For our Group and our colleagues, blast furnaces are more than just a part of an industrial facility. “It’s the heart of every steel plant. Without hot metal you cannot produce steel,” explains Alain Daelman, Blast Furnace Process Engineer at ArcelorMittal Gent. Read on to see what makes those steel giants so special…

Blast furnaces are a vital part of steelmaking as it is where the iron is extracted from the iron ore and then turned to liquid iron, which will subsequently be used to make liquid steel. That is why some people refer to blast furnaces as the old workhorse of the steel industry. Typically, they are in operation 24/7, and they have been around a long time.

In fact, did you know that…

… the first blast furnaces appeared as soon as the 14th Century
… every blast furnace needs to be relined typically every 15-20 years?
… ArcelorMittal’s smallest blast furnace in Europe is BF 1 at Eisenhüttenstadt (Germany), with a diameter of 7.1 m and a capacity of above 1,500 t per day
… the Company’s biggest blast furnace is BF 9 at Kryviy Rih (Ukraine) with a hearth diameter of 14.7 m and a capacity above 10,000 t per day

In the most severe crisis in recent years, ArcelorMittal has had to take some very tough decisions – one of them was to put some of our blast furnaces to a halt. But the enthusiasm was contagious as we started to progressively restart some of the suspended facilities.

Iron and steelmaking is more than a profession, it is a passion for ArcelorMittal people. John Ricketts, Process Portfolio Specialist-Ironmaking, Global Research & Development, would even say it runs in his blood: “Iron, especially in its liquid form, is like an addictive drug that runs through the veins of an ironmaker. I am just a victim of its intoxicating influence; someone who wants to share the secrets of its history and production.”

Want to know more?

- John Ricketts, addicted to ironmaking – Read the article on boldspirit
- Blast furnaces, those old soldiers of the steel industry – Read the feature on boldspirit

“I was woken up at 3:30 am on Monday, by the taxi driver who was calling to inform me that he was outside. I told him I would be down in 10 minutes, which is more than enough time for the typical male to shower, dress, eat breakfast and pack. Two flights later I landed in Dnepropetrovsk (try saying that 3 times quickly) and after a 2-hour car journey, I had arrived in Kryviy Rih, Ukraine, for our second community engagement workshop.

The steel plant in Kryviy Rih, which also includes open-pit and underground mining, has existed for 75 years and its history is fascinating. Upon entering the site you are greeted by a massive mural that details its evolution and everything else about ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih is just as big. However, as we sat down to supper after our initial meeting, our hosts were particularly concerned with one pressing question – was the meal we just had more or less than in Prijedor?

The community engagement workshops are now in full swing, each site we visit brings new challenges, new opportunities and new understandings. We had over 30 people attending the workshops from various areas of the Company and have even planned a meeting with external stakeholders to discuss the outputs of the workshop and to get their feedback on the action plan we have developed.

Next stop: back to Bosnia but this time we are visiting Zenica.”

Author: Tobin Postma, CR Communications – Stay tuned to www.arcelormittal.tv to follow the rest of the chapters of this community engagement series!

“I landed at night in Zagreb, Croatia, ready to head to our iron ore mine in Prijedor in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the airport I was greeted by a huge sign with the ArcelorMittal logo on it and my name – this was the first time I had ever been greeted by a sign with my name on it, usually I am greeted by someone (usually from my family) saying, “hurry up, I’m double-parked”. Three hours later I was in Prijedor.

We have just started in Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegoniva, a series of community engagement workshops. The aim? Help to strengthen our local community engagement efforts at several sites around Eastern Europe and CIS. In the next few days, apart from working with our team to prepare for the first workshop, I managed to get a few runs in at the local ski mountain, get temporarily lost in the snow-covered forest with the local CEO and have eaten more food than I thought was possible (trust me, this is a lot).

Today was the second day of the workshop, we have had participants from Legal, Human Resources, Health and Safety, Environment, Marketing, Corporate Responsibility, Trade Union, Mines Director, Technical Director and even the local Director and CEO.

The workshops are being held in Serbian and while I cannot understand what people are saying, I can see what is happening – people are working and learning together and developing a common understanding on the role of community engagement in ensuring the sustainability and continued success of ArcelorMittal in Prijedor.

Next up, Kryviy Rih, Ukraine…”

Author: Tobin Postma, CR Communications – Stay tuned to www.arcelormittal.tv to follow the rest of the chapters of this community engagement series!

“You may think what you do is just a job, something to pay the mortgage and provide for your family. However, what you do every day has the potential to protect and save the lives of men and women in service to our country,” said Lt. Col. Thomas E. Lippert during a recent visit at ArcelorMittal Cleveland. Read on to learn why…

Speaking to an audience of 50 people gathered at the Dave McCall Union Hall in Cleveland (USA), Lippert offered gratitude and appreciation for the “professionalism and dedication of ArcelorMittal employees” and for their ongoing support of US troops.

