This marks the launch of one of the most technologically advanced batteries not only in Poland, but in the entire European continent. The investment was valued at PLN 270 million.
 
Today's operations included the beginning of the second stage of the start-up of the battery, the production process, the aim of which is to increase production by September this year so that the nominal annual production capacity of the battery could reach a level of more than 700,000 tonnes and allow the plant to reach an annual production capacity of 3.3 million tonnes by 2018.
 
The first stage of the start-up process was the ramp-up, which commenced on 4 January 2011. Its main objective was to heat up the battery to temperatures allowing coal coking, that is the transformation of coal into coke, which is a final product used in the production of steel.
 
"Today is the day we launch one of the most technologically advanced facilities of the European coking industry, here, at Koksownia Przyjaźń. Using the latest technologies in this once tradition-oriented industry that is the excavation of coal and the production of coke has become a standard. This, however, greatly strengthens our competitive position and allows us to enhance the efficiency and flexibility of our operations. And in turn this brings real benefits in the form of lower costs and a better quality of products. Naturally, protecting the environment is a vital issue for us. This is evidenced by the fact that the new battery complies with the strictest environmental standards," said Jarosław Zagórowski, the President of the Board of Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa.
 
The new battery conforms to the strictest standards both in terms of efficiency and of environmental protection. The advanced installations and equipment used for battery 1 meet the requirements of the best available technologies and the strict standards of pollution emission and environmental protection applicable within the European Union. The entirety of the process of transforming coal into coke is fully automatized and controlled through IT systems.
 
The value of the investments related to the modernisation of the battery and its related facilities, i.e. furnace equipment, dust removal installations, and controlling and automatics, amounted to PLN 270 million. The entirety of the investment was financed using own funds.
 
"The experience we have gained in the process of modernising battery 1 is of great importance. It is bound to bring further benefits in the future, such as enabling us to conduct similar processes in a faster and more efficient manner, once the potential decisions are made as to the modernisation of subsequent batteries," said Edward Szlęk, the President of the Management Board of Koksownia Przyjaźń.
 
The modernisation process took less than 2 years. It was commenced in May 2008. The modernisation was overseen by the Investment Team of Koksownia Przyjaźń with the contracted services of a number of external companies. The broadest range of the works was performed by PIECEXPORT-PIECBUD S.A. in Dąbrowa Górnicza.
 
Technology-wise, the process was supervised by the Zabrze Institute for Chemical Processing of Coal, and environment-wise by the Institute of Basic Environmental Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The designs for the modernisation were prepared by Biuro Projektów Koksoprojekt from Zabrze.
 
4 coking batteries have previously been in operation at Koksownia Przyjaźń: one new battery, no. 5, built in 2006-2007, and three batteries built in the 1980s. The total production capacity of the batteries amounted to 2.6 million tonnes of coke per year.
 
 
 
Additional information on JSW
 
JSW is among the European Union's leading coking coal production companies. Last year the Company produced 9.1 million tonnes of coal (including 7.7 million tonnes of high-quality type 35 coal) and 4.2 million tonnes of power coal. The Company's total extraction area is 170 sq. km. The coal is produced in five mines: Borynia-Zofiówka, Budryk, Jas-Mos, Krupiński, and Pniówek, the total deposits (operating reserves) of which amount to 552 million tonnes (as covered by current licences) and 129 million tonnes in deeper levels*. The Capital Group also includes other companies, such as coke producers and a coke and coal distributing company. In 2010 the total coke production for the Group amounted to 2.6 million tonnes. The output is high-quality metallurgical coke used in steel production.
 
The Company's core product, type 35 hard coking coal, possesses very good quality parameters, such as: low ash and sulphur content and high coking parameters, and is used mainly in the production of highest-quality metallurgical coke.
 
*Operating reserves, as defined by the Polish standards of reserves assessment, are deemed to be deposits approximately corresponding to deposits documented and probable under the JORC classification.
 
 

Additional information on Koksownia Przyjaźń
 
Koksownia Przyjaźń is the European Union's largest non-integrated (operating outside of a steelworks company) coking plant. The Plant includes 5 batteries, with one newly-built (launched in 2007), and one completely renovated (battery 1, as described above). Following the start-up of battery 1, the Plant's production capacity is expected to increase, reaching an annual level of 3.3 million tonnes by 2018, as compared to the current 2.6 million tonnes.
The Plant also owns two dry coke quenching facilities, one wet coke quenching facility, a renovated coking gas cleaning facility, a renovated sewage processing facility, and a heat and power plant with a 39 MW capacity. The Company focuses of the production of metallurgical coke used in steel production.