ArcelorMittal Poland has announced that production at the Huta Królewska steel mill in Chorzow will be permanently closed, with all installations scheduled to be shut down by the end of December this year. The company is preparing solutions to support the 270 employees currently working at the facility, prioritizing the transfer of jobs within the group.
According to Marek Kempa, managing director of the long products division, the plant accounts for less than one percent of ArcelorMittal's total production in Poland. He noted that the age of the installations makes it difficult to ensure safe operation, requiring large capital expenditures that cannot be justified in the current situation on the European steel market.
Before making this decision, the company made significant efforts to maintain the operation of Huta Królewska. In recent years, ArcelorMittal Poland has invested 30 million zloty ($8.21 million) in projects aimed at expanding the product range and improving product quality. These included a new large-scale breaker, an upgrade of the rolling stand, a rail marking machine, and a new measurement and control unit for rail production. The company was also looking for a strategic investor and exploring joint venture options, albeit unsuccessfully.
"This was a very difficult decision, given the long tradition and history of Huta Królewska," said Wojciech Kossuth, President of the Board and CEO of ArcelorMittal Poland. He emphasized the high assessment of the company
