ArcelorMittal Galati, Romania-based subsidiary of the world's largest integrated metals and mining company ArcelorMittal, intends to close one of its two currently operating blast furnaces (BF) for at least two months starting from November 19, due to the decrease in orders.
"ArcelorMittal Galati confirms that it will adjust production due to market conditions in the region, especially those from Turkey. For at least two months starting from November 19, the plant will operate with a single blast furnace," ArcelorMittal Galati's PR manager Dorian Dumitrescu told local media.
ArcelorMittal Galati has six BFs. Currently, the plant's BFs No. 1 and No. 2 are idle, No. 3 and No. 4 are in operation, No. 5 has been stopped for modernization work, while BF No. 6 was stopped a decade and a half ago due to an accident. The company now plans to stop its BF. No. 3 and will operate just with its BF No. 4. ArcelorMittal Galati's BF No. 5, after the modernization in which the company is investing about €53 million, is planned to be restarted in the first half of 2011, and will allow the plant to double its annual pig iron production from 2.2 million mt to over 4.2 million mt.