https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Stainless change in Europe to hit demand for SA ferrochrome

19th September 2013

By: Creamer Media Reporter

  

Font size: - +

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly) - Demand for South African ferrochrome into Europe will decline as the European stainless steel industry is in full consolidation mode and companies are forced to keep operations as efficient as possible, Outokumpu Chrome VP ferrochrome sales Mauri Kauppi said.

European stainless producers are reconfiguring their businesses to become more cost competitive with players elsewhere in the world, notably the lower-cost producers in India and China, he told delegates at Metal Bulletin’s African Ferroalloys conference in Johannesburg.

Outokumpu is in the midst of merging with ThyssenKrupp’s Inoxum division. As part of the European Competition Commission’s demands,

Outokumpu must shed its flat steel products smelt shop in Terni, in Italy.

Producers will focus on cost efficiencies in their operations and he expected inefficient smelters to close down.

“For Europe it means there will be less smelting capacity and, therefore, less consumption of ferroalloys,” Kauppi commented.

He expected Europe to retain some stainless steel capacity in 15 to 20 years.

“If Japanese producers are going to continue, surrounded by Asian tigers, we should do it,” he said.

Lack of new investment in European ferrochrome projects meant that the stainless producers would continue to rely on ferrochrome imports, he added.

Outokumpu, which owns the Kemi chrome mine and the Tornio ferrochrome plant, in Finland, is spending €440-million ($603-million) on an expansion project that will double its ferrochrome capacity to 530 000 t/y by 2015.

The mine produces around 1.3-million tons of chrome ore a year.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

Latest News

Magazine video image
Magazine round up | 29 March 2024
Updated 6 minutes ago
Image of Metair CEO Paul O’Flaherty
Metair to tackle high debt, gauge Mutlu’s future  
27th March 2024 By: Irma Venter

Showroom

Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East

Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Multotec
Multotec

Multotec, recognised industry leaders in metallurgy and process engineering help mining houses across the world process minerals more efficiently,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.062 0.113s - 156pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now