ArcelorMittal SA, the world's largest steelmaker, is set to build its first-ever desalination unit in Brazil to handle unforeseen water needs at its plant in the eastern state of Espírito Santo, senior company executives said in an interview on Friday.
The unit is aimed at lessening the company's dependence on state water utility company Cesan and avoiding production cuts at times of water crises as the state suffered in 2015 and 2016, said Jorge Ribeiro, president of operations at ArcelorMittal's Brazilian flat steel division.
While the plant is ArcelorMittal's first, desalination facilities have already become fixtures at some rival steelmakers and multiple mining operations, which tend to be water-intensive.