Platts reported that ArcelorMittal USA spokesman told Platts Friday that once all the furnaces identified recently for re lighting are back in production, they will have five of nine ArcelorMittal blast furnaces in the US in operation."

ArcelorMittal’s Cleveland plant was added Thursday to a growing global list of ArcelorMittal locations that plan to re-light blast furnaces. The company will restart its C-5 blast furnace, a steelmaking shop, hot strip mill, pickle line, tandem mill and galvanizing line at its Cleveland Works. The BF's capacity is about 1.5 million short tons per year.

Ms Katie Patterson, external communications manager, in an e-mail to Platts said that "We are bringing back capacity in line with improving demand, largely due to the technical recovery occurring as inventory destocking nears completion However, we do not expect demand to return to the levels seen in 2008 for some time yet and remain cautiously optimistic for a slow and progressive recovery.”

ArcelorMittal said previously that it was restarting US based blast furnaces No 5 and No 6 at Indiana Harbor, and increasing the output of its No.7 BF at the same location. Its C blast furnace at Burns Harbor, Indiana, has been operating all along.

Prior to the planned restarts at Indiana Harbor and Cleveland, ArcelorMittal reported its North American operating rate, including Canada, was about 35%, which could now climb to 55%.