ArcelorMittal Brazil said on Wednesday it will resume its No. 2 Tubarão blast furnace, located in the mill of same name in the greater Vitoria area in Espirito Santo state, will resume on July 26.
The furnace, which has a 1.2 million mt/year pig iron capacity, was halted last year for maintenance and remained inactive due to a sluggish market demand both domestically and abroad. ArcelorMittal Brazil said its No. 2 blast furnace to resume activities by the end of the month should focus in the export market, as consumers gradually resume orders.
The company’s No. 3 Tubarão blast furnace, which was halted in April this year due to Covid-19, will remain idled until there is an “improvement” in steel demand for both the domestic and foreign markets, the company said.
ArcelorMittal Brazil said the No. 1 Tubarão blast furnace remains operating. It has a 3.5 million mt/year capacity. The company’s Tubarão mill has a 7.5 million mt/year installed capacity. It produces HRC, among other products.