Mescier launched a 1mn mt electric arc furnace (EAF) at its facility in Karabuk, Turkey. The addition of the EAF means the steelmaker would now consume scrap to feed the furnace.
The company noted it plans to purchase ferrous scrap both, domestically and from the Azov-Black Sea basin. The company has enough material at present for the EAF but indicated it would require an estimated 1.1-1.2mn mt of scrap per year when the new EAF reached full capacity.
The Turkish steelmaker aims to play an important role in the Black Sea region in supplying billet to rolling mills and plans to decrease its own billet imports considerably. The company formerly purchased 600,000-700,000mt of billets, of which 90pc were from the CIS region.
The company is also likely to diversify its merchant bar product range after producing its own 180-200mm billets.
Mescier operates four rolling mills with a total capacity of 700,000mt per year.