The new furnace will have an iron output of some 1.5 million tonnes per year when it comes on stream in January 2003. Together with its existing No. 4 blast furnace, Port Talbot will have an annual iron output of some 3.4 million tonnes.
The furnace will be built to an established design and dismantling of the existing No. 5 Blast Furnace will
commence immediately.
Environmental
Corus says it is committed to improving the environmental performance of its processes and will take the opportunity to make a step change by incorporating modern “emission arrestment” equipment into the new furnace structure. This will help to improve local air quality standards and Corus says that this will ensure that the Port Talbot works operates within all existing and anticipated legislative requirements.
Dr. Mark Carr, Managing Director, Corus Strip Products UK, said: “After a difficult period for our employees and the local community, I am delighted to start 2002 by announcing this decision to rebuild the badly damaged No. 5 Blast Furnace”.
“This is a major engineering project which will return Port Talbot works to
normal operations as soon as possible. This investment complements other
business improvement programmes that we are undertaking to secure the ongoing viability of our operations in South Wales.”
Investigations into the cause of the explosion at the No. 5 Blast Furnace on November 8, 2001 are still being conducted by South Wales Police in
conjunction with the Health & Safety Executive. The separate Corus investigation is also ongoing. Three people were killed and several more injured in the accident.
Liquid steel
The blast furnace manufactures liquid iron at temperatures of around 1,500
degrees centigrade, which is then transferred to a Basic Oxygen steelmaking unit in order to manufacture liquid steel. Corus manufactures a range of flat steel products at its Port Talbot and Llanwern works for a number of different industries and applications. These include body panels and suspension systems for the automotive industry, wall and roof panels for the construction sector, beverage cans, aerosols and drums for
the packaging industry, and components for domestic appliances and consumer electronic equipment.
Corus employs some 8,000 people in Wales, of whom 3,000 are based at Port Talbot.
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