ArcelorMittal has restarted blast furnace number 2 at its Dunkirk site this week, Kallanish learns from trade unions and market sources.
The furnace was stopped in April together with BF3 due to the slump in activity linked with the coronavirus pandemic. BF3 was then restarted in September, while BF2 was kept idled until this week.
Between Monday and Tuesday this week, the mill launched the operations for restarting the idled blast furnace, bringing the ArcelorMittal Dunkirk mill back to its full production capacity.
The restart of the Dunkirk furnace is the last of a series of restarts, initiated in August, following the idling of BFs implemented by European integrated steelmakers in March-April this year. According to Kallanish data, ten idled furnaces were restarted, representing over 70% of the units idled during the peak of the pandemic.
