SHANGHAI, Jul 19 (SMM) – Production at blast furnaces will be reduced by 20% and sintering processes by 42% at Hebei Jinxi Iron & Steel, the largest steelmaker in Qianxi county of Tangshan. The cuts were declared in a notice by the county government in the last two days. The same cuts will also be imposed on the company's special steel sub-entity.  

This move came in response to the Tangshan municipal government's announcement last week of a fresh round of production cuts to fight sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide pollution. 

Pig iron capacity in Qianxi stood at 9.85 million mt per year. Tangshan's annual pig iron capacity of 139.59 million mt accounted for 10.6% of China's output, SMM data showed.

On Tuesday July 17, local governments released details of production cuts for steel mills in Fengrun district and Qian'an city of Tangshan.