Usiminas invests R$1.7bn to rebuild coke battery at Ipatinga, boosting steel self-sufficiency

Usiminas announced a R$1.7 billion investment to fully rebuild Battery 4 of Coke Oven 2 at its Ipatinga Industrial Center in Minas Gerais, with commercial operations expected by 2029. The project aims to restore the steelmaker's own production capacity of coke and coke oven gas, reducing reliance on external suppliers. This is a significant industrial infrastructure commitment that will create about 800 jobs during construction, but its market impact is limited to the company and regional steel supply.