Algeria-based steelmaker El Hadjar has once again stopped its blast furnace No. 2, as it has done many times this year for various reasons. According to the commission investigating the situation at the mill, the breakdown has occurred due to the low quality of the coke used in the steelmaking process. The problem has not yet been resolved and the facility remains idled, and so production may continue to be impacted.
In this situation, according to the market sources, El Hadjar is going to seek the help of international experts, specifically experts in South Africa. As for the commission, it will be focusing on purchasing process revisions, including the management situation, in order to bring “gray areas” to light.
El Hadjar is the former ArcelorMittal Annaba which has been troubled for years and after the acquisition has been going under a massive rehabilitation program by the government. Still, the company has a lot of problems linked to issues such as water and electricity supplies and the disruptions of iron ore deliveries from distant mines. In addition, demand in the country is very limited due to political unrest, undermining the commercial operations of El Hadjar.
