ArabSteel reported that the Tunisian Steel Manufacturing Company produced 73,000 tonnes of reinforcing steel during the first ten months of 2008. During the same period it also imported 231,000 tonnes of reinforcing steel to cover the domestic market requirement, which is estimated by 675,000 tonnes in 2007.

Mr Ammar El Shayeb CEO of the Tunisian Steel Manufacturing Company said that demand for steel products in Tunisia is expected to see a significant development, as it will reach 1 million tons in 2010.

During the first ten months of 2008, the company produced 665.000 tonnes of billets. Tunisian Steel Manufacturing Company is the only one from among five companies involved in rolling in Tunisia which produces billets. The other companies cover their requirements of billets through imports. The total capacity of the rolling companies in Tunisia amounts to 850.000 tonnes per year of which 250.000 tonnes are the production capacity

The second electric furnace which it started to execute in December 2007 will come on stream in December of 2008 with a production capacity of up to 100,000 tonnes per year. In its future plan it will open its capital for a strategic partner in order to boost the billets production capacity from 200 thousand tonnes per year up to 500 thousand to one million tonnes per year relying on both local and imported experience.

(Sourced from ArabSteel)