Steel Market Production Cuts – Italian steelmaker Ilva has idled the 1.8 mtpy plate mill and the 70,000 tpy pipe mill No. 2 due to weak market conditions and may still have to shut down the entire plant if the government’s environmental sanctions are not lifted.

Steel Market Production Cuts – Chinese steelmaker Bayi Iron and Steel has permanently shut down two BOF’s with combined capacity of 1 mtpy due to “excessive emissions.”

Steel Market Production Increases – American pipemaker Welspun Tubular will begin operations at the new 175,000-225,000 tpy ERW OCTG mill in Little Rock, Arkansas in January.

Steel Market Production Cuts – Swiss Steel AG will halt production of the 560,000 tpy EAF at the Emmenbrucke plant until about August 2013, to allow Siemens to make upgrades that will boost capacity to 650,000 tpy.

Steel Market Production Cuts – Chinese steelmaker Yuanda Steel Science and Technology has completed a new 1.2 mtpy cold-rolled sheet facility inBinzhou,Shandong. The company plans to add a pickling line, hot dip galvanizing line, and two color-coating lines in the future.

Steel Market Production Increases – Italian steelmaker AFV Beltrame has decided to restart the merchant bar mill at the San Giovanni Valdarno facility in January, after being closed for about a year. However, the mill is expected to operate at a low production rate.

Sources: Steel Business Briefing, American Metal Market, SteelOrbis