German steel producer Salzgitter AG’s subsidiary Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH is investing just over USD 2.2 mln in a new waterjet cutting system at its Ilsenburg plant, aiming to strengthen production for the growing defense and safety steel segments.
The project includes the installation of a 300 m2 waterjet cutting system, a water treatment facility, and an extension of the plant’s cutting area. The system will support the processing of sensitive and high-strength steel grades, where conventional flame or plasma cutting can affect material properties.
Using a cold cutting process with water, garnet sand and air, the technology reduces material loss and ensures high precision across a wide range of plate thicknesses, particularly for the company’s SECURE safety steels.
The system will feature a cutting table around 18 meters long and a maximum cutting width of over 5 meters, making it one of the largest waterjet cutting systems built in Europe by H.G. Ridder Automatisierungs-GmbH. Operated with electricity, the equipment can achieve CO2-neutral operation when powered by renewable energy, while the integrated water treatment facility enables circular water use.
The project is scheduled for completion by the end of Q2 2026.
Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH specializes in heavy plate production and is part of Salzgitter Group, one of Europe’s leading independent steel producers.
