Ukraine-based Zaporizhstal Iron and Steel works, part of Metinvest Holding, has announced the restart of another blast furnace, which was put in hot preservation in March last year. According to the company’s statement, work on ensuring production with sufficient volumes and raw materials was carried out in order to make the re-launch possible.
With the restart of blast furnace No. 2, Zaporizhstal will be operating three of its blast furnaces and will have the ability to produce up to 8,000 mt of basic pig iron per day. The facility was idled following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which affected many industries, production facilities and logistics. Zaporizhstal is one of the two main assets currently operated and controlled by Metinvest in Ukraine, while the other two - Illich SW and Azovstal - are located on the occupied territory of Ukraine, with the latter being almost completely destroyed by heavy Russian shelling.
Market players believe that Zaporizhstal is returning to healthier operations and the solutions it has found will allow it to increase its production along with ensuring budget payments to the government and will also attract foreign currency earnings. It is believed that part of the BPI produced will be sold abroad, in particular to the EU and the US.