Tata Steel reinicia alto-forno No. 6 em IJmuiden

Tata Steel restarts blast furnace No. 6 at IJmuiden

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The unit was inactive for 10 months due to maintenance and force majeure

Tata Steel Netherlands, a subsidiary of Indian steelmaker Tata Steel, has restarted blast furnace No. 6 at its factory in IJmuiden. The unit had been closed for 10 months due to maintenance and force majeure. Eurometálico reports this with reference to company data.

At the end of March 2023, blast furnace No. 6 was suspended for maintenance. Since then, the restart of the unit has been delayed several times due to technical issues.

“Replacing the lining is a major project that involves cooperation with many third-party companies. Due to certain delays and third-party delivery issues, we have had to make adjustments to the project schedule,” a Tata Steel spokesperson said in October 2023.

However, the unit is currently in the ramp-up phase. On January 31, 2024, the company began the restart process and is gradually increasing pig iron production.

The capacity of the steel plant in IJmuiden is estimated at 6 million tons of pig iron per year, coming from two blast furnaces. AM No. 6 has the capacity to produce 2.5 million tons of pig iron per year. Steel production at the plant is estimated at 7.5 million tons per year. The company specializes in the production of cold-rolled, hot-dip galvanized and painted coils and tin-plated products.

Participants in the European steel market were concerned that many steel capacities would be restored in the first quarter of 2024. This, in their opinion, could hinder the fragile recovery of finished steel prices in the EU.

In January 2024, flat product prices in Europe increased, mainly due to a decrease in supply as a result of reduced production and limited stocks, although end-user demand remained low.

In January, in addition to Tata Steel, German steelmaker Salzgitter resumed operation of blast furnace A at its Flachsthal plant after a four-month break.

As previously reported by us, Tata Steel Europe in April-September 2023 (first half of fiscal year 2023/2024) reduced steel sales by 4% compared to the same period in 2022 – to 1.79 million tons. Steel production decreased by 17% year on year – to 1.99 million tonnes.

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