Thyssenkrupp Steel Slab Caster in Germany Passes Acceptance in April 2026 with Capacity of 2.3 Million Tons

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The upgrade project for slab caster No. 4 at thyssenkrupp Steel's Duisburg plant in Germany passed final acceptance in April 2026, with the equipment revamped by Primetals Technologies. Following commissioning, thyssenkrupp Steel's product portfolio has been significantly expanded, with production focus clearly shifting toward high-margin premium products.

Chris Lindner, Head of the "Liquid Steel Production" division at thyssenkrupp Steel, stated that the new equipment has already demonstrated quality advantages and the potential to produce new steel grades during the ramp-up phase, enabling the team to confirm the planned process routes at the earliest stage. The revamp split the former combined casting and rolling line into two independent units: an upgraded caster and a modernized hot strip mill. The separation of casting and rolling processes enables more intensive utilization of resources in the steelmaking shop, improving overall efficiency while enhancing slab logistics and process controllability.

The new equipment systematically improves slab quality to meet the production requirements of complex steel grades such as multiphase and high-strength steels, as well as advanced automotive materials. This will strengthen thyssenkrupp Steel's long-term competitiveness and ensure reliable customer supply in scarce market segments such as electrical steel for electric vehicles, motors, and generators, as well as high-strength steel for automotive applications.

The project was executed within an extremely tight schedule while minimizing impact on existing production. At peak times, up to 1,000 workers were on site simultaneously, strictly adhering to carefully planned construction sequences and deadlines, with any deviations requiring rapid and often unconventional solutions. To accelerate progress, key components were pre-assembled and fully tested before installation, and parts of the existing equipment were integrated into the new system with minimal downtime. Olaf Meininghaus, Head of Sales and Business Development at Primetals Technologies, stated that the successful project implementation was based on the long-standing, trust-based partnership between the two companies, and both sides will continue to strengthen collaboration to develop innovative solutions.

The upgraded two-strand caster No. 4 features advanced mechanical equipment and automation solutions. The mold width adjustment system DynaWidth enables rapid and flexible changes in slab width, while the hydraulic oscillator DynaFlex improves strand surface quality by adjusting mold oscillation parameters. The Level 2 automation system and the continuous casting optimization tool CC Optimizer, equipped with modules such as Dynacs 3D, ensure optimal secondary cooling regimes. The spiral rolls EcoStar Spiral enable dry casting in the bending and horizontal sections, with no spray cooling at all in the horizontal section and reduced or fully switched-off secondary cooling in the bending section. These technologies give slabs an ideal hot-charging temperature profile, eliminating the need for reheating furnaces, saving energy, while keeping sensitive grades within the correct rolling temperature range—critical for steel grades such as high-strength and electrical steels that are prone to cracking due to temperature loss. The closed horizontal section without secondary cooling also reduces maintenance requirements and operating costs.

This project is part of thyssenkrupp Steel's broader modernization program. In 2021, thyssenkrupp Steel ordered a reversing cold mill, a hot strip mill, and two heavy slab casters from Primetals Technologies. With approximately 26,000 employees worldwide and an annual crude steel production of around 11 million tons, thyssenkrupp Steel aims to produce 5 million tons of CO₂-neutral steel by 2030 and achieve full carbon neutrality by 2045. Slab caster No. 4 has an annual capacity of 2.3 million tons, producing slabs with widths from 900 to 1,800 mm, a thickness of 257 mm, and a radius of 12 meters.

Primetals Technologies Limited, headquartered in London, is an innovator and global leader in plant engineering, construction, and equipment manufacturing for the metals industry, offering technologies, products, and services covering the entire iron and steel production chain from raw materials to finished products, including electrical equipment, automation systems, digitalization and environmental solutions, as well as state-of-the-art rolling solutions for the nonferrous metals sector. The company is a member of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group and employs around 7,000 people worldwide.