ArcelorMittal Fos-sur-Mer will resume operations at two blast furnaces in the second half of the year

ArcelorMittal’s French facility in Fos-sur-Mer is preparing to resume operations with two blast furnaces in the second half of 2026, according to a press release.

The company, which employs 2,500 people and provides stable employment for approximately 1,200 workers at subcontracting firms, attributes these plans to the expectation of the rapid implementation of EU protective measures, specifically the CBAM mechanism and import restrictions within tariff quotas.

According to the plans, blast furnace No. 1, which is currently undergoing work to extend its service life, is scheduled to resume operations in June 2026. Meanwhile, blast furnace No. 2, which is currently in operation, will continue production. Thus, the site expects to return to full-scale production in the second half of the year.

To support this phase of capacity expansion, ArcelorMittal plans to expand its operational teams. Specifically, this involves hiring additional operators and technical staff to maintain the equipment, including electricians, mechanics, and automation specialists.

At the same time, the company continues to work on improving productivity and operational efficiency. The company believes that this will strengthen the site’s competitiveness amid challenging market conditions and increasingly stringent requirements for the European steel industry.

ArcelorMittal has allocated a separate investment budget to support the planned increase in production. As a result, the total investment in the Fos-sur-Mer site in 2026 will amount to €90 million.

At the same time, the company continues to develop a project to install an electric arc furnace, which is a key element of the site’s decarbonization strategy. This initiative is a continuation of the transformation that began in 2024 following the commissioning of the ladle furnace. All of these issues were presented to employee representative bodies as part of the social dialogue.

As a reminder, ArcelorMittal previously confirmed the construction of an electric arc furnace at its steelmaking site in Dunkirk, northern France. The project represents an investment of €1.3 billion and is viewed as a key step in the strategy to decarbonize steel production in Europe.