Voestalpine, Austria's largest steelmaker, has formed a joint project with Mercedes-Benz and TSR Recycling to ensure the technical feasibility of processing post-consumer scrap (old scrap) into high-quality scrap that can be used to produce high-quality steel grades for the automotive industry. This initiative contributes to sustainability and evaluates new opportunities for voestalpine's increasing demand for scrap in connection with the transformation to green steel production.
Voestalpine states that the increasing demand for recycled materials due to the European steel industry's switch to green steel production cannot be fully covered by new scrap, necessitating the future utilization of old scrap. In this flagship project, the less pure post-consumer scrap is being reprocessed so that it can be used as high-quality steel for the side panels of the Mercedes A-Class sedan.
Herbert Eibensteiner, voestalpine's chief executive, highlights the company's decades-long successful efforts in closing production loops to conserve resources and secure raw material supply. He emphasizes that this unique cooperation with Mercedes-Benz and TSR Recycling demonstrates further opportunities and potential in the circular economy, marking an important step towards green steel production.
Hubert Zajicek, head of voestalpine's steel division, acknowledges the major technological challenge of producing high-quality steel grades using low-emission processes in the transition to green steel production. Voestalpine is conducting intensive research on various processes and developing solutions with customers and suppliers to maintain its leading position in high-quality steel production despite the technological shift.
In accordance with its greentec steel plan, voestalpine is replacing two blast furnaces with electric arc furnaces (EAFs) starting in 2027, utilizing a mix of liquid pig iron, briquetted sponge iron (hot briquetted iron, HBI), and scrap. Voestalpine emphasizes that scrap is a valuable raw material and plays a crucial role in the transition to green steel production.
