According to thyssenkrupp, the investment program, its largest in 18 years, includes major upgrades and modifications to its cast-roll line in Duisburg, Germany; upgrades to the No. 3 casting line, which is also in Duisburg; and installation of a new double reversing mill and an annealing and isolating line at its Bochum, Germany, plant.

thyssenkrupp said the investment would be in “the high three-digit million range.”

“With this investment package for the steel business … thyssenkrupp makes a clear statement: The steel business is sharpening its focus on technology and quality leadership and intends to further strengthen its strong position in European competition,” the company said. 

At Duisburg, thyssenkrupp will split the cast-roll line into a continuous caster and hot strip mill, the main components of which will be new. Meanwhile, the No. 3 caster is to be rebuilt to optimize slab production. 

At the Bochum site, the new equipment will help it meet demand from the rapidly growing e-mobility market, which requires thinner and stronger sheets to increase the performance of electric motors.

“The planned investments will further improve our technological capabilities and the flexibility and reliability of our production network. They will enable us to ensure our competitiveness through the quality of our products also in future. This is a strong signal for our customers, whom we will incidentally continue to supply with the usual products during the conversion and new construction work,” said Bernhard Osburg, chairman of the executive board at thyssenkrupp Steel Europe.