On 31 December it will have been exactly 70 years since the Nová huť Klementa Gottwalda, now called LIBERTY Ostrava, was founded by writing down the foundation charter. The first blast furnace of the mill that began to be built in Ostrava – Kunčice, as part of Vítkovice steelworks during the World War II, was blown the day after, on 1 January 1952 with the then prime minister Antonín Zápotocký in attendance. 

LIBERTY Ostrava, the leading steel producer in the Czech Republic, has commemorated the milestone anniversary with several events this year; its employees along with their families met together at the celebration which was held at the Silesian Ostrava castle; the mill published a book on steelmakers´ slang; it has brought to life in the media and on social networks interesting facts from its history and the positive footprint it leaves even outside its premises or production sphere;  and it has rediscovered and recorded a tune composed for the mill by Václav Trojan.

Paramjit Kahlon, CEO Primary Steel and Integrated Mining, LIBERTY Steel Group: “A milestone anniversary is always an opportunity to come back to historical moments. LIBERTY Ostrava and the people who have lived and worked here over the last 70 years have become a critical part of the region’s proud tradition of steel making. We look forward to working together with these men and women of steel to now make LIBERTY Ostrava a key producer of GREENSTEEL and a leader in the steel industry’s journey towards becoming fully sustainable, giving the plant and those who work here a central part in its next 70 years.”  

Major milestones:

1940s                    The construction of the mill as part of the Vítkovice steelworks starts
31 Dec 1951       Foundation charter of Nová huť Klementa Gottwalda was signed
1 Jan 1952           First blast furnace blown in
1970s                    Steel shop modernization, construction of tandem furnaces
1980s                    Medium section mill was built
1990s                    Major technology modernization, construction of continuous casters and the minimill for flat products

2003                      Privatization of the mill and acquisition by the Mittal Group
2011                      Sinter plant dedusting
2015                      Major greening of the mill, installation of several bag filters
2019                      Change of ownership and the name of the company to LIBERTY Ostrava

Further information from:

LIBERTY Ostrava is an integrated steel business with an annual production capacity of approximately 3.6 million tonnes per annum serving primarily construction, machinery and oil & gas industries. 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. Together with its subsidiaries in Ostrava, the company has 6,000 employees. The company manufactures its products with a minimum possible environmental footprint. The mill is part of LIBERTY Steel Group. 

GFG Alliance is a collection of global businesses and investments owned by Sanjeev Gupta and his family. The Alliance is structured into three core industrial pillars; LIBERTY Steel Group, ALVANCE Aluminium Group and SIMEC Energy Group, independent of each other yet united through shared values and a purpose to create a sustainable future for industry and society. GFG Alliance employs 35,000 people, across 10 countries and has revenues of USD $20bn. GFG Alliance is a leader in sustainable industry with a mission to become Carbon Neutral by 2030 (CN30).

libertysteelgroup.com/cz

www.LIBERTYsteelgroup.com

www.gfgalliance.com