According to Sarralle, the furnace is being ordered as part of ArcelorMittal’s decarbonization effort, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions at its European operations by 35% over the next seven years. 

The furnace also will help capture expected demand for rail, said Jordi Torné, chief executive officer of long products at ArcelorMittal Asturias. 

“Forecasts for 2050 suggest that high-speed rail traffic will have tripled and freight traffic will have increased by 100%. The new facility in Gijón will be well-positioned to respond to the growing demand for rail, and in particular for rail produced from low-carbon steel, under the European Green Pact,” Torné said. 

The furnace will have an annual production capacity of 1.1 million metric tons and will produce low-carbon steels for the long products sector. The order includes a dust collection system as well as a waste heat recovery system. 

“This is a very special project for us. It is the first decarbonization project in Spain to be carried out with Spanish technology. It is an extremely important step for the future of the steel industry in Spain, oriented towards very high added-value products,” said Sarralle chief executive officer Elias Gonzalez.