Huttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann (HKM) has permanently decommissioned Blast Furnace A at its Duisburg site after more than 53 years of operation, as part of Salzgitter AG’s transition toward lower-carbon steel production.
The blast furnace, which started operation in 1973, produced around 93 mln tons of pig iron over five production campaigns. It had an annual capacity of up to 2.5 mln tons.
HKM is now building a new 2.5 mln tons per year electric arc furnace (EAF), which is scheduled to start production in 2029. The project received EUR 200 mln (USD 229 mln) in funding from the German federal government and North Rhine-Westphalia, with construction starting in August 2026.
Until the EAF is commissioned, Blast Furnace B will continue production at the Duisburg site. HKM’s two blast furnaces produced around 4 mln tons of pig iron in 2025, while output is expected at around 3 mln tons in 2026 following the restart of Blast Furnace B and the closure of Blast Furnace A.
Salzgitter AG said the EAF will support the group’s transformation toward virtually CO2-neutral steel production and contribute to the future development of the Duisburg site.
1 USD / 0.87 EUR