Salzgitter AG’s subsidiary Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann (HKM) has permanently decommissioned Blast Furnace A at its Duisburg, Germany, site as the company prepares for the construction of an electric arc furnace (EAF) targeted for commissioning in 2029. The decommissioning is part of Salzgitter AG’s transition towards electric steelmaking and its plans to reduce emissions from traditional blast furnace-based production. Blast Furnace B will continue operating until the new EAF is commissioned. The furnace was restarted recently after being relined. HKM expects pig iron production to reach about 3 million metric tons this year. Annual production capacity is estimated at 2.5 million metric tons from 2027.
“With the decommissioning of Blast Furnace A at HKM in Duisburg, we are taking another step closer to our goal of making a decisive contribution to achieving Germany’s climate targets,” said Gunnar Groebler, Chief Executive Officer, Salzgitter AG.
The planned EAF will replace the traditional blast furnace process at the site. Once completed, it will have a tapping weight of 285 metric tons and an annual capacity of 2.5 million metric tons. The project is expected to support Salzgitter Group’s strategy of increasing the use of electric steelmaking and strengthening its position in lower-emission steel production.
“With the construction of the electric arc furnace, which replaces the traditional blast furnace process, we are therefore consistently implementing the Salzgitter Group’s strategy in Duisburg as well and strengthening our position as a leading supplier of green steel for industrial value chains,” Mr Groebler said.
The EAF project is receiving €200 million in funding from the German federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia under the Federal Funding for Industry and Climate Protection programme. The shutdown of Blast Furnace A marks a change in the production route at HKM as the company moves towards electric arc furnace technology. EAFs use electricity to melt steelmaking feedstock, including scrap, instead of relying on the conventional blast furnace route based primarily on iron ore and coke. The new furnace is planned to form an important part of the future production setup at Duisburg. Until its commissioning, Blast Furnace B will continue to support production at the site.
Salzgitter AG is pursuing a broader transformation of its steel operations as part of its strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the share of lower-carbon steel production. The company has been investing in technologies and production processes aimed at reducing the climate impact of steelmaking while maintaining industrial production capacity in Germany.
