ArcelorMittal Brazil to idle BF No 3 in Tubarao
Platts reported that ArcelorMittal Brazil decided to temporarily adjust production in both its flat and long steel units from April on, following the serious impacts of the coronavirus crisis. On the flat steel side, the company will halt for 45 days the 2.5 million tonne per year No 3 blast furnace at its Tubarao plant in Espirito Santo state. Moreover, the company said without detailing that it will temporarily reduce production rates at some of its long steel units, although the Joao Monlevade plant, with 1.1 million tonne per year capacity, and iron ore mine Mina do Andrade will remain fully operative. ArcelorMittal Brazil said in an emailed statement to S&P Global Platts "Customer service will continue through the supply of inventoried material, according to market needs and demand.”
The unit's BF No 2 has been idle since July 2019, due to market conditions. The Tubarão complex's total capacity amounts to about 7.5 million tonne per year.
ArcelorMittal Brazil operations includes six plants in Brazil (Sol, ArcelorMittal Tubarao, ArcelorMittal Vega, ArcelorMittal Brasil, ArcelorMittal Brasil 2 and ArcelorMittal Sul Fluminense) one in Argentina (Acindar), one in Costa Rica (ArcelorMittal Costa Rica) and one in Venezuela (Industrias Unicon).
Source : Strategic Research Institute