[Ferro-Alloys.com] Romanian media reported that ArcelorMittal's Long Products division has temporarily halted production at its steel mill in Romania's Hunedoara country since December 1st due to high gas and power prices and unfavourable market conditions. ArcelorMittal said "The prices of electricity and natural gas have increased significantly for industrial users in Romania in recent years, and are significantly higher than in other European countries with important operators in the steel production, such as France and Germany. 

 

As European steelmakers are struggling to compete due to high levels of imported steel and weak domestic demand, the Hunedoara plant, which operates with an electric arc furnace, with energy thus representing a major cost is no longer able to compete in the market." 

 

ArcelorMittal purchased the plant in Hunedoara in 2003 and has since invested EUR 115 million to improve it technically and environmentally. The steel works employs 640 and has 200 contractors. Employees were asked to take their remaining paid annual leave. For the days after that the company put workers on technical leave. (Steel Guru)