ArcelorMittal Temirtau boosts steel production 10.3% in 2011
ALMATY. March 6 (Interfax) - The ArcelorMittal Temirtau steel works in Kazakhstan boosted crude steel output 10.3% in 2011 to 3.684 million tonnes, the company said.
Production of pig iron rose 8.5% to 3.141 million tonnes, rolled steel rose 8.5% to 3.165 million tonnes, sintered ore by 11.4% to 5.856 million tonnes and iron-ore concentrate by 5.2% to 3.956 million tonnes. Coal production fell 2.3% to 10.620 million tonnes.
"In 2011 we witnessed a recovery of production growth, but its fast pace was held back by reduction in orders for some types of steel and shortage of rolling stock to ship products outside Kazakhstan," said ArcelorMittal Temirtau CEO Vijay Mahadevan.
ArcelorMittal Temirtau is the largest steel plant in Kazakhstan. Arcelor Mittal acquired the Kazakh plant in mid 1990s and made it a fully integrated metal combine. The company owns eight coalmines in the Karaganda region and four iron ore mines in the Karaganda, Akmola and Kostanai regions.
Capex in ArcelorMittal's Kazakhstan-based assets was $383 million in 2011, including $245 million in steel, $125 million in iron ore and $13 million in coal. Overall capex should rise 14% this year to $328 million, the company said.