Steel Mills

ArcelorMittal Mexico to return to full production next week

Written by Laura Miller

October 9, 2024

After a complete stoppage earlier this year, ArcelorMittal Mexico’s steel mill in Lazaro Cardenas, in the state of Michoacán, will soon return to full production.

The company announced it previously restarted flat product production and will return to making long products on Oct. 16.

It noted that the mill’s capacity for manufacturing long products is 1.5 million metric tons per year (mtpy). The restart will help the company reach the mill’s total production capacity of 5.3 million mtpy.

“This milestone represents the company’s full return to the Mexican steel market, after a gradual reactivation process,” the company said in a statement translated from Spanish.

Recall that a labor strike earlier this year forced the mill to close for 55 days. The steelmaker and local mining union reached an agreement to end the work stoppage in July.

The mill on Mexico’s west coast operates one blast furnace for manufacturing long products, including bars and wire rod. It also has four electric-arc furnaces for making flat products.

In 2023, the mill produced 3.8 million mt of crude steel, with 2.8 million mt of flats and 1.0 million mt of longs.

Victor Cairo, CEO of ArcelorMittal Mexico, emphasized that resuming operations is important for both the company and the local economy.

“The restart of the plant in Michoacán not only marks the return to its maximum production capacity, but also contributes to the development of critical infrastructure for Mexico and the strengthening of the country’s industrial sector,” the company said.

Laura Miller

Laura Miller is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. She has held a variety of positions within the steel industry since 2007, including reporting and editing for Steel Business Briefing/Platts, the Association for Iron and Steel Technology, and Kallanish Commodities, as well as marketing for what was then known as ThyssenKrupp Steel USA (now AM/NS Calvert). After a five-year hiatus working across other industries, she returned to steel in 2021 and has covered the flat rolled, tubular, and trade areas of the industry. She is a member of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries and a past-president of the AWMI Pittsburgh Chapter. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She can be reached at laura@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7869.

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