Africa’s largest steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa has stated that it is committed to focusing on the country’s steel shortages that had been building up since before the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our customers and their needs will be front and center as we explore our opportunities to grow. We can only grow when our customers grow and, while we regret the restrictions placed on their growth by post-lockdown shortages, I can assure them that in 2021, we will spare no effort to progress on our seamless, on-time supply,” Kobus Verster, CEO of ArcelorMittal South Africa, said. The company indicated that it is optimistic about steel demand in its key markets up to the third quarter this year. Beyond that, projections and price expectations are less certain.
The company had experienced considerable delays with starting the N5 blast furnace in Newcastle. Mr. Verster stated that the N5 setbacks were frustrating, particularly because of the company’s intense focus on addressing customers’ steel shortages.
In 2021, the company has budgeted and planned to fix the problems caused by the unusual post-pandemic startup of the N5 furnace and to improve its reliability. The production of flat steel at blast furnace D and blast furnace C at Vanderbijlpark was resumed in June and December last year, respectively.