LIBERTY Galati today announces that it will restart Blast Furnace No. 5 in mid-March 2023 on signs of market recovery in Europe supported by improvements in input costs and pricing. 

The furnace has undergone a RON18.3 million (EUR3.67 million) care and maintenance programme since December which has increased its safety, stability, reliability and energy usage performance and will ensure the company is in a strong position for the expected market recovery. 

LIBERTY Galati is continuing to invest in profitability enhancing projects to increase the plant’s plate and pipe production, and capacity to produce value added coated and galvanised products.   

Ajay Aggarwal, President of LIBERTY Steel Group Europe and Chairman of the Board of Directors of LIBERTY Galati, said: 

“With signs of a market recovery in Europe and the successful upgrades made to Blast Furnace No.5 we can start to plan for a restart in mid-March.  During the care and maintenance period we have retained all employees and continued to invest in our plant and product enhancements that will improve the profitability of the business.  

“We’re also well underway with technical feasibility studies for the relocation of the modern plant and equipment from KG steel in Korea as well as the tender process for cutting edge electric melting technology to ensure we choose the path that transforms LIBERTY Galati to green steel as quickly and efficiently as possible.”  

Notes 

• The care and maintenance works at Blast Furnace No. 5 include; replacement of the wear plates and two of the BLT gears; unblocking the skip pit and the BF scrubber as well as cleaning the BF shaft and top platforms; and upgrades to the scrap bay cranes and girders in the steel shop.  
• Plant and product enhancement include; increasing the plant’s plate mill production and developing high performance steel (TMCP) products, increasing its capacity to manufacture High Added Value Organic Coated, Plate and Galvanised steel products, as well as increasing its capacity for High Added Value pipe production.