Liberty Steel to close Hungarian coke ovens

Liberty Steel is closing the coke ovens at its Hungarian plant in Dunaujvaros on 12 June.

Market conditions appear to be further stretching the finances of the group, which has very little operational throughout Europe.

Currently the coke ovens are the only asset running at the Hungarian site, according to workers at the plant. The only operational blast furnace has been off line since the third quarter of last year, and no slab has been received by the hot-rolling mill, union members suggest.

Liberty's Galati site in Romania also took its only operational blast furnace off line recently, although some at the company suggest it has sourced some raw material to start up the unit shortly. Galati used to receive coke from the Hungarian works, as well as sources from Asia, when its furnace is running.

Liberty's other European coil-producing mill, Ostrava in the Czech Republic, is also off line at present, amid restructuring and a long-running dispute with its sole energy supplier Tameh Czech.

Liberty said last month that it was looking to sell or recapitalise its European rolling mills and also said it would mothball its merchant bar mill in Scunthorpe, UK, which in reality has not produced for years.

By Colin Richardson