ArcelorMittal South Africa restarts BF to meet expected jump in demand

2021-01-15

Jan. 15, 2021 - South African steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) announced the Vanderbijlpark plant returned to full production, weeks ahead of a planned restart due to a growth in steel demand, with restart of the second blast furnace on 20 December. AMSA said “the company accelerated the restart to December in response to an increase in demand for steel in South Africa and the depleted steel inventories at all stages of the steel supply chain following the Covid-19 lockdowns. Timely restart would help meet the supply of steel to the local industry in the face of the prevailing global steel shortage, with global supply lead times running into the latter part of the second quarter of 2021.”

AMSA reported last Friday that the furnace had been fully put into operation and would increase South Africa's annual flat steel output by approximately 600,000 tons.

AMSA Chief Executive Mr Kobus Verster said "with all three blast furnaces fully operational at our Newcastle and Vanderbijlpark plants, we expect that we will be more than able to meet the steel requirements in South Africa and neighbouring countries in the coming months.”