Rooty Hill. Production reduced again

OneSteel Limited, Australia’s second-largest steelmaker has announced a further reduction in production at its Rooty Hill and Laverton, Victoria, electric arc furnaces, by 15 per cent to 725.000 tonnes. In February, the company announced that it would reduce the level of EAF steel over the remainder of the 2009 financial year, leading to estimated steel made at the two facilities to 850,000 tonnes for the year. The company said the lower figure reflected its primary focus to bring inventory levels in line with demand under its “back to basics” response to the global financial crisis. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that 200 jobs would be axed.