ArcelorMittal Poland continues its investment program with the commencement of a coke gas cleaning installation in the Kraków coke plant. The project, worth PLN 100 million (US$32 million) will improve the facility’s environmental footprint through the reduction of energy consumption and decreasing the amount of waste emitted from technological process. The total value of all modernization projects which will be completed shortly in Krakow’s steel plant amounts to PLN 220 million (US$70 million).

"Each investment in sustainability and environment protection is of key importance for the state, communities and the business. Therefore we highly appreciate the fact that ArcelorMittal Poland continues its investment programme despite the recession which affected the steel sector very strongly," said Beata Jaczewska, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Environment.

"We pursue our investment plan despite the tough economic conditions because it contributes to our competitive advantage and guarantees retention of our leading market position," said Manfred Van Vlierberghe, CEO and deputy BoD Chairman of ArcelorMittal Poland. "The currently launched investment, along with other projects being executed in Kraków’s plant, make almost PLN 250 million (US$80 million) spending on safety and environmental protection," said Manfred Van Vlierberghe.

Modernization of the coke plant for PLN 100 million (US$32 million)…
Construction of the installation which cleans coke oven gas - a by-product of the coke production process, started in 2010. The outdated arsenical-sodium technology of purifying gas from hydrogen sulphide and ammonia has been replaced with a modern ammoniac method, which will produce sulphur that is almost 100% pure and will become a commercial product. The new hermetic installation will significantly reduce the consumption of electric energy by applying frequency converters in the majority of energy-consuming devices. The implementation of modern technical solutions and methods to diagnose process variables will guarantee more safety. On the other hand, the new method of purifying gas will also eliminate from the production process numerous hazardous substances and reduce the amount of waste from technological process.

… and PLN 120 million (US$38 million) for other projects in Krakow’s plant
In addition to the construction of the coke oven gas cleaning installation, ArcelorMittal Poland has also launched a number of investments aimed at increasing safety, protecting the environment and increasing the cost effectiveness of the plant.

In January 2012, a construction of the biological wastewater treatment plant with processing capacity of 40 m3 of waste water per hour started. This installation, complying with environmental requirements and the demands of the BAT (Best Available Techniques), will be adjusted to the current production parameters and the requirements of the new coke gas cleaning installation. Its total value is PLN 24 million (US$7.6 million).

ArcelorMittal Poland has also decided to subsequently replace hot stoves, designed for heating the blast to the blast furnace. Dismantling of the first old hot stove has been completed and soon a new hot stove will be erected. The investment project, worth overall PLN 50 m, will improve production efficiency and bring environmental benefits through the reduction of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide emissions.

The Primary of the Kraków’s plant will gain 9 new torpedo ladles designed for transferring hot metal from the blast furnace to the steel plant. Replacement of the open ladles currently in use will significantly reduce heat losses during transportation, thus eliminating the need to heat the hot metal at the steel plant. This will also result in significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. The investment cost amounts to over PLN 40 million (US$12.7 million).