Celsa France begins new rolling mill trials

Celsa has officially produced the first steel bar at its new hot-rolling mill in France, Kallanish learns from the company.

The facility located at the company’s industrial complex in Bayonne commenced trial production on 27 December. The mill will definitively come into operation once the tests are finished in the next few weeks, Celsa explains.

“The start-up of the new rolling mill at the Celsa France complex in Bayonne will allow the Group to further diversify its activity and strengthen its international business to invoice new growth as of next year,” the steelmaker comments. The mill will produce up to 550,000 tonnes/year of long steel. At full capacity, the new rolling mill has an annual revenue-generating capacity of around €300 million ($339.5m).

“Celsa France will be able to access, directly, the market with greater added value products, which will provide greater capacity for return and profitability on the investment. The steel group will improve its access to the French, Belgium and Netherlands markets and even in northern Spain. The company will also improve delivery times and customer service,” Celsa observes.

Celsa France confirms it has signed a strategic alliance with Netherlands-based VMI group subsidiary Intersig France for the purchase of part of its production and to scale up its presence in the domestic wire rod and rebar market.

The investment in the new rolling mill is €65m and will generate around 140 new direct and 420 indirect jobs across France and Spain.

Todor Kirkov Bulgaria