Both high furnaces in forge "U.S. Steel Serbia" on hold starting April

Smederevo-based forge "U.S. Steel Serbia" announced yesterday (April 1st, 2009) that it would temporarily discontinue the work of both high furnaces and units Čeličana and Konti at the beginning of April.

The Communications Manager in "U.S. Steel" in Serbia, Nemanja Brković, told Beta agency that Topla Valjaonica (Hot Rolling Mill), Hladna Valjaonica (Cold Rolling Mill) and Factory of White Sheet Metals in Šabac would resume production at slower pace.

Brković added that semi-finished steel products for that final production would be provided from the stock and from Slovakian forge Košice, which had also reduced the capacity of production.

- The global economic crisis had significant influence on the steel industry and market – said he and added that that was the reason why the company had adapted production to the needs of the buyers at the end of year 2008.

- We have been maintaining production at that level during the first three months of year 2009 as well – said Brković.

He reminded that American "U.S. Steel" corporation had decided to consolidate production in Europe at the end of year 2008 by temporarily discontinuing the primary production in Serbia.

"U.S. Steel" cut working week in Serbia from five to four days at the beginning of March.

American company "U.S. Steel" bought former “Sartid” in 2003, and it currently has about 6,000 workers in the units in Smederevo, Šabac and Kučevo.