7TH EUROPEAN COKE AND IRONMAKING CONGRESS - ECIC 2016

Over the past years, several factors such as weak demand, high raw material costs and global overcapacity have exerted unprecedented pressure on steel producers around the world. The liquid section of the steel plant, and the blast furnace in particular, covers a substantial part of the overall production cost. This article discusses a scenario for sustainable hot metal production under these conditions based on assessment of risks related to operations and maintenance condition of the plant. It addresses the question of whether or not our industry is prepared for the operational conditions that are the result of the conditions under which we have had to operate in recent years.