Austria’s largest steelmaker, voestalpine, together with Mercedes-Benz and TSR Recycling, will form a joint project to ensure the technical feasibility of processng post-consumer scrap (old scrap) into high-quality scrap that can be used to produce high-quality steel grades for the automotive industry, Kallanish notes.
In this way, the steelmaker is making an important contribution to sustainability and at the same time evaluating new opportunities for its increasing demand for scrap in connection with the transformation to green steel production, the enterprise claims.
“The increasing demand for recycled materials due to the European steel industry’s switch to green steel production cannot be fully covered by new scrap and it will therefore be necessary in future to increasingly utilise old scrap,” voestalpine states. “In this specific joint flagship project of voestalpine, Mercedes-Benz, and TSR, the less pure post-consumer scrap is being reprocessed so that it can be used as high-quality steel of the highest grade as a side panel in the Mercedes A-Class sedan.”
“Voestalpine has been working successfully for decades on closing loops in production in order to conserve resources and secure the supply of raw materials,” says the company’s chief executive, Herbert Eibensteiner. “This unique cooperation with Mercedes-Benz and TSR Recycling shows us further opportunities and potential in the circular economy and is another important puzzle piece on the road to green steel production.”
“Being able to produce high-quality steel grades using low-emission production processes is one of the major technological challenges in the transition to green steel production,” notes Hubert Zajicek, head of voestalpine’s steel division. “We are conducting intensive research on various processes and are developing solutions together with our customers and suppliers so that we can continue to expand our leading position in the production of high-quality steel grades despite the change in technology.”
In accordance with its greentec steel plan, voestalpine is replacing two blast furnaces, one in Linz and one in Donawitz, with an electric arc furnace (EAF) starting in 2027. Depending on the quality requirements, a mix of liquid pig iron, briquetted sponge iron (hot briquetted iron, HBI) and scrap will be used in the two EAFs.
“Scrap is therefore a valuable raw material and plays a key role in transitioning to green steel production,” it adds.
Svetoslav Abrossimov Bulgaria
