BNamericas reported that Venezuelan state steelmaker Sidor will reactivate plating area furnace I during the week of December 19th 2011.

Two furnaces were damaged by the collapse of the roof about 20 days ago.

A company union leader told BNamericas that "The plant is going to start up progressively. Safety and engineering personnel are finishing up their inspections for a final report on the accident, and we expect furnace I to start up next week."

Furnace II will be progressively reactivated later on. The plant has seven furnaces in total.

Venezuela's mining and metallurgy industry association AIMM asked the government to authorize the importation of some 600,000t of additional semi finished and finished products due to Sidor's low production levels as a result of the accident.

According to steel industry association ACES, Sidor's production in 2011 will fall to its lowest level in recent years. Sidor was aiming to close 2011 with 2 million tonnes, but given the company's situation, it will not reach that figure.

Sidor, the biggest steelmaker in Venezuela, has a liquid steel capacity of 4.2 million tonnes per annum. In 2010, the firm produced 1.8 million tonnes.

(Sourced from www.bnamericas.com)