Another production plant started in Liberty in Ostrava, a rolling mill for flat products was launched

Source: iDnes.cz Date: 24.01.2025 Author: Darek Štalmach

The Liberty Ostrava started another operation. After more than a year, the employees of the flat products rolling mill have started working again, producing sheet metal. This time, however, from imported slabs, i.e. steel semi-finished products intended for further processing.

"This represents another important milestone for us. Flat products, such as coils, sheets and steel strips, traditional products of the smelter, are returning to Liberty's portfolio and we are now relaunching them on the market," commented Tomas Mischinger, Director of Vítkovice Machinery Trade from the CE Industries Group. The latter has been financing production at Liberty Ostrava since August through the so-called tolling project.

"We will also use part of the coils in our own production of girders and pipes, which will also bring us cost savings," added Tomáš Mischinger.

According to Michal Štefl, spokesman for the insolvency administrator, the start-up of the rolling mill is crucial. "It will help us preserve the value of the company until the time of sale. It is always more profitable to sell a running plant than a non-producing one. We are slowly managing to increase production volumes, with 46,000 tonnes a month planned now, and we would like to get to 70,000 tonnes in June," Štefl said.

Unlike in the past, when Liberty used to produce from its own material, now, after the shutdown of the blast furnaces and the steelworks, only imported material is used. "It's hard to get gates. Everyone makes them mainly for themselves, mainly overcapacity production is sold," explained Ivo Chmelík, project director of Liberty Vítkovice Machinery Trade.

But even with imported semi-finished products, the dimensions or chemical composition must be negotiated, depending on what the production specifically needs.

According to Chmelík, production is now assured until April, with the current capacity reaching approximately 45,000 tonnes per month. "For some slabs and their dimensions we can reach up to 50,000 tonnes. We plan to increase the volume and maintain production continuously. There will be a short shutdown in early February, during which we will make adjustments to the heating furnace," he added.

Jobs for 350 people

Production at Liberty now focuses not only on the export of sheet metal, but also on its use in downstream operations, such as the production of rails and pipes. As well as maintaining production, the company is emphasising maintaining employment. "Around 100 people work directly at the mill, and with the downstream operations the total is around 350 employees," said Chmelík. Overall, however, the tolling project affects more than two thousand people. "Currently, about 2,400 people work at Liberty, there will still be some downsizing, but it should be only moderate," the insolvency administrator's spokesman added.