Acciaierie d’Italia (ADI) is set to restart blast furnace no.1 at its Taranto steelworks on 15 October, marking a significant step in the company’s efforts to revive production. The restart ceremony will be attended by the company’s special commissioners and Italy’s Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso. The furnace restart is part of a broader plan to restore operations at the facility, which has faced substantial production delays in recent months.
Currently, only blast furnace no.4 is operational at the Taranto plant, while blast furnaces 1, 2, and 5 have been offline. BF no.2 is scheduled for restart in the first quarter of 2025, and by early 2026, ADI aims to have blast furnaces 1, 2, and 4 running, with an eye on producing 4.5-5 million tonnes of steel by 2025. However, sources suggest that the company’s target of 1.9-2.2 million tonnes in 2024 may be difficult to achieve.
The delays at Taranto have already disrupted the supply chain, impacting production at re-rollers and service centres, including Liberty Magona in Piombino. Despite these setbacks, ADI is moving forward with plans to restore its production capacity.
Meanwhile, ADI is under special administration and evaluating several letters of interest for the company’s assets. Potential buyers include Vulcan Green Steel, Canada’s Stelco, and Baku Steel Company. Additionally, firms like Marcegaglia have expressed interest in acquiring specific assets, such as the tube mills and the Novi Ligure facility.
Steelmakers like Metinvest, Arvedi, and Nippon Steel have also shown interest in investing in Taranto, although none have formally submitted letters of interest. As ADI continues its restructuring efforts, the company remains at the center of potential acquisitions and industry interest.
