History

1436 was a remarkable year for the Donawitz site. Consistent research and innovation developed the hammer mill works from then to the most important company in the field of steel production – voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH.

The origins of today’s steelworks in Donawitz go back to the documented hammer mills from 1436. Ongoing changes in the structure of the iron-processing industry led to the first Styrian puddle steel production in the years 1834 to 1837. 1878 was marked by changes of the properties, the construction of the Donawitz-Vordernberg railway line to reduce transport costs and the building of the 1st open-hearth furnace – a new era in steel production began. The construction of a coke oven and the expansion of the Vordernberg-Eisenerz railway line made mass steel production possible. In 1881, the “Österreichische-Alpine Montagegesellschaft” (OAMG) took over the mill.

With the construction of a new beam and rail rolling mill in 1892, Donawitz was at the center of smelting in the monarchy. Shortly after the turn of the century in 1905, two coke ovens with a daily capacity of 400 tons of pig iron were built. After the commissioning of the 14th open-hearth furnace in 1912 Donawitz grew into the largest unitary steel mill in Europe.

Fuel shortages caused the plant in the time around the 1st World War in great turbulence. The construction of a 15-ton electric furnace around 1928 made it possible to produce low-to-medium-alloy special steels. This period also includes the production of electric manganese steel rails.

After Austria’s annexation by the German Empire, “Reichswerke AG Alpine Montanbetriebe” emerged after several fusions in 1941. At this time, the focus is on the production of war-required products in full operation of the individual plants. In addition, 3 arc furnaces, a 60-ton open-hearth furnace, a 4th blast furnace and a blooming mill. The reconstruction in the post-war period was based on the Marshall Plan from 1948. As a result, a new ingot line was put into operation in 1950, a continuous billet line in 1952 and a profile production line in 1954.

After one of the most important metallurgical developments in the 20th century, the LD steelworks in Donawitz was the second plant in the world to be built. It was opened on 22 May 1953. It is equipped with two 30-ton converters and a 500-ton pig iron mixer. Donawitz played a key role in the development to operational maturity of the LD process - the process by which most steel (60%) is produced worldwide. It is possible to process large quantities of pig iron and scrap economically, as well as to supply crude steel of special quality.