Salzgitter, together with its subsidiary Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH, is investing a triple-digit mln-euro sum in a new walking beam furnace and a waste gas heat recovery system at its hot strip mill. The upgrade aims to cut energy use, enable hydrogen-based heating, and reduce CO2 emissions, the company said in a press release.
The walking beam furnace will heat steel slabs, up to 1,300 Celsius for further rolling into steel coils. Italian firm Tenova Italimpianti has been contracted to deliver the furnace.
According to Thomas Routschek, Operations Director at Salzgitter Flachstahl, the new furnace will reduce slab-heating energy consumption by up to 30pct, marking a major step in decarbonizing flat steel production. Once operational, all slabs at the Salzgitter site will be processed using this technology.
To improve energy efficiency further, hot exhaust gases from the furnace will be harnessed to produce steam via a heat recovery system (AWN), to be built by DSD Power.
Installation and commissioning are expected to be completed by 2028.