Thyssenkrupp selects SMS for DRI plant

Thyssenkrupp on Friday announced that it has awarded SMS group with the construction of the hydrogen-driven direct reduction plant it will set up at its Duisburg location, to partially replace blast furnaces, Kallanish reports.

SMS will furthermore supply two “innovative melters,” thyssenkrupp says in a short statement. This could refer to submerged arc furnaces, which the company mentioned earlier as a technology of choice.

Thyssenkrupp did not give more details, but will do so at a press conference on 1 March. Attendants will include the ceos of thyssenkrupp Steel, parent group thyssenkrupp AG, and SMS group, as well as North Rhine Westphalian prime minister Hendrik Wüst and state economy minister Mona Neubaur.

Although it is not mentioned explicitly in Friday’s statement, SMS for the DRI part will likely work with Midrex, its standard partner in this technology. According to thyssenkrupp, it will become the largest direct reduction plant in Germany. Other German mills have also announced plans to replace blast furnaces with DRI plants. Salzgitter in this respect will be cooperating with Tenova.

Germany is the only country in Europe which has an operating direct reduction plant – in Hamburg, since the 1970s, today owned by ArcelorMittal.

Christian Koehl Germany