Bangkok--17 Apr--Sahaviriya Steel Industries
SSI started to blow hot air blast into its Redcar Blast Furnace and in that process relit the blast furnace and marked the resumption of iron & steel making at its SSI Teesside site after 26 months mothballing.
On 15 April 2012, Sahaviriya Steel Industries UK Ltd. (SSI UK) held a blast furnace blow-in ceremony among SSI UK management and staffs, including Group CEO and President of Sahaviriya Steel Industries Plc. (SSI) Mr. Win Viriyaprapaikit, together with representatives from the local community and union. The blast furnace, which was mothballed in February 2010, had been loaded with raw materials such as iron ore and coke and was ignited by the hot air blast at 1,200 degree-celsius temperature.
“It had been one full year of hard work and I thank all for their dedication and support. In a few days’ time, the hot metal will reach the steel plant and the first steel slab will be casted. I know how everyone felt when the plant was mothballed 26 months ago after 170 years of steel making heritage and I can’t imagine how much joy this would bring to the workforce and the community,” remarked Mr. Win.
Phil Dryden, Chief Executive of SSI UK, said, “I am very pleased that we can now look forward to resuming steelmaking at Teesside after a two year absence. This is an historic day and I would like to record my appreciation to all those who have been involved, for their commitment and hard work, on what has been a complex and demanding restart program. We now look forward to creating a successful and sustainable business which will benefit the local community and external stakeholders for generations to come.”
Editors Notes;
1. Sahaviriya Steel Industries UK Ltd (SSI UK), located at Redcar in the North East England is a 100% owned UK based subsidiary of Sahaviriya Steel Industries Public Company Limited (SSI)
2. SSI UK comprises iron and steel making facilities with a capacity of 3.6million tonnes of slab production per annum
3. SSI is the largest steel sheet producer in South East Asia with an annual hot rolling capacity of 4 million tonnes, and is publicly owned and listed in the Stock Exchange of Thailand