steel industry at work
The steel industry, which is one of the most important branches of the industry and produces a wide range from automotive to construction and household appliances, will overcome the effects of the earthquake on production with increased capacity. It was noted that there was no destruction in 7 factories, which constitute 30 percent of the productive capacity of the sector and located in the area of the earthquake, but there were losses of employees.
INCREASED CAPABILITIES
Noting that the industry has started production outside a factory, Turkish Steel Producers Association General Secretary Veysel Yayan summed up the latest situation in the industry as follows: “Our producers moved all their employees and their families to safer places with the tents and container sites they set up in their own fields. We offset our losses in this southern region with high capacity utilization rates in our other regions. Starting next month, with the activation of İsdemir, we will have achieved higher capacity utilization rates compared to the previous year. Coke ovens require a little more time to activate the high temperature oven. Now we are filling the void created by factories that are not working by increasing capacity utilization rates.”
Veysel Yayan
35.1 million tons of production were carried out
According to data from the Steel Exporters Association, there are currently 26 electric arc furnaces (EAOs), 11 induction furnaces and 3 basic oxygen furnace steel plants in Turkey. The sector had reduced its production to 30 percent in the second half of 2022 and its capacity utilization rate to 51 percent. Production was 35.1 million tons with a decrease of 12.9% in the whole of 2022. Certain sectors that need steel in production have long been claiming tax exemptions.