The Ukrainian steelmaker Zaporizhstal has confirmed its plans concerning the construction of a new oxygen converter workshop regardless of worsening of economic situation in the Ukrainian steel market as a result of iron ore and energy price rise, the Ukrainian sources report.
The new oxygen converter workshop is to be constructed in two phases and is planned to be put in operation by 2013, thus completely replacing open-hearth production at the mill.
The first phase of oxygen converter workshop, with designed production capacity of two million metric tons of converter steel, is expected to be completed by 2010. Meanwhile, the division is expected to start production of hot rolled steel by the end of 2009.
The second phase of oxygen converter workshop, which is to bring converter steel capacity of Zaporizhstal to 5.5 million metric tons, is expected to be completed by 2013.
In addition, the mill has plans to construct a new cold rolling mill and a new galvanizing line.