Salzgitter to build Germany's largest electric arc furnace in Duisburg

German steelmaker Salzgitter AG has ordered the construction of the country's biggest electric arc furnace (EAF) at its former Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann (HKM) site in Duisburg. The plant, to be built by engineering firm Tenova, will have an annual capacity of up to 2.5 million tonnes of crude steel, with a target output of about 2 million tonnes of low‑carbon steel.

Implementation work is set to begin in August 2024, and commissioning is scheduled for 2029. The project receives roughly €200 million in funding from the German federal government and the state of North‑Rhine Westphalia under a climate‑action programme. Raw materials will include ferrous scrap and direct‑reduced iron, with waste heat recirculated to pre‑heat scrap, further lowering emissions. Salzgitter says the furnace is central to its transformation strategy toward sustainable steel production and will strengthen its position as a supplier of green steel to automotive and appliance manufacturers.