ARTROM STEEL TUBES invests more than six million euros in 2024 to accelerate decarbonisation

Artom Steel Tubes, one of Europe’s leading pipe manufacturers with operations in Reșița and Slatina in Romania, announces investments of more than six million euros in 2024 to optimise measures to reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption. To this end, it has partnered with a number of established suppliers to the European metalworking industry, which will ensure the re-engineering of certain production processes.

“Over the next two years, the metallurgical industry will have to make huge financial efforts to start major technology change projects, despite all the challenges it faces. The European institutions are calling for a shift to zero-emission green steel, replacing coal with natural gas and methane gas with hydrogen from green technologies, as well as the re-engineering of steel flows from iron ore and coal. The European Union has allowed member countries to grant state aid for the modernisation of their companies, but in the absence of this, we have resorted to financial efforts to ensure the acceleration of the decarbonisation processes of our plants”, said Mr. Adrian Popescu, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Artrom Steel Tubes.

The company has started the process of upgrading the block heating furnace for forming pipes for rolling with the support of the Italian company SMS Spa, part of the SMS Group and Vesuvius Europe GmbH, both with significant experience in the industrial field. The process involves complete rebuilding of the masonry, using state-of-the-art refractory materials, as well as the installation of a new set of SMS RADFlame HY2 radiant burners, a new combustion control system and replacement of the automation level.

“SMS RADFlame burners, with the burner type positioned at the top, will ensure uniform, extended flame so that heat is distributed efficiently inside the oven. This hybrid configuration results in significant further reduction of carbon emissions, with the flexibility to operate with hydrogen and natural gas in any percentage in the fuel mixture,” Italian company SMS Spa officials say.

Read more about

In what ways can communication during the offboarding process help to preserve a positive employer brand and reputation?

read more

The furnace upgrade allows for a reduction in natural gas consumption, which directly influences the reduction of the pipe plant’s carbon footprint. The process also supports the possibility of using hydrogen, which will contribute to climate neutrality. The refurbishment will be completed later this year.

Another of the company’s initiatives is aimed at streamlining and decarbonising the production of its own steel used for the manufacture of pipes, as well as significantly reducing production costs related to the manufacturing flow at the Reșița and Slatina plants. Even though the technology currently used by Artrom in this respect allows the recycling of ferrous waste to obtain steel with a low carbon footprint, reducing the environmental impact of this process is considered a priority in the company’s development strategy. To this end, the German supplier Badische Sthal Engeniering, which has contributed to the modernisation of the Reșița steel mill, is carrying out an extensive techno-economic study to identify solutions that will form the basis of the company’s future investments in this direction. The project is in line with the terms of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (EU-2001), Goal 1 and 2, on reducing carbon emissions by 25%.