ArcelorMittal Poland has announced that production at the Huta Królewska steelworks in Chorzów will be permanently shut down, with all installations scheduled to come offline by the end of December this year. The company is preparing solutions to support the 270 employees currently working at the site, prioritizing job transfers within the group.
According to Marek Kempa, managing director of the long products division, the plant accounts for less than one percent of ArcelorMittal Poland’s total output. He noted that the age of the installations makes ensuring safe operations increasingly difficult, requiring major capital expenditure that cannot be justified in the current European steel market environment.
Before reaching this decision, the company made extensive efforts to sustain operations at Huta Królewska. Over recent years, ArcelorMittal Poland invested PLN 30 million ($8.21 million) in projects designed to expand the product range and improve quality. These included a new scale breaker, rolling stand modernization, a rail marking machine, and a new measurement and control block for rail production. The company also sought a strategic investor and explored joint venture options, though without success.
“This was a very difficult decision, given the long tradition and history of Huta Królewska,” said Wojciech Koszuta, president of the management board and CEO of ArcelorMittal Poland. He emphasized the company’s appreciation for the employees’ dedication and confirmed that everyone wishing to remain within the ArcelorMittal Poland structure will be offered opportunities.