Global steel giant ArcelorMittal is starting mothballing of its two blast furnaces at its Florange site in Lorraine, France on Wednesday, April 24, according to media reports.
The company expects to complete the shutdown of the hot stoves linked to the blast furnaces in two days, while the whole process of permanently halting liquid steel production will be completed by the end of June. Despite the closure of the blast furnaces, the Florange plant will continue to produce finished steel products.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, ArcelorMittal promised to invest €180 million to expand its Florange plant and to avoid any forced layoffs at the site. The blast furnaces at Florange have been idle since July 2011.