Turkmenistan's first metallurgical plant, which was built in Ashkhabad by a Turkish consortium, has been inaugurated at a ceremony which was also attended by the Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov.
Construction of the plant was undertaken by Turkish-based Sehil Construction Industry. The machinery and equipment were supplied by Erenco, the engineering and consultancy arm of Turkey's integrated steel plant Erdemir Group.
Mr Berdymuhamedov said at the inauguration ceremony that the plant would have notable contributions to Turkmenistan's industry.
The plant, designed to produce 160,000 mt rebar per year, has cost Turkmenistan around $64 million. The production capacity of the electric arc furnace is 135,000 mt per year. The remaining billet needs of the bar and profile rolling mills will be outsourced. The capacity of the bar rolling mill is 100,000 mt per year, while the capacity of the profile rolling mill is 60,000 mt per year.
Additionally, the facility has an oxygen plant with a 600 m3/hour oxygen production capacity, in addition to a water treatment system, a scrap preparation yard, a dust collection system, other auxiliary systems and office buildings.
The construction of the plant was started at the end of 2005.