Ostrava, 20 June 2019 – On 22 June it will have been exactly 20 years since production was launched in so called mini mill[1] which includes a slab continuous casting and a hot strip mill or Steckel rolling mill. The main benefits of the construction, which began in 1994, were expansion of the product portfolio, production efficiency improvement and last but not least environmental impact reduction since this little steel mill has a low energy intensity. Back then, it was a major strategic investment thanks to which the Ostrava steel mill became globally competitive again.

The main reason for investment in the mini mill was the declining production of two already outdated rolling mills which could hardly compete on both the foreign and domestic markets.

 “Due to good production efficiency and low energy intensity these mills competed well on the market. The management’s strategic goal back then was to strengthen the position of flat products in the Ostrava portfolio, so preparation for the mini mill construction started,” explained Tomáš Telúch, Director of Final Production at ArcelorMittal Ostrava.

The construction began under the auspices of the greatest authorities in the branch and Czech companies were also largely involved in it due to great domestic know-how in engineering and steelmaking.

“The steel mill closely collaborated on the technical solution as well as the construction itself and also ensured an adequate representation of Czech companies. As much as 50 % of technological equipment deliveries were produced at Czech engineering companies,” added Telúch.

 ArcelorMittal Ostrava a.s. produces more than 2 million tonnes of steel annually, which is mainly used in construction and machinery. The company is a domestic leader in the manufacture of road barriers and tubes. In addition to the Czech market, it supplies its products to more than 40 countries around the world. ArcelorMittal has 6,500 employees in the Moravian-Silesian Region. The 2018 average monthly income was CZK 39,180. As a result of above-standard greening, the company manufactures its products with a minimum possible environmental footprint.

[1] The term mini-mill first came into use in the early 1960s, when it was used to refer to small metallurgical plants consisting of a steel mill and a rolling mill that focused on the production of a narrow assortment of final products, especially wire rod, fine sections and reinforced steel, as well as, more recently, on flat products.

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LIBERTY Ostrava a.s.
Barbora Černá Dvořáková
Head of Communicaions
T +420 595 683 390
M +420 606 774 346
barbora.cerna-dvorakova@libertysteelgroup.com