ArcelorMittal to restart Gijon BF B next week
Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal will restart blast furnace B at its Gijon site in Spain by the middle of next week.
The furnace has been off line since late last year. The company said in February that it had to cool the unit for maintenance after an unsuccessful attempt at stabilisation.
ArcelorMittal operates two blast furnaces in Gijon. Blast furnace A has continued to operate while repairs are carried out at blast furnace B. The two units have a combined capacity of 4.7mn t/yr, with each furnace able to produce 2.35mn t/yr.
ArcelorMittal confirmed it had restarted blast furnace 3 at its Dabrowa Gornicza plant in Poland earlier this week. The company plans to restart its idled blast furnace in Fos-sur-Mer, France, in June.
ArcelorMittal is bringing capacity back on line in response to trade regulations that could increase demand for EU steel.
Brazil’s slab exports to the EU increased in April after a slowdown in March, trade data released today show. Brazil exported 260,000t of slab to the bloc last month, with almost 80,000t sent to Spain, 70,000t to France and 40,000t to Poland. Brazil’s slab exports to the EU over January-April totalled 700,000t, up from no exports in the same period in 2025 and around 700,000t in the full year 2025. ArcelorMittal acquired Brazilian slab producer CSP in 2023.
Author: Lora Stoyanova
ArcelorMittal resumes Gijón steelworks, longs production
ArcelorMittal resumed operations at its Spanish steel mills on Tuesday, Kallanish notes. The facilities, including the Gijón steelworks and long steel production units, were temporarily halted in mid-December due to weak demand and increased competition from low-priced imports.
“All facilities are now operational,” an ArcelorMittal spokesperson confirms. No specific production or capacity utilisation rates have been disclosed. “We are continuously assessing market conditions and adapting to the ongoing challenges posed by low demand,” the spokesperson adds.
The temporary closure primarily affected the wire rod plant and rail mill division.
Last week, ArcelorMittal reached an agreement with Spain’s largest trade unions to implement a new Temporary Employment Regulation Scheme (ERTE) for 2025. This measure is designed to provide flexibility in addressing production adjustments or temporary stoppages, ensuring stability amid persistent uncertainty in steel demand.
Todor Kirkov Bulgaria
