The Ukrainian steel producer Donetskstal has announced that, within the scope of the reconstruction of its steel smelting facility, it has completed the disassembly of its open hearth furnace (OHF) No. 4, of ladle cranes No. 11 and No. 9, of the steel structures and working area in the furnace yard up to OHF No. 3.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, at the emptied premises Donetskstal plans to construct a new 150-mt EAF of Siemens-VAI production. The construction of the new EAF is expected to be completed by the end of 2010.
During the first eleven months of 2008, Donetskstal decreased its crude steel output by 11.15 percent to 837,000 metric tons, pig iron production by 16.4 percent to 909,000 mt and its finished steel production by 9.8 percent to 616,000 mt, all compared to the corresponding period of 2007.