ArcelorMittal opens Polish rail production facility

ArcelorMittal’s Dąbrowa Górnicza long rail installation in Poland – one of three in the world capable of producing 120m rails for the railway industry – was officially opened on 24 February by Poland’s deputy prime minister, Janusz Piechociński.

The opening of the new installation is timely as ArcelorMittal Europe has announced its selection by Deutsche Bahn to supply 129kt of rails to the German railway company in 2014, together with ArcelorMittal’s Gijón site in Spain.

Both parties also agreed an option to deliver a further 129,000 tonnes in 2015.

Manfred Van Vlierberghe, CEO of ArcelorMittal Poland, said that the production of long rails is a project of significant strategic importance for the company as many companies are planning major investment in rail infrastructure. “We are pleased that the opening of the installation has taken place just days before the tenth anniversary of our presence in the Polish market. In the past decade, ArcelorMittal has invested more than US$1.6bn in the modernisation of its plants in Poland,” he said.

Augustine Kochuparampil, CEO for long products at ArcelorMittal Europe, said the company was very pleased to be working with Deutsche Bahn having just completed such a major investment in rail production facilities in Poland (enabling the company to produce 120m rails).

The rails will support Deutsche Bahn’s network renewal and expansion programmes.

Dr. Bernd Striegel, head of procurement and sites at DB Netz AG said: "Deutsche Bahn invests extensively in its railway network every year. In 2014, we aim to renew more than 3,000km of rails, 2,350 track switches, more than two million railway sleepers and about 4Mt of gravel."