Zaporizhzhia-based Zaporizhstal Iron and Steel Works is blowing up blast furnace No. 2 after a short-term third-degree overhaul.
According to the company on Wednesday, the overhaul lasted around the clock for six days. BF-2 will be blown up until the end of this week. The plant allocated more than UAH 85 million to upgrade the blast furnace.
“The specialists of Zaporizhstal’s blast furnace shop and engineering service, together with the specialists of Metinvest-Promservice and Zaporozhogneupor, have fully completed the planned work on the second blast furnace upgrade. The overhaul was preceded by a thorough preparatory stage, which made it possible to reduce the repair time by a day,” said Roman Slobodianiuk, CEO of the enterprise.
In total, about 200 specialists from the plant and contractors worked at the site. The main works performed include replacement of the backfill machine, repair of the foundry equipment, hydraulic and lubrication systems, repair of metal structures and railways of the bunker overpass, as well as maintenance of the aspiration systems of the production unit.
The main goal of the BF-2 overhaul is to increase equipment reliability and sustainability of the blast furnace production process and improve product quality, the press release explains.
It is also reminded that during the full-scale war, Zaporizhstal allocated more than UAH 1.2 billion to upgrade production equipment and treatment facilities operating at the complex. The main focus was on maintaining and upgrading equipment to ensure its reliable operation in unforeseen conditions.
As reported earlier, in January-April 2024, Zaporizhstal increased its rolled steel output by 59.1% compared to the same period in 2023, up to 844.8 thousand tons from 530.9 thousand tons, steel by 56.1%, to 1 million 9.3 thousand tons, and pig iron by 46.5%, to 1 million 50.4 thousand tons.
“In 2023, Zaporizhstal increased its rolled products output by 57.2% compared to 2022, up to 2 million 54.7 thousand tons, steel by 65.4%, up to 2 million 466.9 thousand tons, and pig iron by 35.3%, up to 2 million 718.9 thousand tons.
“Zaporizhstal is one of the largest industrial enterprises in Ukraine, whose products are in great demand among consumers both in the domestic market and in many countries of the world.
“Zaporizhstal is in the process of integration into Metinvest Group, whose major shareholders are System Capital Management (71.24%) and Smart Holding Group (23.76%).
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
