Next milestone for greentec steel: voestalpine commissions Primetals Technologies to supply the electric arc furnace for the site in Linz

12 January 2024 |

Construction work for Austria’s largest climate protection program is already in full swing. By commissioning Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH to supply the electric arc furnace (EAF)—the technological heart of the transformation to steel production powered by green electricity—voestalpine has taken an important next step in realizing this major project.

Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH, based in Linz, will be responsible for installing the EAF’s entire process equipment, including automation, power supply, capacitor bank, conveyor technology, heat recovery, dedusting, and monitoring their assembly and commissioning.

greentec steel launches the next generation of steel production. Awarding the contract and ordering the EAF for our site in Linz marks another important milestone.

Herbert Eibensteiner, CEO of voestalpine AG

Primetals Technologies Austria was the clear winner in terms of their commercial and technical offering. Together, we will now start the technical implementation of this demanding project.

Hubert Zajicek, Member of the Management Board of voestalpine AG, and Head of the Steel Division, based in Linz

The EAF has a furnace capacity of 180 tons per charge, and will start operating in 2027.

The contract for the EAF at the site in Donawitz was awarded to Italian plant engineers Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche S.p.A. in summer 2023.

Austria’s largest climate protection program

greentec steel is an ambitious and feasible phased plan which allows voestalpine to make a valuable contribution to achieving the climate goals. In a first step, one blast furnace at each of the Linz and Donawitz sites is scheduled to be replaced by an EAF powered by green electricity. Converting to this technology enables the Group to reduce its emissions by around 30% from 2027, representing annual savings of almost 4 million tons of CO2. As a result, once the two EAF begin operating in 2027, Austria’s national CO2 emissions can be reduced by around 5 percent. This is unparalleled, and makes greentec steel the country’s largest climate protection project.

Steel Division

As a global manufacturer of high-quality steel products, the voestalpine Group’s Steel Division assumes a driving role in shaping a clean and livable future. The Steel Division has set benchmarks in the current steel production route and is pursuing an ambitious step-by-step plan to achieve climate-neutral steel production with its greentec steel. As a first step, the Steel Division offers a CO₂-reduced greentec steel version of each flat steel product. It is also working on the implementation of climate-friendly production technologies based on green electricity and hydrogen. The Steel Division is the first point of contact for major automotive manufacturers and suppliers worldwide when it comes to high-quality steel strip. It is also a prominent partner to the European housing and machinery industries. The Division manufactures heavy plates and cast products for applications subject to the most difficult conditions in the energy industry and provides customized solutions for the expansion of renewable energy. In the business year 2022/23, the Steel Division generated revenue of EUR 6.7 billion, reported an operating result (EBITDA) of EUR 1.1 billion, and had around 10,600 employees worldwide.

The voestalpine Group

voestalpine is a globally leading steel and technology group with a unique combination of materials and processing expertise. voestalpine, which operates globally, has around 500 Group companies and locations in more than 50 countries on all five continents. It has been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1995. With its premium products and system solutions, voestalpine is a leading partner to the automotive and consumer goods industries, as well as to the aerospace and oil & natural gas industries. The company is also the global market leader in railway systems, tool steel, and special sections. voestalpine is committed to the global climate goals and has a clear plan for decarbonizing steel production with its greentec steel program. In the business year 2022/23, the Group generated revenue of EUR 18.2 billion, with an operating result (EBITDA) of EUR 2.5 billion; it has around 51,200 employees worldwide.

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