ArcelorMittal will restart blast furnace at Dunkirk Steel Plant in August

Published: Jul 17, 2020 13:30

Save

SMM7: ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steelmaker, said it would restart one of its two temporarily idle blast furnaces in Dunkirk, northern France, in August.

ArcelorMittal plans to restart the No. 3 blast furnace in August, with an annual crude steel production capacity of 3 million tons per year, but the exact date has not yet been set.

Dunkirk (Dunkerque) has three blast furnaces with a total annual production capacity of 7 million tons, but only one is currently in operation. The two largest blast furnaces were temporarily shut down in March and April as demand fell due to a coronavirus pandemic.

The steel market in Europe is gradually recovering, but demand in advanced economies is expected to fall 17.1 per cent year-on-year in 2020, according to the World Iron and Steel Association.

As a result of the pandemic, ArcelorMittal left its No. 1 blast furnace idle in Binhai Foss on March 23. The plant's No.2 blast furnace was supposed to be idle in June, but it was delayed by a month.

Crude steel production in France fell 25 per cent year-on-year to 4.8 million tons in the first five months of 2020, according to the World Iron and Steel Association.

Scan the QR code and join the SMM metal communication group.

ArcelorMittal steel mill

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM‘s internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or to learn more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

May 29, 2026 23:56

[SMM Nickel Market Flash] Indonesia Nickel Industry Seeks Clarity on Whether NPI Falls Under Mandatory DSI Export Rule

The Forum Industri Nikel Indonesia (FINI) has formally requested government clarification on the scope of ferro alloy products that will be required to export through PT Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia (DSI), Indonesia's newly established single-window export body. FINI Chairman Arif Perdana Kusumah said the industry is still awaiting an official commodity list, with the key open question being whether the mandatory DSI routing applies only to ferronickel (FeNi) or also to nickel pig iron (NPI). Ferronickel, a nickel-iron alloy with typical nickel content of 20-40%, is a key feedstock for stainless steel. The uncertainty adds to operational planning challenges for NPI producers as the DSI framework takes shape.

May 29, 2026 23:56

May 29, 2026 23:53

[SMM Nickel Market Flash] Harita Nickel Reports Q1 2026 Revenue of Rp6.81T (~$418M), Full-Year 2025 at Rp29.63T

PT Trimegah Bangun Persada (NCKL), known as Harita Nickel, reported Q1 2026 revenue of Rp6.81 trillion (~$418 million) and full-year 2025 revenue of Rp29.63 trillion (~$1.82 billion), with all production lines — nickel ore mining, RKEF pyrometallurgy, and HPAL hydrometallurgy producing MHP and nickel sulphate — running on target. The company said it is maintaining a measured operational approach across its integrated value chain amid a challenging global nickel market. On ESG, Harita reported Q1 2026 emissions avoidance of 977,278 tCO2e, up 37% year-on-year, supported by waste heat recovery, biosolar use, and coal gasification technology. The company is also advancing IRMA corrective actions and preparing for RMAP supply chain due diligence audit.

May 29, 2026 23:53

May 29, 2026 23:46

[SMM Nickel Market Flash] First Atlantic Gets Newfoundland Permit to Advance Awaruite Ni-Co Project and Geologic H2 Test

First Atlantic Nickel & Cobalt Corp. has received a supplemental exploration permit from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for its wholly owned Pipestone XL Nickel-Cobalt Alloy Project, covering a 30-kilometre ophiolite complex. The permit authorizes wellbore water injection, additional drilling, and Electrical Resistivity Tomography surveys. The project targets awaruite (Ni3Fe), a naturally occurring nickel-iron-cobalt alloy (~77% nickel) that requires no smelting, roasting, or acid leaching — eliminating processing steps typical of sulphide or laterite ore. The permit also advances a secondary initiative to stimulate geologic hydrogen production by injecting water into serpentinizing ultramafic rock, developed in collaboration with the Colorado School of Mines.

May 29, 2026 23:46