22 May 2020
Metinvest Group's Azovstal is recommissioning Blast Furnace No.4 from stand-by mode following its major overhaul. The specialists have developed a blow in program in order to bring the blast furnace to its working parameters gradually. Major overhaul cost UAH 21.1 million in investments.
After the shutdown and stand-by caused by lower demand for steel due to quarantine restrictions, Blast Furnace No. 4 resumes its operation. Steel makers used the opportunity provided by the equipment idling to overhaul the blast furnace. Key works included the replacement of the valves of the bell-less top charging device, scheduled repair of auxiliary equipment and furnace facilities, as well as cleaning of the pipelines of the dedusting system to preserve its design capacity.
"In spite of the current situation in the world and the decline in demand for steel products due to the coronavirus pandemic, we have effectively used the downtime of our equipment. Preventive repairs and major overhauls were rescheduled to this period. As a result, the upgraded equipment is ready to operate in conditions of adaptive quarantine and gradual recovery of the demand for steel," said Enver Tskitishvili, General Director of Azovstal.
We would like to remind that despite the difficult situation in connection with the quarantine measures in Ukraine, metallurgical enterprises of the Metinvest Group in Mariupol continued to operate. Employees of the enterprises took all necessary measures to protect their health and others in order to maintain economic stability in the city. In addition, the Metinvest Group did not take the opportunity of tax holidays, which enabled the Company to contribute to the budget of Mariupol in full in the face of the pandemic.