Blast furnace No. 3 of the Zaporizhstal metallurgical plant was stopped for a major overhaul lasting 17 days. According to the press service of the plant, the main goal of this event is to restore the resource and design characteristics of the unit, increase the efficiency of production and environmental equipment.
As part of the overhaul, specialists from Zaporizhstal, Metinvest-Promservis, "Zaporozhogneupora" and other contractors will replace tuyere cooling plates, restore the refractory lining of the furnace, carry out a deep revision and repair of the mechanisms of charge feeding equipment and foundry equipment. Particular attention in the repair will be paid to the maintenance of the aspiration system of the foundry and the bunker rack, elements of modern gas cleaning.
“We continue to implement a comprehensive program for the technical renovation of the main production units of the blast furnace shop. At the final straight repair of air heater No. 9, the renewal of air heater No. 13 continues. These activities, in combination with the overhaul of BF No. 3, will increase the reliability and efficiency of the entire blast furnace process. In 2023, the plant will allocate UAH 450 million for the overhaul of the blast furnace units,” said Roman Slobodyanyuk, CEO of Zaporizhstal of the Metinvest Group.
Zaporozhye is regularly subjected to Russian shelling. “Every day when the air raid siren sounds, we are afraid that our plant may come under fire,” says line manager Artem Kalinievich, 33, who has been working at the plant since 2009.
Although the huge complex is equipped underground shelters, specialists working in a rolling shop, smelting metal or pouring steel into open-hearth furnaces, cannot leave their workplaces. “Production is continuous. If we suddenly stop it, there will be a dangerous situation. Yes, we are worried, but we must continue to work,” explains the manager.
Zaporizhstal is one of the largest industrial enterprises in Ukraine, whose products are in great demand among consumers both on the domestic market and in many countries peace. The plant specializes in high-quality steel hot-rolled coil, hot-rolled sheet, cold-rolled sheet, cold-rolled coil made of carbon and low-alloy steels, as well as steel strip, black tin, bent profile.
The main consumers of products are manufacturers of welded pipes, enterprises of automotive, transport, agricultural engineering, manufacturers of household appliances.
Because of the war, Zaporizhstal lost sales markets in Asia, in particular in Turkey, as well as in North Africa and reoriented deliveries of metal products to Europe and was forced to reorient to Europe, where it is easier to get there by land.
Zaporizhstal is in the process of integrating into the Metinvest group, the main shareholders of which are Rinat Akhmetov's System Capital Management PJSC ( 71.24%) and Vadim Novinsky's Smart Holding group of companies (23.76%).
