Romanian steel producer Liberty Galati, subsidiary of UK-based steelmaker Liberty Steel Group, has announced that it has begun the process to restart its blast furnace No. 5. The process is expected to be completed in the next few days.
The restart comes amid challenging market conditions in Europe which Liberty Steel is adapting to by adjusting its product mix and production schedules, reducing its cost base and working with the government to bridge energy price differentials experienced across Europe.
The furnace was temporarily idled in October due to the severe weather in the Black Sea and the dramatically low water levels of the Danube, which impacted the delivery of sufficient raw materials to safely run the furnace, as SteelOrbis previously reported.