Brazilian flats producer Usiminas announced that it will restart its blast furnace number 3 on January 24.
The unit received investments estimated at $540 million for its revamping, which increased its pig iron production capacity to 3.0 million mt per year, from the original 2.7 million mt capacity.
According to Usiminas CFO Thiago Rodrigues, the BF achieved a productivity gain 30 percent higher than expected, with a reduction of 20 percent of the coke consumption.
Due to the alleged competition from imported Chinese products in the domestic market, Usiminas will stop operations of its blast furnace number 1, of 700,000 mt per year capacity, soon after the blast furnace number 3 achieves full pace.