Dniprovskyi Iron and Steel Works resumed operation of blast furnaces

Dniprovskyi Iron and Steel Works (DMK) resumes operation of the third blast furnace, No. 12, according to the company’s press service.

“On 27 December, Dniprovskyi Iron and Steel Works resumed operation of the blast furnace No. 12, and the unit began to be brought to its technological parameters. On the eve of 2020, all blast furnaces of the plant — No. 1M, 9 and 12 — are in operation,” the press service reported.

In September 2019, DMK suspended the blast furnace No. 12. At that time, because of a sharp drop in demand and prices for metal products, DMK suspended some of its main production capacities. During the suspension period, the maintenance of the blast furnace was carried out.

On 26 December, workers of the plant loaded iron ore into the blast furnace No. 12. Blast-furnace operators expect to produce the first 65 tons of pig iron in this furnace until 1 January 2020.

Since mid-September 2019, only one out of the three blast furnaces of the plant, No. 1M, has been in operation. On 18 November, operation of the blast furnace No. 9 was resumed.

In January–November, DMK reduced steel production by 6.4% to 2.052 million tons, and pig iron by 17.4% to 1.848 million tons.