Ukraine's Donetsk Electrometallurgical Plant (DEMZ), the mini-mill previously known as ISTIL, has announced that, following a one-month stoppage, on April 10 it restarted its production operations at its electric arc furnace (EAF) shop.
According to the company's statement, in April this year DEMZ is planning to produce up to 50,000 mt of continuous cast billet, which will be exported to the foreign markets.
In addition the plant noted that it has been provided with the required volumes of scrap and other raw materials, while the employees, previously on forced leave due to idle time, have returned back to work, with wages and salaries paid on time.
According to DEMZ general director Rashid Nugumanov, plant staff have been given the task of ensuring uninterrupted operations. He also underlined the efficient support of Donetsk Metallurgical Plant (DMZ) in supplying the required oxygen volume for uninterrupted operation of the EAF shop.
In Q1 2010, DEMZ saw a 75.3 percent decrease in its finished steel products output to 44,000 mt, and a 77.2 percent drop in its crude steel production to 42,000 mt, all compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, in March this year, the plant produced 10,000 mt of finished steel products and 10,000 mt of crude steel.
DEMZ, a non-integrated mini-mill, is one of the most modern metallurgical companies in Ukraine with an annual production capacity of more than one million mt of crude steel.