Horsehead Zinc Smelter Returns to Full Production
12/22/2010 - Horsehead Corp. has restarted a sixth zinc smelting furnace at its facility in Monaca, Pa., returning the smelter to full production. The company expects to return to pre-incident zinc oxide production capability at its refinery in early January 2011.
Horsehead Corp. has restarted a sixth zinc smelting furnace at its facility in Monaca, Pa., returning the smelter to full production. The company says it is now able to produce the full complement of zinc oxide products.
Horsehead expects to return to pre-incident zinc oxide production capability at its refinery in early January 2011.
The company previously reduced its operations from six furnaces to five in response to the incident on July 22, 2010, at its zinc refinery that resulted in a shutdown of its zinc oxide production process. Since then, the company has made significant changes to improve safety and efficiency.
"Our progress in rebuilding the refinery remains on schedule," said Jim Hensler, Horsehead's President and CEO. "Horsehead is increasing metal production to supply refinery columns that have started into production. Also, we have expanded our customer base since the incident and expect, given current market conditions, to remain at a six-furnace operation level for the foreseeable future."
Horsehead Holding Corp. is the parent company of Horsehead Corp., a leading U.S. producer of specialty zinc and zinc-based products and a leading recycler of electric arc furnace dust, and The International Metals Reclamation Co. (INMETCO), a leading recycler of metals-bearing wastes and a leading processor of nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries in North America. Horsehead, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., employs approximately 1,000 people and has seven facilities throughout the U.S.
