LIBERTY Galati hits record production levels in 2021

LIBERTY Galati, the largest integrated steel producer in Romania, has reported its strongest annual production levels since 2010, with its Blast Furnace No. 5 achieving 2.1 million tonnes of hot metal, the highest production level since its installation in 1978. The business reported a total production volume of 2.35 million tonnes in 2021, due to a range of operational and management efficiency improvements, and continues to increase its production level while transforming LIBERTY Galati into a low carbon GREENSTEEL producer.

LIBERTY Galati reported a range of record production results across the business in 2021:

• Blast Furnace No 5 produced 2.1 million tonnes of hot metal, up 13% on 2020, and the highest production level achieved in 43 years.
• The Hot Strip Mill achieved a production volume of 1.62 million tonnes, an increase of almost 20% compared to 2020, and the best record since 2017.
• The Steel Melting Shop broke all records in the past 12 years – with 2.35 million tonnes of liquid steel production.
• Crude steel volumes rose to 2.3 million tonnes in 2021.
• LIBERTY Galati achieved the highest production at its Galva line since 2000, with 222,000 tonnes last year.
• The Organic Coating Line also achieved the best production ever since line commissioning in Galati in 2017 – 88,000 tonnes, a 15% increase compared to 2020.

The production gains were underpinned by equally strong quality results. The improvements in the company’s production performance were achieved through a combination of continued employee commitment to the business as well as numerous operational investments since LIBERTY acquired the steelworks in 2019. These include:

• A €13.5 million modernization of Hot Stove No. 1, which has increased the performance of the steelworks’ Blast Furnace No. 5;
• A €5.5 million consolidation and automation project in the Hot Strip Mill allowing it to benefit from better markets in 2021, along with a series of digitalization and automation projects implemented in the Galati plant last year;
• A €6.3 million investment in a state-of-the-art coating pipes line for Tubular Products.

Paramjit Kahlon, CEO of LIBERTY Steel Group Primary Steel & Mining, stated: “This is an excellent set of production results and is a testament to the efforts of everyone who works at the plant. It also highlights the commitment and resources LIBERTY has invested in the business as we continue to modernize and improve the future of the plant and of those who work here. We are well on our way to transforming LIBERTY Galati into a company of the future as we aim to become sustainable and carbon neutral by 2030. It is a very exciting time for all of us who want to be part of the plant’s bright, clean future.”

Prasanta Mishra (photo), Executive Director LIBERTY Galati, said: “Last year’s production records represent an important step in our journey to reach not only high volumes of steel but also produce quality steel with a reduced carbon footprint. Behind the numbers, there is also an improved quality of our products and services, as a result of the operational and management efficiency projects implemented in LIBERTY Galati over the last few years. We continue our efforts to increase the production level up to 3 million tonnes per year, and – after implementing our GREENSTEEL transformation plans – we target an even more ambitious 4 million tonnes.”

LIBERTY Galati’s up to €1 billion GREENSTEELtransformational plan, which aims to make the plant carbon neutral by 2030, will deliver: two electric arc furnaces (EAF) and a Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) plant, initially using Natural Gas before transitioning to green Hydrogen in the future, which will reduce CO2 emissions per tonne of steel produced by up to 80%; an integrated MI.DA Minimill, with the potential to increase plant’s production up to 4Mtpa; and a 180MW solar farm and a 20MW wind farm onsite which will maximise the plant’s consumption of renewable power and reduce our overall electricity consumption. The transformation programme will be supported by the GREENSTEEL Academy, which aims to upskill the plant’s current workforce and encourage new people into the industry.