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ArcelorMittal to Restart Seraing Blast Furnace n.6
02/04/2008 - Following its agreement to a solution to the CO2 quota allocation issue that was proposed by the federal and regional governments of Belgium, ArcelorMittal will now prepare to re-launch the Seraing blast furnace n.6 in Liège, Belgium.
Following its agreement to a solution to the CO2 quota allocation issue that was proposed by the federal and regional governments of Belgium, ArcelorMittal is now preparing to re-launch the Seraing blast furnace n.6 in Liège, Belgium.
The federal and regional governments of Belgium submitted their solution to ArcelorMittal after meeting together to discuss the CO2 quota allocation issue. The solution, which would allow ArcelorMittal to restart the Seraing blast furnace, involves an intervention from the Regional and the Federal governments as well as the companies.
ArcelorMittal has agreed to the intervention request, and is currently planning the actions needed to re-launch the Liège blast furnace with a view to start producing hot steel by the end of February.
"We have just been informed about the solution which emerged from the Consultation Committee regarding the reopening of blast furnace n.6 in Liège,” said Michel Wurth, member of ArcelorMittal's Group Management Board, in charge of Flat Carbon Europe, Automotive, Plates and R&D, following the proposal. “We are happy to hear that the Walloon and Federal governments were able to come up with substantial CO2 quotas within their allocation plan. I thank the authorities who have thus made possible the immediate re-launch of the blast furnace.
“This announcement allows us to proceed, together with the Walloon authorities and the social partners, toward this re-launch which will definitely strengthen the competitiveness and job situation in Liège and the Walloon Region," concluded Wurth.
ArcelorMittal is the world's largest steel company, with 320,000 employees in more than 60 countries. The company leads a number of major global markets, including automotive, construction, household appliances and packaging, with leading R&D and technology, as well as sizeable captive supplies of raw materials and outstanding distribution networks. An industrial presence in 27 European, Asian, African and American countries exposes the company to key steel markets, from emerging to mature, positions it will be looking to develop in the high-growth Chinese and Indian markets.
ArcelorMittal’s key pro forma financials for 2006 show combined revenues of USD 88.6 billion, with a crude steel production of 118 million tonnes, representing around 10% of world steel output.
