The history of ArcelorMittal Poland began in March 2004. It was then that the Minister of Treasury and LNM Holdings signed the privatization agreement of Polskie Huty Stali (PHS) holding. Global steel producer owned by Lakshmi Mittal took over and deeply restructured Polish steelworks restoring their financial liquidity. Thanks to the investment program of a value of 7 billion zlotys the company gave the Polish steel industry a new face. Only in 2004, thanks to actions undertaken by the investor and the economic boom on the steel market, the company reached a record net profit of PLN 1.7 billion. Two months after privatization of PHS, the Regional Court in Katowice changed the company’s name to Ispat Polska Stal. In February 2005, due to creation of Mittal Steel group, the Regional Court in Katowice accepted the new name of Mittal Steel Poland SA.
In June 2006 the biggest steel producers Arcelor and Mittal merged into ArcelorMittal, due to the merger the name was officially changed for ArcelorMittal Poland on 2nd 2007.
ArcelorMittal Poland Świętochłowice Unit – former Huta Florian
This plant has a history of over 190 years! It was founded in 1828 as a “Bethlen-Falva" in Świętochłowice. The plant boasted the then most modern steam-driven equipment, such as blast furnace, puddling furnace with rolling mill, and cupola. In the 1930s the Silesian steelmaking industry was taken over by the State of Poland and the steelworks name was changed Huta Florian.
Transformation of the famous “Florian” from primary into processing operations was related to closing down of blast furnaces and the open-hearth steelmaking plant. Today this ArcelorMittal Poland’s facility produces organic coated sheets of the highest quality. The plant was granted an emblem of Teraz Polska for roof tiles and awarded with the certificate of "Clean Production".
The former Katowice Steelworks is today ArcelorMittal Poland in Dąbrowa Górnicza
The first tapping of pig iron and smelting of steel took place in the steelworks in Dąbrowa Górnicza in 1976. Ten years later, the steelworks was already operating at full capacity thanks to the launch of the second blast furnace. The quality of steel products is guaranteed by the COS operating in the plant, i.e. continuous steel casting lines, while the pro-environmental investments made allow, for example, to effectively recover a large part of the converter gas. Since 2003, Huta Katowice has been part of the Polskie Huty Stali concern, and today it is the pride of ArcelorMittal Poland, as one of the few plants in the world that produces rail 120 meters long.
ArcelorMittal Poland’s Unit in Kraków – historic Huta Sendzimira
The plant in Kraków which was brought to life in 1954, during the first stage of its operations produced merely 1.5 million tons of steel per year. Over decades it was extended and modernized, new units like another blast furnace, sheet rolling mill for bodywork sheet production, electrogalvanising line (LEC) and continuous steel casting line were constructed. In January 2003, Krakow’s plant was incorporated into Polskie Huty Stali. Today, it is a flagship plant of ArcelorMittal Poland.
In the past there were 12 coke batteries and 5 blast furnaces and open-hearth steel shop. Now there is only one coke battery operating and one blast furnace. The level of production is five times lower than in the past. Installations like coke batteries of old type, sinter plant and open-hearth steel shop were shut down. ArcelorMittal Poland invested in Krakow plant over 3 bn PLN since 2004. The investments included in a large scale environmental projects which helped to reduce emission of dust and gases. The state of the art hot rolling mill inaugurated in 2007 and extended in 2016 still remains the most modern facility of this kind in Europe.
ArcelorMittal Poland’s Unit in Sosnowiec – from the rolling mill “Count Renard” to Huta Cedler
The historic rolling mill called “Count Renard” was founded in Sosnowiec in early 20th century. The plant operated under this name until 1949. This is when it was renamed to “Huta Cedler” In the 1970s Huta Cedler became the largest manufacturer of quality steel wire rod in Poland. After a period of significant modernizations in 2003 the plant was incorporated into Polskie Huty Stali. Currently it belongs – along with five other plants – to ArcelorMittal Poland.
Mill with traditions – ArcelorMittal Poland’s Huta Królewska in Chorzow
Few companies can match the history of Huta Królewska as the plant is over 200 years old! On October 25, 1802, the first tapping occurred.
In 1843 Chorzow’s mill was one of the first in Europe to be included on the list of manufacturers of rails for the railway industry. A mere 20 years later, it was already equipped with the first rolling mill in Silesia. It had Jozef Pilsudski and Tadeusz Kosciuszko as its patrons. It underwent transformation from primary operations to one of the most modern downstream facilities providing steel for railway industry and mining. As of January 1, 2009 it belongs to the ArcelorMittal Poland S.A.
ArcelorMittal Poland Zdzieszowice Unit
The history of the facility dates back to 1929 when the Schaffgotsch concern decided to build “Zdzieszowice” coke plant. The first Still type battery with 60 chambers was started up in 1932, the second one in 1938. They were partially destroyed during the war, but were re-initiated in the 1950s. “Zdzieszowice” Coke Plant has been a unit of ArcelorMittal Poland since January 1st 2011.
ArcelorMittal Poland’s Zdzieszowice Unit is not only the biggest, but also one of the most modern coke plants in Europe. Total capital investment of the plant in recent years amounted to PLN 800 m. Production capacity of 4 new coke batteries introduced between 2003 and 2008 comes to 3 m tonnes of coke a year. The total annual capacity amounts to 4,2 mln tonnes.
