Although not officially inaugurated, Deacero's new US$550 million 3M plant has started producing after the end of the probationary period. The new mill manufactures steel profiles--a new product for the company which has generated 600 new jobs.
The entire facility consists of a rolling mill and a steel mill (EAF) with the capacity to produce 500,000 tons of profiles, which will be used to partly replace imports, and partly for export. Further the plant has a high technological content that will allow them to make the steel thinner but with more resistance. The production of these profiles will serve the construction industry, along with the metalworking industry and auto parts manufacturers.
In total (including the first stage started last year), annual production will be 1.5 million tons of steel products including rebar, angles, beams and channels.
Deacero's CEO, Raul Gutierrez, said he hopes the plant will reach 70 percent of its production capacity in the second half of this year.