry to contribute to academic development. It also gives students access to the industry, as well as giving them advanced educational opportunities in steel products and processes. Since 1997 the Centre has conducted research on 42 competitive grant projects with a total budget of $8.92 million.

Research activities are conducted in several key areas focussing on the changing needs of BlueScope Steel as the company has responded to changes in its commercial environment. The Pyrometallurgy Research Group focusses on iron and steel making processes, and on sustainable smelting technologies for low greenhouse gas emissions. The Physical Metallurgy Group concentrates on thin strip continuous casting technology, thermo-mechanical processing, steel product development and physical metallurgy of weldments. The casting part of this program contributed to the development of the recently commercialised thin strip casting process.