Slovak ferro-alloys producer OFZ Slovakia is producing a reduced rate of ferro-silicon, compounding other European plants that have cut production in response to the fall in consumption from steelmakers struggling to tackle end-user demand, an industry source told Fastmarkets.
OFZ Slovakia is operating only two of its four ferro-silicon producing furnaces, with the rest of its furnaces producing manganese alloys around their respective production capacities, the source said.
The company currently produces about 2,000 tonnes per month of standard grade ferro-silicon in total, out of an overall plant production capacity of around 50,000-60,000 tonnes per year, the source added.
"A lot of demand has returned in Europe although OFZ Slovakia is still running a reduced rate of standard-grade ferro-silicon production, which it has cut steadily since the [end of] the first quarter ," the source said.
The company has been making spot sales of about ?,?980 per tonne delivered, industry sources told Fastmarkets.
The ferro-silicon market has recovered...