Mar 26 (LTIT) - Steelmakers in China's largest steel producing city of Tangshan are likely to receive an official notice this week for the staggered production schedule during the second and third quarters, after the government disclosed the schedule on Thursday January 31.

Under the schedule for the non-heating season, sintering and pelletising machines of Category A steel mills will face cuts of 20%.

Current restrictions on local steel mills are mostly on the sintering capacity, instead of blast furnace capacity, and this had limited impact on output. However, long-term restrictions on sintering machines could tighten the supply of raw materials.

Other requirements in the release on January 31 highlighted that steel plants will continue winter curbs on blast furnaces and capacity cuts of 50% on sintering and pelletising machines during the non-heating season.

Other heavy industries including coke, cement, casting, volatile organic compounds (VOCs)-related and glass will also undergo production cuts during April-September.