Ferroglobe aims to restart S.African silicon plant, raise U.S. output (updated)

Ferroglobe

08/04/2022 16:58

(Adds detail)
    LONDON, April 8 (Reuters) - Silicon producer Ferroglobe
 GSM.O  is aiming to restart its South African plant and boost
output at its operation in the United States to benefit from
strong demand and rising prices, its chief executive told
Reuters.
    Silicon metal is used to make aluminum alloys used by the
auto sector and by the chemical industry to produce chemicals
known as silicones.
    Ferroglobe, the largest western producer of silicon metal
and its alloys and manganese alloys, has a global silicon
capacity of about 275,000 tonnes, excluding South African
production. The silicon market is nearly three million tonnes.
    Higher demand for silicon turned around the fortunes of
Ferroglobe's operations while anti-dumping duties https://www.missilicon.com/news/us-department-of-commerce-imposes-final-duties-on-all-silicon-metal-imports-from-malaysia-us-producers-report
 on cheap imports into the U.S. made the Alabama plant more
viable.    
    "We are looking at the opportunity to restart the plant in
South Africa which has been idled since 2019," Ferroglobe CEO
Marco Levi said, adding that the final decision on whether to
open will be made in the fourth quarter of this year.
    The company's South African silicon plant, located in the
city of Polokwane, produces 51,000 tonnes a year.
    In the United States, Ferroglobe plans to restart the second
furnace at its Alabama plant this month, taking production there
to 24,000 tonnes of silicon.

 (Reporting by Zandi Shabalala; Editing by Pratima Desai and
Kirsten Donovan)
 ((zandi.shabalala@tr.com;))