ARCELOR MITTAL STOPS PRODUCTION AT TWO OF ITS PLANTS DUE TO HIGH ENERGY COSTS

The unstoppable and exorbitant rise in energy costs is already having the first consequences for some large companies in Spain that are unable to assume the high cost of electricity and gas.

Some, such as Arcelor Mittal, have already announced their decision to stop or reduce production. In the case of the multinational, it has been forced to suspend activity at the Olaberria plant (Guipúzcoa) from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight. However, it is operating intermittently, taking advantage of time slots when the cost is lower. Approximately one third of their working time is idle.

As for the Sestao plant that Arcelor Mittal has in Biscay, it is currently shut down due to its work cycle. Although it was scheduled to start up on the 13th, this decision was finally not made effective due to the price of electricity, which makes it unsustainable to maintain this production.

Also, the company Alumalsa, a manufacturer of aluminum components for the automotive industry based in La Cartuja Baja (Zaragoza), has decided to stop production for a week due to a tenfold increase in energy costs compared to last year. The company will implement an ERTE for its 350 workers, who will only maintain logistics activities.