In addition to the blast furnace reline that will be carried out at ArcelorMittal Bremen this year, the group has lined up another €23 million ($24.2m) for further upgrades, Kallanish learns from the steelmaker.

The mill will thus be enabled to modernise its secondary cooling and the continuous casting line. In its energy supply system, the 110/30kV power transformer and the steam storage will be replaced. Bremen daily Weser Kurier says that the decision was made at short notice at the end of December. It quotes works council chairman Klaus Hering as saying that the secondary cooling [… system] makes a big difference especially for the quality of the steel.

The report notes that the news gives a boost for the company, which experienced difficulties this time last year when management and staff agreed on cutting working time and wages by -4%. The short time working agreement will expire at the end of February. The mill has made an offer to staff to opt for continued working time/wage reduction on a voluntary basis, so than new young full-time workers can be hired. Hering notes that the mill needs rejuvenation, with an average staff age of 47, and he expects up to 900 employees (out of 4,500) to accept that offer.

Blast furnace 2 produces 7,000 tonnes/day of pig iron, two thirds of the total daily tonnage. It’s reline will cost €44 million.