Overhaul of blast furnace at ArcelorMittal

A ceremonial contract signing for the general overhaul of the blast furnace at ArcelorMittal Zenica was held at the company's premises. The contract was signed with the Italian company Danieli Corus, and the project is worth 38 million KM, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

The signing ceremony, in addition to the management of ArcelorMittal Zenica, led by General Director Biju Nair, was attended by the General Director of Danieli Corus, Peter Zonneveld, Assistant Minister at the Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry
Marinko Bošnjak, Mayor of Zenica Fuad Kasumović, Prime Minister of Zenica-Doboj Canton Miralem Galijašević, and other distinguished guests.

Blast furnace number 4 is the only blast furnace still in operation at ArcelorMittal Zenica. It dates back to 1979 and its usual working life is 10-11 years. By mid-2018, this facility will have completed 13 years of operation, as it was out of service for almost 17 years as a result of the war.

Therefore, the management of ArcelorMittal Zenica decided to carry out a general overhaul of the blast furnace facility, i.e.,
relining the furnace, thus ensuring uninterrupted operation of the facility for the next 15 years.

- The management, union, and workers of ArcelorMittal Zenica continuously invest efforts in the sustainability of steel production in Zenica despite the major challenges existing in this branch of industry, and in this way secure 3,100 direct and over 10,000 indirect jobs. This project is significant not only for Zenica but also for Prijedor, which share a long common history in mining and steel production - stated the General Director of ArcelorMittal Zenica, Biju Nair.