Uzbekistan's only steel producer Uzmetkombinat has announced the commencement of production at its new rebar mill.
The startup of the rebar mill is in line with Uzmetkombinat's investment program for 2007-2011, which is directed at the plant's modernization and at expansion of its production capacity.
Up to the end of the current year, Uzmetkombinat plans to complete the modernization project at its EAF. The implementation of the project, at a total investment cost of $7.4 million, will bring the EAF's annual production capacity to 650,000 metric tons from the current 100,000 metric tons.
In addition, in 2008-2009, Uzmetkombinat plans to reconstruct the tempering furnace in its longs rolling workshop with the aim of decreasing its use of natural gas and also of reducing the primary cost of production.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, following the implementation the program, Uzmetkombinat expects to increase its annual crude steel production to 695,000 metric tons and its long products output to 492,000 metric tons by 2011.