Global steel giant ArcelorMittal will halt blast furnace No. 3 with a 2.8 million mt per year crude steel production capacity at its Tubarão integrated slab and flat steel complex located in Espírito Santo state, Brazil, for 45 days due to the serious effects of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, according to media reports.
The company stated that it will continue to supply its customers in a normal way via its inventories. Also, it reportedly will temporarily reduce production at some long steel units, but operations at its Joao Monlevade wire rod plant and at its iron ore mine Mina do Andrade will be maintained without any change.
ArcelorMittal said that it has implemented many precautions at its all units across the world in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and public authorities, in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus inside and outside the company.
ArcelorMittal had halted blast furnace No. 2 at the Tubarão complex in July 2019, citing market conditions.