The company thus becomes the only full-cycle rebar producer in Romania, supplying about half of the domestic needs in the construction sector, to end the dependence of the local market on imports from Europe and abroad.
In order to relaunch the activity of the plant, Beltrame Group has so far hired about 300 employees, some of them former employees of COS Targoviste, and by the end of July it intends to reach 450 employees.
In a first phase, about 10,000 tons of rebar/month will leave the Donalam Targoviste mill, and in 2023 the production capacity will increase to about 30,000 tons/month, meaning more than 300,000 tons/year. Thus, the plant will supply Romania with about half of its domestic needs of rebar for construction, which is around 600,000 – 700,000 tons per year. At present, Romania imports all of this material from countries such as Bulgaria and Turkey.
In addition to the commissioning of the former steel mill, Beltrame is in the final stages of authorising a green rebar and wire rod plant, which will also be built on the Targoviste site. The new steel mill will be the most technologically advanced in the world and will have the lowest greenhouse gas emissions in the industry. The project also includes the construction of a photovoltaic park, with an installed capacity of 100-120 MW and an energy storage system, which will supply the production units.
With the completion of this green plant, expected in 2024, the total production capacity of Donalam Targoviste will be around 700,000 – 800,000 tons of rebar and wire rod annually. In the construction sector, total domestic consumption of rebar and wire is around 1.5 million tons/year.
For 2022, the Beltrame Group estimates a turnover of around EUR140 million in Romania, a similar level to 2021.
The Beltrame Group’s vision is to transform the old steelworks into a competitive European production facility, both in terms of efficiency and the environment. Over the next 5 years around €100 million will be invested in modernising the machinery and 80% of the budget will be allocated to the purchase of technologies to reduce carbon emissions, increase energy efficiency and move towards a circular economy by reusing resources and minimising waste. By the fifth year of the investment, around 1,000 local jobs will be created.