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Luxembourg, Jan 24 (IANS) ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel producer, Thursday announced it will close a coke plant and six production lines in its Liege facility in Belgium as demand has weakened further in Europe. The Lakshmi Mittal-promoted company, which had shut down the liquid phase steel production facility in the same plant in October 2011, said the decision would affect 1,300 workers. The company in a statement said falling demand for steel and overcapacity in the sector had forced it to close the coke plant and other facilities in eastern Liege. ArcelorMittal Liege CEO Bernard Dehut said that lack of orders and an ailing European economy made it "increasingly apparent that further action is required" in order to stop the continued losses in Liege. "We would ask the unions to please agree to enter into a constructive dialogue with us to secure the future of the remaining facilities in Liege," added Dehut.
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