Germany-based special steel producer Georgsmarienhuette Gruppe (GMH) has announced that it has started the construction of its second electrically-powered quenching and tempering plant for the heat treatment of steel bars (EVA II). The plant, which is scheduled to be commissioned by 2026, will be intended for the heat treatment of steel bars with diameters of 35-100 mm.
In February this year, the company had commissioned its first induction quenching and tempering plant for bars (EVA I). EVA I was designed to process bars with smaller diameters of 20-60 mm. When the second plant becomes operational, the company’s electric heat treatment capacity will increase from the current 17,000 mt to 35,000.
The investment for both plants amounts to €21.5 million. EVA I was subsidized with €880,000 from federal and EU funds in 2023, while GMH Gruppe is now receiving support totaling €1.32 million for EVA II. Both projects are funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection via the “Decarbonization in Industry” program.
GMH Gruppe aims to halve the greenhouse gas emissions of its steel production by 2030. The electrification of production will reduce the group’s carbon emissions by a total of 360,000 mt by 2030.