Ukraine's largest long steel producer, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, is currently holding cold tests of its two new continuous casting machines - also known as CCM No2 and CCM No3 - which have combined annual capacity of 2.8 million tonnes, the company told Fastmarkets on Friday March 29.
The move is aimed at strengthening the steelmaker's position in the billet export market and enabling ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih to expand its product range to include 130x130mm billet."Hot tests at the CCM No3 will start in April as its construction was started first. Hot tests at CCM No2 are scheduled to be started in July. This equipment is expected to be put into operation in the second half of 2019," a company official said.The new equipment will be installed next to the existing 1.2-million...