ArcelorMittal Brazil to restart blast furnace at Tubarao Mill in October

In mid-October, ArcelorMittal will restart blast furnace # 3 with a capacity of 2.8 million tonnes per year at the Tubarao plant, which has been idle since March due to the adverse economic scenario caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The company said that “The reopening of the blast furnace is a strategic decision in the face of an apparent recovery in economic activity. While it is too early to assess the next scenarios, including whether operations will resume and be sustainable, the company wants to be prepared for greater and faster increases in operational agility. ”

After restarting the remaining idle capacity, Tubarao will have around 7 million tonnes of kiln capacity per year since Blast Furnace # 2 resumed operations in July. However, the three blast furnaces will be operated at reduced capacity in order to accommodate consumers who gradually resume consumption and as a way to optimize the operation of the complex.

Restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 in Brazil have weakened demand for steel and caused factories to shut down some of their blast furnaces since late March. During the peak of the Covid-related shutdowns, the Brazilian steel industry had 13 blast furnaces idle.