ArcelorMittal Dunkirk expects lower year-on-year output

Crude steel output from ArcelorMittal’s operation in Dunkirk, in northern France, is expected to be -5% lower than that registered in 2018, according to plant director Dominique Pair. He was speaking to local media this week, reports of which were monitored by Kallanish.

Output should not surpass 6.5 million tonnes in 2019, down from 6.8mt in 2018 and 6.9mt in 2017. Production in 2020 is expected to at the sme level as in 2019.

ArcelorMittal announced in May that it intended to reduce primary steelmaking at a number of sites across Europe due to the weakness of the steel market. Dunkirk was among the sites affected with a reduction implemented mainly during the first half of 2019.

Overall French monthly average French crude steel production moved down -2.3% y-o-y during the January-August period, according to the latest data by Federation Française de l’Acier (FFA).