ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel and mining company, intends to build an electric arc furnace (EAF) steel making facility at ArcelorMittal/Nippon Steel (AM/NS) Calvert.

On completion, the planned facility will be capable of producing 1.5Mt of steel slabs for the hot strip mill and a broad spectrum of steel grades required for Calvert’s end-user markets.

ArcelorMittal expects it to take 24 months to construct and claim it will create 300 additional jobs in the local community.

Lakshmi Mittal, chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal, commented:
“An electric arc furnace at Calvert makes strategic sense as it allows our asset to be more reactive to the local market as well as being in line with the USMCA. Furthermore, it aligns with our ambition of producing smarter steels for a better world.”

ArcelorMittal North America's CEO Brad Davey said that the project presents a 'transformational opportunity' for what is already regarded as the world's most advanced steel finishing facility. “This is a logical next step in optimising AM/NS Calvert’s supply chain. Enhancing our already highly competitive lead times with short lead-time flexibility, combined with our existing world class facilities will give AM/NS Calvert a decisive competitive advantage. In addition, the USMCA trade agreement is a 'game changer' for former NAFTA and as a result, future steel supply chains for the automotive markets will be required to use steel that was created within North America".

Davey added that new EAF at AM/NS Calvert will further secure the company's leadership in the North American automotive market.

ArcelorMittal believes that its AM/NS Calvert facility is the world’s most advanced steel finishing facility and that it demonstrates the highly successful partnership between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel Corporation. It was originally built by Thyssenkrupp, with a total investment cost in the region of US$4 bn and was acquired by ArcelorMittal and NSC as a 50:50 joint venture in 2014. The J/V has already invested more than US$200 million in strategic projects invested in Calvert since its acquisition. These capabilities and the plant's geographic location combined with the new EAF will, ArcelorMittal claims, position the facility well for meeting future automotive and energy market demand.