Zlatoust Metallurgical Works (ZMZ), a subsidiary of the Russian steel producer ESTAR Holding, plans in September to increase its capacity utilization rate to 70 percent of the pre-crisis level.
Accordingly, in the current month ZMZ plans to melt about 27,000 mt of crude steel, compared to 20,000 mt in August, and expects an increase in steel product deliveries from 12,000 mt in August to 20,000 mt, a representative of Zlatoust city administration stated.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, in mid-August ZMZ restarted operations at its open hearth furnace No.7, idled in December 2008, which was possible due to the trilateral strategic partnership agreement reached between ZMZ, Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant, a subsidiary of Russian mining and steel producing group Mechel, and the Chelyabinsk regional administration. The agreement has targeted the higher capacity utilization rate of equipment, with ZMZ also not to sell less than 20,000-25,000 mt of products per month.