The Ukrainian steel producer Enakievsk MZ (EMZ), a subsidiary of Metinvest Holding, has put into operation its new blast furnace No. 5, which has an annual production capacity of 1.05 million metric tons of pig iron.
The construction work on the blast furnace No.5 was started in February 2006 and cost $140 million in investments.
The installation of the new blast furnace will allow EMZ to increase its crude steel production capacity to 3-3.5 million metric tons per year.
Director of Metinvest's crude steel and finished steel division, Mr. Igor Korit'ko, has stated that the installation of the new blast furnace is in line with the company's $1 billion-worth investment program aimed at modernizing EMZ over the next five years.
In addition, following the startup of the blast furnace No.5, EMZ is also to revamp its blast furnaces No.1 and No.4.
Currently, the mill is undertaking preparatory work for the reconstruction of its blast furnace No.3. The modernization of this furnace is aimed at increasing its production capacity by 1.2 million metric tons, and at reducing its use of coke and its share of agglomerate in charge. EMZ is to invest a total of $160 million in this project.