GMH Gruppe commissions second electric single-bar tempering line

GMH Gruppe has commissioned a second electric inductive single-bar tempering system at its Georgsmarienhütte steel plant, expanding capacity for heat-treated quality steels while advancing its decarbonisation strategy.

The new system, EVA 2, follows the start-up of the first line (EVA 1) in February 2024. Together, the two installations represent a total investment of €21.5 million and increase the company’s electric single-bar tempering capacity to around 35,000 tonnes per year.

The investment forms part of GMH Gruppe’s broader transformation strategy aimed at strengthening competitiveness while reducing emissions in steel production. Around €2.2 million of the project funding comes from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action’s “Decarbonisation in Industry” programme, supported by the EU’s NextGenerationEU initiative.

“With the commissioning of EVA 2, we are continuing our investment strategy despite challenging economic conditions,” said Dr. Alexander Becker, CEO of GMH Gruppe. “Electrification is a key lever for climate-neutral steel production.”

While EVA 1 processes steel bars with diameters of 20–60 mm, the new EVA 2 line expands the range to 35–100 mm. In the inductive single-bar tempering process, steel bars up to 10 metres long are heated to more than 900°C, cooled in a controlled manner and then reheated to a tempering temperature of approximately 650–750°C. The process allows precise adjustment of strength and toughness properties while improving process stability, occupational safety and product consistency.

The heat-treated steels are used in demanding applications including fasteners for wind turbines, components for industrial and conveyor systems, and safety-critical automotive parts.

Electrification is central to the technology. The new systems can operate with up to 100% renewable electricity, replacing natural gas in the heat-treatment process. Over the next decade, GMH Gruppe expects the technology to reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 50,000 tonnes.

The investment supports the company’s climate targets, which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieving climate-neutral production by 2039.

Georgsmarienhütte GmbH already provides product carbon footprint data for more than 1,000 steel grades. The methodology has been validated by TÜV SÜD and is intended to provide transparent emissions data across the company’s product portfolio. The plant produces steel primarily from recycled scrap using electric-arc furnaces and is among the first manufacturers certified under the Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS).

Source and Photo: GMH Gruppe