The number one in Europe - Swiss Steel on the way to becoming the market leader in Green Steel production

Lucerne/Emmenbrücke. As Europe’s largest steel producer using the EAF route, Swiss Steel Group is on average 78% better than producers pursuing the blast furnace route when it comes to CO₂ emissions. This is a good start position on the road to market leadership but is nowhere near enough for the Swiss steel maker.

Swiss Steel Group works exclusively with high-grade steel scrap. This measure massively reduces the CO₂ footprint compared to the traditional process of making new steel from mined iron ore. The better the quality of the scrap, the better and more environmentally friendly and sustainable the steel produced. This is an important prerequisite for producing “Green Steel”.

In the words of Frank Koch, CEO of Swiss Steel Group: “Sustainable steel production based on EAF technology is part of our DNA. Swiss Steel Group is already one of the most efficient producers of CO2-reduced steel. We will lead the change to green steel in Europe, expand our leading position in environmentally friendly steel production and at the same time clearly improve efficiency. Sustainability to us is not a just a business function, but a social obligation.”

Greater efficiency and a green future

Swiss Steel Group has invested around 60 million euros in a new walking beam furnace as well as other equipment at the Steeltec plant in Emmenbrücke, Switzerland, making this one of the largest investments for the location as well as the entire Swiss Steel Group in recent years.

The new furnace improves the efficiency of the rolling mill considerably and consistently makes its processes more sustainable. Thanks to its high degree of specialization, it is very economical in its use of its gas fuel. Strictly from an environmental perspective, the new furnace is a major improvement. Despite increased capacity and larger volume, it needs around 13 percent less gas than the old installation. The process heat from the furnace is first used to preheat billets before they enter the furnace. A good portion of the remaining waste heat is fed into the city of Lucerne’s district heating system. Overall, Steeltec has lowered annual CO₂ emissions by almost 10% by introducing innovations at the rolling mill.

Swiss Steel Group has had the decarbonization processes at their Swiss plant verified by TÜV Süd. Likewise all Group plants in the various countries are developing a number of activities to lower CO₂ emissions and have them verified by external auditors. The availability of green energy has played a key role in this process.

A further sign of the efforts of Swiss Steel Group to introduce even more sustainability is the switching of production at the Swiss plant entirely to electricity supplied by regional hydropower, which has resulted in a CO₂ emission value far below the usual branch average.

Tremendous potential

CEO Frank Koch has been at the helm for a year now and was able both last year as well as during the first two quarters of this year to achieve impressive economic results.

“Intensive analysis as well as on-site visits and meetings with all parts of the Group have shown me the tremendous potential of Swiss Steel Group. The Group is on the right production route, has an extensive product portfolio and produces outstanding quality,” Frank Koch said at wire 2022.

Swiss Steel Group is now bundling its strengths and focusing even more on their customers. R&D has become an even greater priority, and investments are being made where greater efficiency and sustainability can be achieved. Both objectives do not contradict each other, but ideally complement each other because sustainability does not tolerate any inefficiency.

Frank Koch has gone on to say: “To accomplish these goals, we have initiated a comprehensive strategy program. Within the framework of this program, we will restructure the Group with the intention that the three divisions that play an important role place an even greater focus on the customer and that Sales is given the attention it deserves. All this is happening under the umbrella and in the name of Swiss Steel Group, whereby we are also bundling marketing and communications. We are firmly committed to continuing to consistently improve our leading position in low-emission green steel until we have reached net zero for CO₂ emissions.

Information about Green Steel can be found here: https://www.swissgreensteel.com/

 

About Swiss Steel Group
The Swiss Steel Group today is one of the world’s leading providers of individual solutions in the special long steel products sector. The Group is one of the leading manufacturers of tool steel and non-corrosive long steel on the global market and one of the largest companies in Europe for alloyed and high-alloyed constructional steel. With close to 10,000 employees and in-house production and distribution companies in over 30 countries and on 5 continents, the company guarantees its custom-ers a global supply and customer service, and offers them a complete production portfolio as well as sales and services around the world. 

 

Contact:
Anina Berger
Vice President Corporate Marketing and Communications
Swiss Steel Group

Steeltec AG
c/o Swiss Steel Holding AG
Emmenweidstrasse 90
CH-6020 Emmenbrücke

P +41 41 581 41 21
communications(at)swisssteelgroup.com

 

Photo credit: Swiss Steel Holding AG