Lippert directly referenced the role that the Cleveland plant and other ArcelorMittal facilities have played in the production of armor plate used in manufacturing Mine Resistant Ambush Protection (MRAP) vehicles. The MRAP is specially designed to protect armed forces from roadside bombs. Its v-shaped hull depends on high-quality steel on the vehicle’s underside to deflect potentially deadly blasts from explosives.

“I’ve had the opportunity to travel in these vehicles and there’s no doubt they have saved lives,” Lippert explained. By the way, in the picture he’s standing next to his name painted on the American Soldier locomotive at ArcelorMittal Cleveland. The vehicle displays the names of employees’ relatives serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

ArcelorMittal contributes to the company’s operations and core competencies, and for that I’m grateful.”

One of the main reasons for Lippert’s visit is because his younger brother, Brian, is Division Manager of Finishing and Shipping at ArcelorMittal Cleveland. The siblings explained that they never imagined their very different career paths would intersect in such an important way.

Collaboration: Summer Paris and Candice Olson, ArcelorMittal USA

On March 8, the world will celebrate International Women’s Day. And so will ArcelorMittal! In fact, even if steel is often considered an industry ‘only for men’, today 16% of ArcelorMittal employees worldwide are women. Among them, Marta Morawska, Purchasing Manager at ArcelorMittal Siemianowice, Stainless segment. Marta left her homeland of Poland with the Annapurna Alpinist Club to venture out on a climbing expedition. Read on to learn more about her bold enterprise!

Marta and the other alpinists left for Argentina on February 8, 2010. Their objective: to reach the summit of the Aconcagua mountain which, at 6962m, is the highest mountain in the Americas. To be ready for this ambitious enterprise, Marta undertook a strenuous 4-month preparation. “Each attempt to climb desirable mountain peaks is related to a considerable challenge, physical and mental alike. But above all, the indispensible elements are determination, acclimatisation, and physical condition,” Marta explained.

Before taking up the Aconcagua challenge, Marta already undertook a Himalayas expedition, completed the climb of the Elbrus (which at 5642m is referred to as the Crown of the World) and numerous expeditions to the Tatra and Beskid Mountains. “Such intensive training resulted in pain and ‘tiredness’ of my muscles. However what cheered me up was the fact that it was getting better and better every time so at the end of the week the trek through the Beskid trails, in spite of snowy conditions and a 15kg backpack, did not seem too big a problem.”

For the past 2 weeks, Marta has been sharing this experience with her ArcelorMittal colleagues by sending in her impressions on a weekly basis. In her last update on February 19, she wrote: “I feel extremely tired, really shattered but happy because another point was reached – 5100!!!  Unfortunately a few members of the crew had to give up due to mountain sickness. A man can be destroyed, but not defeated.” And looking at Marta you can only conclude: nor can a woman!

Collaboration: Julien Duboelle and Corinne Lysy, Stainless segment, ArcelorMittal

Want to know more?

- ArcelorMittal people can read Marta’s weekly updates on the Stainless Intranet

Fabian Villani has been working in ArcelorMittal Argentina for 17 years as an operator in Villa Constitución, Santa Fe. Read on to learn how he expresses his passion for steel not only inside the plant in his everyday work, but also outside…

Known for being a great professional within the plant, Fabian is also an artist. After work, he “takes his homework home” with only one thought on his mind: creating his next master piece.

With (meters and meters of) steel wire, he has already created many sculptures, all of which stand out for their great realism and attention to detail. “To complete one of my sculptures I used 300 kilos of wire, 31.000 soldered joints and 261 days of intense work”, Fabian explains. Every piece was made with dedication, passion and great effort.

Today, his unique art work is known not only in Santa Fe, but also beyond: in fact, he was invited to take his exhibition entitled “From steel factory to the world of expression” to the Argentinean province of Córdoba, allowing a great number of people to admire his art work. And admire they did!

To conclude, what else but a huge Congratulations to this gifted ArcelorMittal employee, wishing him all the best for his professional, artistic and personal future!

Collaboration: Bárbara Verino, Jorge Maristany and Pablo Arana. Acindar Group, ArcelorMittal.

At ArcelorMittal Lesaka, Spain, we have found 3 good examples of people who combine responsibilities both in and outside their workplace. Juan Fermín Mitxelena, Miguel San Miguel and Ignacio Goyeneche juggle their jobs as employees with their duties as mayors of 3 villages in the vicinity of the factory: Lesaka, Doneztebe-Santesteban and Igantzi.

All 3 are married and euskaldunes (Basque language speakers). Juan Fermín, mayor of Lesaka, lives politics passionately. Miguel San Miguel, mayor of Doneztebe-Santesteban, is the one who has held this position longest and has a special gift for human relations. Ignacio Goyeneche, the youngest of the 3, is also the newest in politics: he was elected to this position only 2 years ago.

