Liberty Czestochowa’s new strategy eyes 85,000t monthly shipments

Liberty Czestochowa is aiming to reach 85,000 tonnes/month of plate shipments by end-2022, Liberty Steel Group’s new chief executive, Greensteel EMEA, Toker Ozcan, said during his first visit to the Polish plant this month.

The target is part of Czestochowa’s new “55-65-85” strategy, which will initially target shipments of 55,000 t/m by April 2022. This will be supported by a revamp of the plate mill in 2022, which will include upgrades to both cutting lines, as well as by streamlining logistics and improving the loading of plate. Also part of the new strategy will be the recruitment and training of new production workers.

“The goal of Liberty is to produce Greensteel, using modern technology, so that we can achieve carbon neutrality by 2030,” Ozcan said. “It is clear to me, having visited the Huta, that the team here are already working hard to achieve that goal. I believe Czestochowa has great potential if we can continue to improve our production.”

Last month Czestochowa resumed producing prefabricated steel products after a break of over a year due to the plant’s previous financial issues (see Kallanish passim). In August the firm said it plans to increase overall production to 1 million tonnes/year and boost its workforce after increasing output to the plant’s highest monthly levels since 2017.

Liberty took over the lease of the 700,000 t/y EAF and 1.2 million t/y heavy plate capacity Huta Czestochowa from Sunningwell International last December. It then completed the acquisition of the Polish plant at the end of May after being the only bidder in January’s sale tender.

Adam Smith Germany