ArcelorMittal temporarily shuts down blast furnace B in Gijón

Last week, global steel producer ArcelorMittal decided to begin the process of cold shutdown and subsequent emptying of blast furnace B at its plant in Gijón (Spain) with a view to restarting it safely. This was announced in a statement by the company’s Spanish division.

This decision was made after the stabilization process carried out at the facility proved unsuccessful.

The company’s blast furnace B was in critical condition due to a breakdown that occurred in October last year. Several attempts were made to restart the unit, but they were unsuccessful.

“The cooling process will begin in the coming days, and work will continue for several months before the furnace is fully operational again,” the company said in a statement on February 13.

The company will try to minimize the impact of this measure and will organize the necessary resources to maximize the protection of its customers’ needs during the temporary shutdown.

According to the union, EFE reports, the company estimates that the repair process will take about four months, with a plan to gradually start up the furnace in June and return to normal operation in about two months.

ArcelorMittal currently operates one blast furnace in Spain.

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