ArcelorMittal announces sale of more US steel making facilities

By Paul Ploumis (ScrapMonster Author)

March 08, 2016 02:03:22 AM

SPOKANE (Scrap Monster): ArcelorMittal has decided to sell three of its US steel facilities. The company noted that it is in discussions regarding sale of certain long product mills. It intends to sell LaPlace, Steelton and Vinton facilities. In addition, the company has also decided to permanently shut the Luxembourg Schifflange long products plant.

According to the company, the US operations have already implemented several cost-cutting measures including restricted purchases and revised health care plan for employees. The company is also in efforts to boost performance improvement and implement asset optimization at its steel making facilities. In March last year, it had idled its Indiana Harbor long carbon facility. Also, it had closed its Georgia wire rod facility in August. The company had reported had reported loss of $8 billion during 2015.

The company website states that the Steelton facility has an annual production capability of 1 million mt. The mill operates an electric arc furnace, a three-strand continuous bloom caster and an ingot-teeming facility. It also operates a ladle furnace, a vacuum degasser, a 44-inch breakdown mill, 35-inch/28-inch rail mill and a 20-inch bar mill.

The LaPlace mill has an annual steelmaking capacity of 620,000 mt and annual rolling capacity of 480,000 mt. It produces angles, beams, channel, flats and rebar for light structural shapes and merchant and rebar markets. The facility includes an electric arc furnace, ladle metallurgy station, two four-strand continuous billet casters and a 15-strand Danieli medium section mill.

The Vinton mini-mill has an annual raw steelmaking capability of 320,000 mt. It produces rebar for the commercial and industrial construction industry, grinding balls for the mining industry, and smooth rounds. The facility includes an electric arc furnace, billet caster, rolling mill and bar mill.