Severstal Cherepovets, the main steel producing facility of Severstal Russian Steel, has announced that it has commenced work on the permanent shutdown of its blast furnace No. 2.
The main reasons given for the shutdown were insufficient loading and technical condition of the furnace, which started operations in 1956, as well as the need of more rational loads for the plant's steelmaking facilities, and the stabilization of the mill's production and financial situation in the current conditions of decreasing demand for steel products.
Severstal Cherepovets' BF No. 2, with 1.1 million mt capacity, used to produce 13 percent of the plant's total output of pig iron. Currently, three blast furnaces are operating at the plant - BFs No. 1, No. 4 and No. 5, while overhaul work on BF No. 3 is currently continuing.
As a result of the shutdown, some of the 90 workers employed at BF No. 2 will be let go, some will be employed during the shutdown work, while the remainder will be transferred to other sections.