The increase reflects the successful ramp up of production to full capacity at the company’s new Middletown facility and improved operations at its Indiana Harbor facility, company officials said.
SunCoke’s total U.S. cokemaking capacity utilization was 100 percent in first quarter 2012 versus 95 percent in first quarter 2011.
The increase in estimated coke production for the quarter was primarily due to the estimated 144 thousand tons of coke produced at the Middletown facility, which began operations last October.
The Middletown facility achieved 100 percent capacity utilization ahead of schedule, albeit incurring higher than normal operating expenses in the first quarter due to startup-related costs.
U.S. coke production in the first quarter also benefited from improved operations at the company’s Indiana Harbor facility, which produced an estimated 37 thousand more tons of coke in first quarter 2012 compared to the same period in 2011.