ArcelorMittal plans to permanently end crude steel production and billet production at its Duisburg site from October 2027, while keeping the downstream wire rod mill in operation.
The site’s long-term pig iron supply agreement with Thyssenkrupp Steel is due to expire in September 2027. ArcelorMittal had announced in December 2024 that it would terminate the agreement, as a proposed extension would have involved significant cost increases. The company subsequently examined alternative pig iron supplies and options to decarbonize steelmaking at Duisburg, but none proved economically viable.
As a result, the steelworks and billet mill will be closed, subject to approval by the ArcelorMittal Duisburg Supervisory Board. The Hochfeld wire rod mill will continue operating, using billets supplied by other ArcelorMittal sites and external European producers. ArcelorMittal Hamburg, which produces steel using a direct reduced iron-electric arc furnace (DRI-EAF) route, is well positioned to supply Duisburg with semi-finished products with a lower CO2 footprint.
The change will also affect ArcelorMittal Gandrange in France, which currently receives its main supply of semi-finished products from Duisburg. Gandrange will instead source billets from several other ArcelorMittal sites and purchase additional material from external suppliers.
ArcelorMittal said the decision reflects the significant structural challenges facing Europe’s bar steel sector, including low capacity utilization, declining local demand, limited export opportunities and high energy costs. The company said securing the long-term future of the Duisburg site for its customers, employees and the wider region remains a priority.
ArcelorMittal operates several major steel production and downstream facilities in Germany, including its flat steel operations in Bremen and Eisenhuttenstadt, the DRI-EAF-based Hamburg site and the long-products operation in Duisburg. The Duisburg restructuring will therefore remove steelmaking and billet production from the site while retaining its wire rod operation.