ArcelorMittal says that it is to increase its production cuts in Europe, in response to ongoing steel demand weakness and high imports levels in the market, Kallanish learns from the company.

The new cuts are expected to reduce output by some 1-1.5 million tonnes/year, mainly in the flats sector, adding to the previously-announced measures impacting some 3 million tonnes of production.

The company says that primary steelmaking production will be reduced in Dunkirk (France), Bremen (Germany), Eisenhüttenstadt (Germany) and Asturias (Spain). In Bremen and Asturias, the impact will be mainly in the fourth quarter, when one blast furnace at each of the plants will be halted for repair work to be carried out.

A spokesperson from the company confirms however that ArcelorMittal will “… remain flexible and adapt according to how the market evolves.” He adds that most reductions will impact the end of the current year.

“This is again a hard decision for us to have taken but given the level of weakness in the market, we feel it is the prudent course of action. This will be a temporary measure that will be reversed when market conditions improve. In the meantime, our employees remain our utmost priority and we are doing everything we can to ensure that the right social measures are in place to support them and their families during this difficult time,” ceo of ArcelorMittal Europe Flat products, Geert van Poelvoorde, says.