ArcelorMittal chooses Sarralle for construction of new Electric Arc Furnace

Sarralle has been chosen by ArcelorMittal Asturias for the construction of a New Electric Arc Furnace in Gijón. The project is part of ArcelorMittal's plan for the decarbonisation of its activities in Spain.

Civil works at the plant will start early next year. Once the New Electric Arc Furnace with an annual production capacity of 1.1 million tonnes is operational, expected in the fourth quarter of 2025, the plant will be able to produce low-carbon steel for the long products sector, and more specifically for the manufacture of rod and wire rod, which will place the plant in a highly competitive position, particularly in sectors with strict carbon footprint criteria for public administration contracts. Currently, these products are produced via the blast furnace route. As part of the project, Sarralle will also install a dust collection system as well as a waste heat recovery system to maximise the energy efficiency of the new electric furnace.

The project is part of ArcelorMittal Europe's commitment to reduce its CO2 emissions by 35% by 2030.

"It is an important component of the decarbonisation programme for the Company's steel activities in Spain. We would therefore like to thank all the parties involved for their continued cooperation in this project," said Philippe Meyran, CEO of ArcelorMittal Asturias, at the signing of the contract with Sarralle on 23 November 2023.

Elias Gonzalez, CEO of Sarralle , said: "This is a very special project for us. It is the first decarbonisation project in Spain to be carried out with Spanish technology. It is an extremely important step for the future of the steel industry in Spain, oriented towards very high added-value products".

Jordi Torné, CEO of Long Products at ArcelorMittal Asturias, said: "This project places the Long Products division in Asturias at the forefront of decarbonisation. The installation of this state-of-the-art technology will allow us to produce high value-added rod and wire rod, consolidating a sustainable future for our activity, with a process that incorporates the highest safety standards".

The European Union's Strategy for Intelligent and Sustainable Mobility foresees that both high-speed rail traffic and freight rail traffic will grow by 50% between now and 2030. Forecasts for 2050 suggest that high-speed rail traffic will have tripled and freight traffic will have increased by 100 %. The new facility in Gijón will be well positioned to respond to the growing demand for rail, and in particular for rail produced from low-carbon steel, under the European Green Pact.

Source: Sarralle, Photo: MarketSTEEL