ArcelorMittal signs a contract with Sarralle to build a new electric arc furnace in Spain.

Sarralle has been chosen by ArcelorMittal Asturias to build a new electric arc furnace in Gijón. The project is part of ArcelorMittal's plan for the decarbonisation of its activities in Spain.

Civil works at the plant will start early next year. Once the new electric furnace with an annual production capacity of 1.1 million tonnes is operational, which is expected to be in the fourth quarter of 2025, the plant will be able to produce low-carbon steel for the long products sector, and more specifically for the production of rail track and wire rod, which will put the plant in a highly competitive position, particularly in sectors with strict carbon footprint criteria for public administration contracts. Currently, these products are produced using the blast furnace route. As part of the project, Sarralle will also install a dust collection system and a waste heat recovery system to maximise the energy efficiency of the new electric furnace.

The project is part of ArcelorMittal Europe's commitment to reduce its CO2 emissions by 35% by 2030. The EU Strategy for Intelligent and Sustainable Mobility anticipates that both high-speed rail traffic and freight rail traffic will grow by 50% between now and 2030, whilst forecasts for 2050 suggest that high-speed rail traffic will have tripled and freight traffic will have doubled. The new facility in Gijón will be ideally positioned to respond to the growing demand for rail, and in particular for rail produced from low-carbon steel, under the European Green Deal.

Source: Sarralle