NAS to use excess output to supply Acerinox plant

Dec 14, 2010 | 11:30 AM |

North American Stainless Inc. (NAS) will use excess capacity to supply parent company Acerinox SA with material following a fire at the Spanish company's Roldan plant, an Acerinox spokesman told AMM.

Acerinox will try to minimize the impact on its customers by using older equipment at the Roldan plant not damaged in the fire, but eventually it will have to source from NAS because it is unable to produce its full line of products with the old mill.

Acerinox initially will supply raw material for the mill from its inventory and by converting billet from the melt shop at its flat-rolled facilities in Campo de Gibraltar in southern Spain.

"By changing the size of the billet, we are able to use all the equipment that is undamaged. We are trying to cover (immediate orders) with that old equipment, but for the rest of our immediate future orders we will consider product from the U.S.," the spokesman told AMM.

Acerinox has not finalized the amount of product it will source from NAS but is expected to release details next week. "We are currently analyzing the orders. The results should be defined next week," the spokesman said.....