Ismail Demir, chairman of the board of Turkish long steel producer Kardemir Karabük Demir Çelik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. (Kardemir), has stated that 2024 will be a year of investments for the company and that Kardemir will focus on new furnace investments with an aim to increase production volumes, according to local media reports. Noting the importance of being competitive in the steel industry, which has had its ups and downs, Mr. Demir stated that commencing a mining area, transporting beneficiated ore, producing more value-added products, scientific studies, and training people for employment are all on the company’s agenda.
Pointing out that Kardemir does not have a mining area, Demir stated that the company uses domestic ore and will work to establish long-term strategic cooperation with existing operators and open a mining area. Meanwhile, he also stated that the company does not want to be dependent on other countries in green steel production and added that Turkey should be a pioneer in green steel production technologies.
In addition, the Kardemir chairman said that the company operates only using railways, adding that the logistics problems in Turkey also affect the company.