Poland does not rule out buying ArcelorMittal assets if the company exits the market

Poland’s newly appointed Minister of State Assets, Wojciech Balczun, said that the government is closely monitoring the situation surrounding the steel giant ArcelorMittal’s enterprises in Europe. According to him, if the Indian concern leaves the market, the country may consider buying out enterprises, in particular in Dąbrowa Górnicza and Katowice. This is reported by Dziennik Zachodni.

ArcelorMittal has recently been reducing its presence in Europe. The company has abandoned a low-carbon steel project in Germany, is winding down production in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and has announced the elimination of 600 jobs in France. In Poland, blast furnace No. 3 at the Katowice plant has been temporarily shut down.

“It is known that ArcelorMittal is seriously considering concentrating its activities in India. This naturally raises questions about the future of their assets in Europe. We are closely monitoring these processes,” Balczun emphasized.

At the same time, the minister noted that the government’s priority is to stabilize the finances of its own state-owned enterprises, in particular Węglokoks and Huty Częstochowa, which, in his opinion, can play a key role in the revival of the Polish steel sector. He believes that the production of high-quality steel should become the basis for strengthening supply chains in the defense industry and wind energy.

“First of all, we must take care of the restructuring of our own companies. Only then will it be possible to think constructively about new acquisitions, including ArcelorMittal’s assets,” explained the head of the Ministry of State Assets.

According to an article by GMK Center, Poland has traditionally been the industrial center of Central Europe, with steel production being a key sector of the economy. However, over the past decade, production volumes have fallen by more than 22%, and a significant part of domestic demand is now met by imports – more than 80% of flat products and 40% of long products in 2024.

The main factor was the reduction in production by ArcelorMittal Poland, the country’s largest steel producer. The closure of plants and workshops in Krakow and Zdzieszowice and the redirection of supplies from other European companies undermines the competitiveness of the local steel industry.

Additional pressure is created by cheap Asian imports, restrictions on the use of traditional energy resources, and high electricity prices, which make Polish electric arc furnaces uncompetitive. Together, these factors threaten the stability of the steel sector and force the country to look for new ways to support domestic production.

It should be noted that between January and July 2025, Polish steelmakers produced 4.51 million tons of steel, which is 6.6% more than in the same period in 2024. In 2024, Poland increased its steel production by 10.1% compared to 2023, from 6.4 million tons to 7.1 million tons.

There are six steel enterprises in Poland, including ArcelorMittal Warszawa (capacity of 0.75 million tons of steel per year), Celsa Huta Ostrowiec (0.9 million tons/year), Huta Czestochowa (0.84 million tons/year), CMC Zawiercie (1.7 million tons/year), ArcelorMittal Dąbrowa Górnicza (5 million tons/year), and Ferrostal Labedy Gliwice (0.5 million tons/year).