In April this year, Russian steelmaker Magnitogorsk Steel Works (MMK) expects to maintain a low capacity utilization rate for production of long steel products. Accordingly, in April the company will produce around 70,000 mt of long products, including 7,000 mt of rebar.
MMK is still keeping two electric arc furnaces (EAFs) idle. The equipment, which mainly feeds its long product mills, is capable of producing 4 million mt annually. The furnaces were stopped in the first half of March due to lower demand for long products in the domestic market.
According to preliminary data, the EAFs may be back in service in late April at the earliest. The producer is yet to decide whether to run the furnaces in May or not, which will depend upon orders for long products.