“Investing in the line will make it possible in the future to produce all major steel grades that are mainly used in the premium automotive industry and have to meet the most stringent quality requirements,"  the company said in a statement.  "The high-quality steel products offer best crash performance combined with lowest weight. This makes vehicles lighter and consequently more sustainable.”

Work is beginning this month on the No. 4 line, and all of the lines are to be upgraded by 2027. 

The company said one significant aspect of the project is an integrated zinc bath bypass solution, which will allow cold-rolled strip to be produced on a line without a lowerable zinc bath.