Polish Walcownia Blach Batory invests in wear-resistant steel production

Walcownia Blach Batory (WBB), part of the Węglokoks group (Poland), has launched an investment project entitled “Production of high-hardness wear-resistant steel directly on the rolling mill.” The initiative is financed by the Polish Reprivatization Fund, according to a press release from the company.

On July 1, the company held negotiations with INOXIHP Poland regarding the supply of a scale removal machine, one of the key components of the future production line. As a result of the negotiations, the parties reached favorable terms, which made it possible to reduce the total investment costs and launch the equipment procurement procedure.

The purchase of the installation is the first stage of a large-scale project that will be implemented in stages. It will enable the direct production of high-strength and wear-resistant sheet steel, which has a wide range of applications in mechanical engineering, construction, and energy.

Weglokoks’ parent company also owns other metallurgical assets, including Huta Łabędy, a manufacturer of welded pipes and mine fittings, and Huta Pokój, a steel processing plant. In addition, since last year, Weglokoks has been leasing the Huta Częstochowa steelworks, where production has resumed after a year-long hiatus. The process of transferring this asset to the ownership of the Polish Ministry of Defense is currently underway.

The WBB project is an important step in strengthening Weglokoks’ position in the flat steel market and improving the technological level of production.

Earlier, Węglokoks signed an agreement with the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management of Poland for a loan of PLN 50 million from the National Recovery Plan. These funds will be used to build a solar power plant with energy storage at the Huta Pokój steel plant in Ruda Śląska.