ArcelorMittal has contracted Spanish technology supplier Sarralle Group to build a new electric arc furnace at the Gijón works. The project is part of the steelmaker’s decarbonisation plan in Spain and will substitute one of its blast furnaces in Asturias, Kallanish notes.
Construction works will start early next year. The facility is expected to commission in the fourth quarter of 2025, ArcelorMittal confirms. As part of the project, Sarralle will also install a dust collection system as well as a waste heat recovery system to maximise the EAF’s energy efficiency.
The furnace will have an annual capacity to produce 1.1 million tonnes of low-emission steel. Output will be mainly destined to long products consuming sectors such as rail transport. The investment will place the plant in a highly competitive position, particularly in sectors with strict carbon footprint criteria for public administration contracts, the steelmaker observes.
“This investment 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,” comments ArcelorMittal Spain Long Products chief executive Jordi Torné.
According to Sarralle’s ceo, Elias Gonzalez, this is a very special contract for the technology firm since it is the first decarbonisation project in Spain to be carried out using Spanish technology. “It is an extremely important step for the future of the steel industry in our country, oriented towards very high added-value products,” the executive notes.
Todor Kirkov Bulgaria
