Acciaierie d’Italia has restarted blast furnace No. 2 at its plant in Taranto

Acciaierie d’Italia (ADI), a steel company under special administration, announced at the end of last week that it would restart blast furnace No. 2 at its plant in Taranto, Italy. This was reported by Agenzia Nova.

Preparatory work for the restart began on February 10 this year. On February 11, testing, reheating, and loading of the unit were completed on blast furnace No. 2.

It is noted that the restart of the plant, which ensures the restoration of a strategic production asset, is part of the emergency administration’s measures and commitments to ensure uninterrupted operation and preserve industrial and human resources at this stage.

Starting in February 2024, more than €997 million has been allocated for maintenance and industrial investments at Acciaierie d’Italia.

It should be noted that blast furnace No. 2 of the enterprise had been idle for two years, with only blast furnace No. 4 operating at the plant. In addition, blast furnace No. 1 was confiscated without the right to use it in May 2025. This step was taken by the Taranto prosecutor’s office after a fire caused by an incident with this unit.

Earlier, Acciaierie d’Italia reported that scheduled maintenance of blast furnace No. 4 would begin on February 28. It is expected to last approximately 60 days. ADI plans to return coke batteries No. 7, 8, and 12, which were temporarily idle, to operation.

In February, the European Commission approved a rescue loan of up to €390 million for Acciaierie d’Italia, Italy’s largest integrated steel producer, in accordance with EU state aid rules. This measure should cover the company’s operating costs until it is transferred to a new operator.