ArcelorMittal Poland has begun work to prepare Blast Furnace No. 3 for restart once market conditions allow. The total cost of the project is nearly PLN 60 million. The installation was shut down in September of last year due to difficult market conditions.

“We have started work on Blast Furnace No. 3 to prepare it for restart. The timing of the restart will depend on market conditions, but we hope the first pig iron will be produced as early as this spring. This is the clearest evidence that we want to respond to changing market needs,” said Wojciech Koszuta, President and CEO of ArcelorMittal Poland.

Work on Blast Furnace No. 3 began after five months of idling caused by challenging market conditions. The project will mainly cover the furnace hearth area.

“We are rebuilding it using new refractory materials. We will also modernize the cooling system, which is a key component of the furnace. Elements that were worn out during the last campaign will be refurbished,” explained Marek Berliński, Support Manager at the Blast Furnace Plant, who is responsible for overseeing the restart work.

The supporting structure of the cast house floor will also undergo comprehensive refurbishment.

The downtime has made it possible to efficiently carry out maintenance and repairs that are difficult to perform during continuous furnace operation. A total of 20 contractors are working on site.

The work related to the restart of Blast Furnace No. 3 will cost nearly PLN 60 million and will extend the furnace’s campaign life by approximately four years.