ArcelorMittal to reline Dunkirk blast furnace 3
Leading European steelmaker ArcelorMittal is taking down blast furnace three at its Dunkirk site in France for relining from the end of September, given weak steel demand.
The unit has a production capacity of 1.8mn t/yr and its idling means the site will only be operating one furnace, with number two — which has 1.4 mn t/yr pig iron capacity — idled earlier this year.
The company has announced the idling of a number of furnaces in recent days. Today it said it would be idling blast furnace three at its Bremen site in Germany indefinitely, alongside its direct reduced iron facility in Hamburg, after yesterday announcing it would idle a blast furnace its Asturias site in Spain.
The company has also kept its Spanish Sestao electric arc furnace-based coils mill off line, given weak demand and high energy costs.
Two galvanising lines will also be idled at Dunkirk because of weak automotive demand. There will also be a reduction in the use of temporary workers, with permanent staff encouraged to take early leave and partial working arrangements.
As well as low demand, the company cited rising energy and carbon costs, which dampened its competitiveness versus non-European imports.
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