ArcelorMittal Poland has started works that will prepare blast furnace no. 3 for restart when the market situation allows. The cost of all works is nearly PLN 60 million. The installation was stopped in September last year due to difficult market conditions.
“We have started works on blast furnace No. 3, in preparation for a restart. The date of commissioning depends on the market situation, but we are aiming for the first hot metal to flow from it in the spring. This investment confirms our commitment to serve the evolving demand of our customers” explains Wojciech Koszuta, chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal Poland.
Works on blast furnace no. 3 started after a five-month standstill caused by the difficult market situation. The scope includes primarily the area of the blast furnace hearth. "We are relining it using new refractory materials. We will also modernize the cooling system, which is a key element of the furnace, and the elements that have worn out during the last campaign will be renovated" enumerates Marek Berliński, support manager at the blast furnace plant, responsible for the works related to the restart of the installation. A comprehensive renovation will also await the structure supporting the tuyere platform.
Thanks to the standstill, it will be possible to efficiently complete all repairs that are difficult to carry out during the continuous operation of the blast furnace. A total of 20 companies are working on the construction site.
The works related to the restart of blast furnace no. 3 will consume nearly PLN 60 million and extend its campaign by about 4 years.
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