ArcelorMittal Tubular Products plans to cease production at its Krakow welded pipe mill by end-March 2024 due to the weak market situation and negative economic outlook, Kallanish notes.
The firm is in talks with trade unions to find solutions for the workers affected by the closure of the plant, which produces up to 250,000 tonnes/year of pipe.
Earlier this month, ArcelorMittal Poland (AMP) said it will idle its Krakow coke plant due mainly to weak demand, but also the narrowed differential between coke and coking coal prices (see Kallanish passim). This comes after the firm idled its Sosnowiec wire rod mill from 18-26 November, also amid weak demand.
In 2020, AMP closed its Krakow hot-end for good after idling it in late 2019 on account of reduced demand and a large volume of imports into the EU. The Krakow plant has since been sourcing slab feedstock from AMP’s flagship Dabrowa Gornicza steelworks to continue hot and cold rolled coil production.
Adam Smith Poland
