ArcelorMittal has invested PLN 40 million in the modernization of its galvanizing line in Krakow

The upgraded facilities will enable the production of steel sheets with classic zinc coating and innovative Optigal coating

Global mining and metallurgical company ArcelorMittal has completed a major upgrade of its No. 2 galvanizing line at its plant in Krakow, Poland. The PLN 40 million investment has enabled the line to be adapted for the production of steel sheets with a classic zinc coating and a new Optigal alloy based on zinc, magnesium, and aluminum, according to a press release from ArcelorMittal Poland.

Optigal is characterized by increased plasticity and corrosion resistance, which opens up new opportunities for the construction industry. Sheets with this coating are suitable for sandwich panels and trapezoidal sheets.

The modernization included the construction of an additional galvanizing bath and the creation of a system for transporting two tanks and lifting them to the workplace. Currently, one 200-tonne bath galvanises sheet metal using the classic method, while the other (180 tonnes) uses the new Optigal alloy. The baths move on rails in the basement of the plant, and a special hydraulic crane system with a lifting capacity of 500 tonnes ensures lifting and movement in a confined space.

The main contractor for the project was the Spanish company GHI, and a total of 14 companies worked on the construction site. According to Wojciech Koszuta, president of ArcelorMittal Poland, the latest investments confirm that Krakow remains one of the key centers for steel processing.

“Despite numerous challenges in the global steel market, we have already invested nearly PLN 2.7 billion in our two rolling mills in Krakow,” Kosuta added.

The launch of commercial production of Optigal-coated sheets is expected in 2026, after certifications and approvals have been obtained.

«The new galvanizing line, together with the hydrogen furnaces launched this year at the cold rolling mill, cost a total of nearly PLN 100 million. We are currently implementing another large project with Linde Gaz Polska for a similar amount – the construction of a hydrogen production plant, which will soon supply Krakow’s units. Development and innovation are key to our presence here,» he concluded.

In November, ArcelorMittal Poland announced the final closure of the Huta Królewska plant in Chorzów. Production at the plant will be halted by the end of this year. A total of 270 people work at the plant, and the company will make every effort to offer them jobs in other divisions or find alternative solutions.