Finland-based stainless steel producer Outokumpu has announced that it has decided to delay the restart of one of its three ferrochrome furnaces after a planned maintenance break due to high energy prices and the unstable energy market.
The maintenance break starts today, September 7 and the restart was initially planned for week 40 of the year. Ferrochrome production will continue at about 70 percent of its full capacity.
Despite the decrease in its ferrochrome production, the company’s stainless steel production will remain at normal levels, and these measures will not impact its customer deliveries or financial outlook for the third quarter.
Outokumpu has already been optimizing its ferrochrome production to avoid the worst peaks in prices, as SteelOrbis previously reported.