Primetals launches new task force to lead transition to green steel

In April, Primetals Technologies appointed Dr. Alexander Fleischanderl as the Head of Green Steel. The main goal of the task force is to position the company as the frontrunner in green steel production solutions.

“I’m proud of being promoted to this position and I strongly believe that, together with the task force team, this effort will become a game-changer,” says Fleischanderl.

While holding the position of market leader in environmental innovations for the metals industry, Primetals Technologies now moves into another gear. The main target is to gather and refine all the information and expertise within the company – and to then communicate it. Another important aim of the new task force is to support the implementation of Primetals Technologies initiatives within the areas of green steel and energy transition.

Decarbonization is an essential part of green steel. However, there is much more to this field. A reduction in emissions, lower water consumption, greater energy efficiency, and improved circularity and yield – these are all examples of green steel activities. Primetals Technologies possesses both high engineering competence and proven solutions in all the above-mentioned fields ­– and more. The portfolio covers the entire iron and steel production chain: upstream, downstream, metallurgical services, and electrics and automation.

Therefore, Fleischanderl and his team play a key role that extends across the whole company. The Green Steel organization consists of a team of hand-picked leading experts from all major locations of Primetals Technologies. The team will work together to lead and push the efforts on green steel, while actively developing synergies within Primetals Technologies as well as within the larger Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group, which Primetals Technologies is part of.

In the coming decades, it will be essential for the steel industry to make use of green steel solutions – first and foremost to lower CO2emissions, but also for the sake of meeting stricter environmental regulations, and for financial reasons.

“In about ten years it might be quite hard to get a good price for non-green steel. Those who do not invest in green steel today will experience challenges in the future; once that ship has sailed, companies left behind will not be competitive going forward,” says Fleischanderl.

The steel industry is waking up to the need for a transition to green steel. Several global companies are putting an effort into presenting their lower carbon steel segments – and sell the products at a premium price. While climate change is today’s number one environmental challenge, both governmental benefits and environmental regulations are being implemented in many countries. Therefore, producing green steel is becoming more and more important for steel producers across the globe.

Source and Photo: Primetals