ZIMASCO halts chrome production due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020-03-31 08:52:55 [Print]
THE impact of COVID-19 has adversely affected ZIMASCO's chrome production in Kwekwe after its stainless steel making markets Europe and Asian stopped operations.
ZIMASCO is the country's biggest ferrochrome producer which announced that it had temporarily halted its smelting operations in the face of coronavirus. ZIMASCO's Kwekwe smelter has an operational capacity of 180,000t of ferrochrome per year.
In a statement ZIMASCO chief executive, John Musekiwa, said the effects of COVID-19 on its exports market in Europe, Asia and China had made an adverse impact on their local operations.
"ZIMASCO will temporarily halt its smelting operations as a response of the curtailment/stoppages of stainless steel production that has happened in the mainly stainless steel making regions of Europe, Asia and China within the last few months," he said. "In efforts to slow down the spread of COVID-19, many governments have introduced severe restrictions, which means that many stainless steel mills across the world have had to stop or significantly reduce production," he added.
"ZIMASCO's closure of its operations is temporary and the operations will restart once marketing conditions are suitable for continued trade," he said.
Zimbabwe has 15 ferrochrome operations concentrated mainly in the Midlands province and it holds the world's second largest known chrome ore deposits after South Africa.
ZIMASCO is the country's biggest ferrochrome producer which announced that it had temporarily halted its smelting operations in the face of coronavirus. ZIMASCO's Kwekwe smelter has an operational capacity of 180,000t of ferrochrome per year.
In a statement ZIMASCO chief executive, John Musekiwa, said the effects of COVID-19 on its exports market in Europe, Asia and China had made an adverse impact on their local operations.
"ZIMASCO will temporarily halt its smelting operations as a response of the curtailment/stoppages of stainless steel production that has happened in the mainly stainless steel making regions of Europe, Asia and China within the last few months," he said. "In efforts to slow down the spread of COVID-19, many governments have introduced severe restrictions, which means that many stainless steel mills across the world have had to stop or significantly reduce production," he added.
"ZIMASCO's closure of its operations is temporary and the operations will restart once marketing conditions are suitable for continued trade," he said.
Zimbabwe has 15 ferrochrome operations concentrated mainly in the Midlands province and it holds the world's second largest known chrome ore deposits after South Africa.