All 3 have been working within ArcelorMittal for many years, time enough to have lived numerous interesting experiences both in the plant and outside. “Many people, when they visit the village of Lesaka, wonder where the factory is, although it is so close. This says a lot about the Company’s concern for the environment”, Ignacio Goyeneche says proudly.

Their experience as mayors has given them a unique insight into the area around the plant and the villages they live in.

All 3 employees share the same dream: that the current and future projects of ArcelorMittal Lesaka guarantee the future of this Company, so that it can continue to generate wealth in the area.

- Want to know more? Contact comunicaespana@arcelormittal.com

Internal Communications Shared Service Centre, ArcelorMittal  Spain
Picture: From left to right: Ignacio Goyeneche, Juan Fermín Mitxelena and Miguel San Miguel.

What comes to your mind when you think of February 14? For most of you, the answer will be: Valentine’s Day, love, flowers or chocolate. But for the people in China, February 14, 2010 will also mark the beginning of a new year, the year of the Golden Tiger.

Chinese New Year is sometimes also called “Spring Festival” or “Lunar New Year”. In fact, the new year in China begins the 1st day of the first lunar month. This year, it will fall on Valentine’s Day. The grand finale comes on the 15th day, the Lantern Festival.

Preparations for this unique 2 week’s festivities also begin way in advance: cleaning houses, doing Spring Festival shopping and returning to hometown to spend time with family and friends. The celebration then reaches its climax on New Year’s Eve.

That day, the whole family gathers to watch the CCTV Spring Festival Gala live show, which lasts up to 4.5 hours, while having dinner together. This gala complies with the good will of Chinese about family reunion, but also in conformity with the custom of observing the year out. In the past 30 years, Spring Festival Gala has been a great creation to “Chinese New Year Culture”.

Along with the Spring Festival Gala, the so-called “Spring Move” has also been a part of this culture. As the New Year gets underway, all cities and countries in China become emotional magnetic fields: people who were away are attracted to return to their hometown and the train and bus stations are jammed with people. This urge reflects and embodies the spiritual core of “Chinese New Year Culture”- family reunion.

After this insight into a great, human tradition, nothing remains but to wish all people in China a very Happy New Year 2010!

Collaboration: Sally Tao, ArcelorMittal China
Image: New Years ecard created by the Communications team in China

On November 30, 2009, the French-born Jean Jouet, CEO of ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih, Ukraine, paid a visit to a local school to make his own and very personal present to the local pupils who are studying French as one of their main subjects. On the same occasion, the little polyglots had the opportunity to ask a lot of questions to ‘Monsieur Jouet’…

The pupils of this local secondary school are specialising in the study of foreign languages, including French. To make this learning process even more fascinating and interesting, Jean Jouet, CEO ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih, decided to meet with the pupils. He brought CDs with his favorite French singers and bands, as well as books of different authors from his homeland to the great pleasure of the young polyglots.

In fact, the CEO stressed that part of the educational process of learning a language was learning its culture. During his visit, Jean Jouet was able to talk to the pupils in French without requiring the services of an interpreter and he highly appreciated the level of their knowledge and motivation. Teachers and pupils hospitably met Jean Jouet and other ArcelorMittal guests in their French club “Bon Monde”.

As of today, almost 300 pupils of the school are studying English as their first language, and French as their second. In its position as global company present in more than 60 countries across the world, ArcelorMittal is eager to help young generations open up to new cultures and develop their language skills. In line with these efforts, ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih allocated UAH 135,000 (approx. €12,000) to this school for the acquisition of modern equipment for their 2 language laboratories.

Collaboration: Maxim Bondarenko, ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih, Ukraine

…Sausan Markiv. She is 14 years old and is the daughter of one of our colleagues in Kryviy Rih, Ukraine. Sausan is the winner of the New Years e-card competition, this year based on the theme of ‘sharing’, organised by the ArcelorMittal Foundation among employees’ children. This talented girl tells us that when she is inspired, she feels no fatigue, no pain…

Looking at the winning card and the girl in the picture, the only thing you notice is that Sausan, chosen from hundreds of children who submitted designs from 28 countries in our company wide e-card contest, is a talented and clever girl who also happens to be pretty in pink.

However, after her artwork was chosen to grace our ArcelorMittal New Year e-card, we learned that our young and heroic Ukrainian artist suffers a devastating disease – polyarticular rheumatoid arthritis. She cannot go to school because she is disabled since childhood.

So we want to wish a very special congratulations to ‘Sana’ (as her Mother calls her). May all your dreams come true.  A big congratulations also goes to our runners-up – Mattia Grattapaglia (6) from Italy who came second, Kamilla Musabekova (10) from Kazakhstan in third, David López Orozco from Costa Rica and Kenan Selimbašić (13) from Bosnia – plus all the other children who submitted their pictures. Let’s hope 2010 brings to all of us the good joy (and health) we need.

Collaboration: Alexandr Zozulya, ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih