ArcelorMittal Gent steel plant

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ArcelorMittal Gent steel plant, also known as ArcelorMittal Ghent, is a blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) steel plant operating in Gent, Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Location

The map below shows the exact location of the plant in Gent, Vlaanderen, Belgium:

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  • Location: John Kennedylaan 51, B-9042 Gent, Belgium
  • Coordinates (WGS 84): 51.169929, 3.804462 (exact)

Background

History

Traditionally the steelworks of Belgium had been concentrated in the southern half of the country, in Wallonia, close to the historic coal mining areas at the edge of the Rhenish Massif; which in part defined the area that came to be known as the Sillon industriel including the regions of Liege and Hainaut.[1]

In the 1920s the Luxembourg-based steel company ARBED began buying land next to the Ghent–Terneuzen Canal, and by 1932 the company had acquired 2.11km2. Economic depression in the 1930s, the second world war and its aftermath prevented plans for a new steel plant.[2] However by the 1950s the economic conditions had become favorable again, and the company began exploring the possibility of a plants' construction.[3]

At the beginning of the 1960s preliminary work began towards the construction of a new plant; the canal was to be dredged to enable Panamax size ships to use the canal, Arbed's land holding increased and on 27 April 1962 the European Coal and Steel Community approved the plants construction.[2] The company Siderurgie Maritime NV (Sidmar) was formed on 10 July 1962,[2] with a capital of 4.5 billion Belgian franc, of which 2 billion came from Arbed, as well as 1 billion from Cockerill-Sambre. Schneider, the Société Générale de Belgique, Compagnie Belge de Participations (COBEPA) and Compagnie Financière et Industrielle (COFININDUS) also backed the scheme, and loans were got from state banks.[4]

Amongst the steelworkers of the Walloon region the development was not so well received; in May 1960 union leader André Renaud declared it to be, "La guillotine de la Wallonie."[5]

Sidmar

Construction began in 1964, with a cold rolling mill completed in March 1966, and a hot rolling operational by the end of that year, the first blast furnace in 1967 and a second in 1968. Expansion continued in the early 1970s with a coking factory and second cold rolling mill.[3]

The 1973–75 recession caused a crisis in the global steel market in the mid-1970s. Though the company fared better than the southern Belgian steel producers,[6] investors other than Arbed disposed of their shares; Cockerill sold its 21.9% share to Arbed in 1975 due to its own financial problems, giving Arbed, which had previously increased its holding to 62.2% by 1973 a large majority shareholding of over 80%.[6]

By the beginning of the 1980s some re-investment and expansion started again; a continuous rolling mill in 1981, as well as acquiring stakes in ALZ, and Klöckner Stahl. In 1989 Sidmar's steel capacity represented 30% of total Belgian steel production.[7] In 1994 Sidmar acquired majority share ownership of Stahlwerke Bremen (formerly Klöckner Stahl, currently ArcelorMittal Bremen) from Klöckner.[8]

Further investment in the 1990s and 2000s gave the plant galvanising facilities (through a joint venture Galtec with Dutch steelmaker Hoogovens opened 1998,[9] and renamed Sidgal in 2002, followed by two more lines Sidgal 2 and Sidgal 3 in 2000.[10][11] and later the ability to continuous cast slab steel, as well as blast furnace expansion.[3]

In 2002, as part of Arbed the company became part of Arcelor, and was renamed Arcelor Ghent in 2006.[2] Under ArcelorMittal ownership production continued, as ArcelorMittal Ghent.[2]

Transition

In 2021, ArcelorMittal Belgium stated that it aims to decarbonize the Gent plant by 2030, and will reduce CO2 emissions by 3.9 million tonnes per year by building a 2.5 million-tonne direct reduced iron (DRI) plant and two electric furnaces at its Gent site, representing a 1.1 billion Euro investment.[12] Blast furnace A, one of two blast furnaces at the site, will be retired as it reaches the end of its current life, planned by 2030. Blast furnace B was heavily invested in in 2021 and will continue to operate.[13]

Low-emissions/green steelmaking

This steel plant is associated with a green steel project tracked in the Green Steel Tracker. Details about the project are included below.

Table 1: Green Steel Project Details

All references for the above data are available in the Green Steel Tracker.
Project 1 Project 2 Project 3
Company ArcelorMittal ArcelorMittal ArcelorMittal
Company has climate goals? Yes Yes Yes
Location Ghent, Belgium Ghent, Belgium Ghent, Belgium
Project name Steelanol (also known as Carbalyst) Torero ArcelorMittal Belgium DRI
Project website Site Site Not available
Project scale Demo Demo Full scale
Project status Operating Construction Announced
Year to be online 2022 2024 2030
Technology to be used CCU for BF-BOF Biomass for BF NG-DRI to H-DRI
Technology details CCU for ethanol production Biocoal for BF Planned gradual phase our of NG-DRI to H-DRI & EAF
Iron production capacity (million tonnes per year) Not applicable Not applicable 2
Steel production capacity (million tonnes per year) Not applicable Not applicable Not stated
CO2 capture (million tonnes CO2 per year) 0.125 0.225 Not applicable
Hydrogen generation capacity(MW) Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable
Investment size 184 54.278 1237
Actual start year 2016 – –
Partners Primemetals, LanzaTech, E4tech Renewi ; Joanneum Research, University of Graz and Chalmers Technical University ; Perpetual Next (formerly TorrCoal) –
Date of announcement 2015-05-01 2020-05-19 2021-09-28

Plant Details

Table 2: General Plant Details

Phase Plant status Announced date Start date Pre-retirement announcement date Retired date Workforce size Power source
Main plant Operating[14] – 1966[15] – – 1933[16] Committed to purchasing all electricity generated at the Storm wind farm being built on the site for the next 20 years .[17]
Closure Operating pre-retirement[18] – –[15] 2021-09[18] 2030[19][20] – –
Expansion Announced[21] 2021-09[22] 2030[19] – – – –

Table 3: Ownership and Parent Company Information

Phase Parent company Parent company PermID Parent company GEM ID Owner Owner company PermID Owner company GEM ID
Main plant ArcelorMittal SA [100%] 5000030092 [100%] E100001000348 [5%] ArcelorMittal SA[23] 5000030092 E100000000687

Table 4: Process and Products

Phase Steel product category Steel products Steel sector end users ISO 50001 Main production equipment Detailed production equipment
Main plant semi-finished; finished rolled[24] rail; billet; pipe; panel; slab[24] automotive; building and infrastructure; energy; steel packaging; tools and machinery; transport[24] 2021[25] BF, BOF[26] coking plant; 2 sinter plants; 3 BOF (330-tonnes each, 2 installed in 1967, most recently modernized in 2020; 1 installed in 2022 by Primetals Technology)[15][27][28][29][30]
Closure semi-finished; finished rolled[24] rail; billet; pipe; panel; slab[24] automotive; building and infrastructure; energy; steel packaging; tools and machinery; transport[24] – BF, BOF[19] BOF (# unknown)[19]
Expansion semi-finished; finished rolled[24] rail; billet; pipe; panel; slab[24] automotive; building and infrastructure; energy; steel packaging; tools and machinery; transport[24] – DRI, EAF[19] 1 DRI plant; 2 EAF[19]

Table 5: Crude Steel Production Capacities (thousand tonnes per annum)

*Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page for an explanation of the different capacity operating statuses.
Phase Capacity operating status* Basic oxygen furnace steelmaking capacity Electric arc furnace steelmaking capacity Nominal crude steel capacity (total)
Main plant operating 2500 TTPA[31] – 2500 TTPA[31]
Closure operating pre-retirement 2500 TTPA[31] – 2500 TTPA[31]
Expansion announced – 2500 TTPA[19][19] 2500 TTPA[19][19]

Table 6: Crude Iron Production Capacities (thousand tonnes per annum)

*Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page for an explanation of the different capacity operating statuses.
Phase Capacity operating status* Blast furnace capacity Sponge iron/DRI capacity Nominal iron capacity (total)
Main plant operating 2300 TTPA[32] – 2300 TTPA[32]
Closure operating pre-retirement 2700 TTPA[32] – 2700 TTPA[32]
Expansion announced – 2500 TTPA[19] 2500 TTPA[19]

Table 7: Upstream Products Production Capacities (thousand tonnes per annum)

Phase Sinter Coke
Main plant 6935 TTPA[15] 1200 TTPA[27]
Closure – –
Expansion – –[19]

Table 8: Actual Crude Steel Production by Year (thousand tonnes per annum)

Year BOF Production Total (all routes)
2020 4110 TTPA[17] 4110 TTPA
2021 4550 TTPA[17] 4550 TTPA[17]
2022 5000 TTPA[33] 5000 TTPA

Table 9: Actual Crude Iron Production by Year (thousand tonnes per annum)

Year BF Production Total (all routes)
2020 3650 TTPA[17] 3650 TTPA
2021 4200 TTPA[17] 4200 TTPA
2022 – –

Blast Furnace Details

Table 10: Blast Furnace Details

Unit name Status Announced date Construction date Start date Retired date Furnace manufacturer and model Current size Current capacity (ttpa) Decarbonization technology Most recent relining
A operating pre-retirement[15][27][28][29] unknown unknown 1966[15][27][28][29] 2030[34] Paul Wurth Paul Wurth Bell-Less Top[35][35] 2550 m³[35] 2700[32] Part of new "Steelanol" CCU technology rollout. Four bioreactors arrive onsight in 2021 for upgrading capture CO2 into ethanol. Will produce 80 million litres of ethanol per year. [36][37][17] 2003-06[35][38][39]
B operating[15][27][28][29] unknown unknown 1967[15][27][28][29] – Paul Wurth; Saint-Gobain (parts) Paul Wurth Modern Blast Furnace Design[35][40][41][35][40] 2347 m³[35] 2300[32] Part of new "Steelanol" CCU technology rollout. Four bioreactors arrive onsight in 2021 for upgrading capture CO2 into ethanol. Will produce 80 million litres of ethanol per year. ; Bio-coal from Torero to be used with biogas capture and used to make ethanol in the "Steelanol" project.[36][37][17][42] 2021-03[43][34]

Articles and Resources

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of steel power plants, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Steel Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.

References

  1. ↑ Pasleau, Suzanne (2002–2003). "Caractéristiques des bassins industriels dans l'Eurégio Meuse-Rhin". Fédéralisme Régionalisme. 3.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "ArcelorMittal Gent : The history of ArcelorMittal Gent in a nutshell". www.arcelormittal.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Cohen, M.L. (2006). "Arcelor Gent". International Directory of Company Histories. Gale.
  4. ↑ Mommen, André (1994), The Belgian economy in the twentieth century, Routledge
  5. ↑ Leboutte, René (2008), Histoire économique et sociale de la construction européenne (in French), Peter Lang
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Capron, Michel (1987), "The State, the Regions and Industrial Redevelopment: The Challenge of the Belgian Steel Crisis", in Mény, Yves; Wright, Vincent (eds.), The Politics of steel: Western Europe and the steel industry in the crisis years (1974-1984), Walter de Gruyter, pp. 692–790
  7. ↑ de Jong, H. W. (1993). The Structure of European industry. Springer. p. 73.
  8. ↑ The Mineral Industry of Belgium and Luxembourg, U.S. Geological Survey, 1994, pages 86-7
  9. ↑ Newman, Harold R., The Mineral Industry of the Netherlands (1998), U.S. Geological Survey, 1998
  10. ↑ Barrett, Richard, Sidmar strives to satisfy galvanizing demand, Dec. 4, 2000
  11. ↑ Steel in Progress : Sidmar Annual Report 2002, Sidmar, 2002
  12. ↑ "ArcelorMittal signs letter of intent with the governments of Belgium and Flanders, supporting €1.1 billion investment in decarbonisation technologies at its flagship Gent plant". ArcelorMittal in Belgium. 2021-09-28. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  13. ↑ Communication Belgium (2021-09-28). "ArcelorMittal signs letter of intent with the governments of Belgium and Flanders, supporting €1.1 billion investment in decarbonisation technologies at its flagship Gent plant - ArcelorMittal in Belgium". ArcelorMittal in Belgium. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  14. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20221031060354/https://corporate.arcelormittal.com/media/news-articles/carbon-capture-in-the-steel-industry-arcelormittal-mitsubishi-heavy-industries-engineering-bhp-and-mitsubishi-development-sign-collaboration-agreement/. Archived from the original on 31 October 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20110719163152/http://www.arcelormittal.com/gent/repository/Publicaties/ThisishowArcelorMittalGentproducessteel.pdf (PDF). {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  16. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220218035735/https://belgium.arcelormittal.com/en/about-us/. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.6 17.7 https://sway.office.com/cRG4BxVNGUrKnUs6?ref=Link. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 https://www.recyclingtoday.com/news/arcelormittal-to-invest-in-decarbonization-technologies/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. ↑ 19.00 19.01 19.02 19.03 19.04 19.05 19.06 19.07 19.08 19.09 19.10 19.11 19.12 https://web.archive.org/web/20220703030229/https://belgium.arcelormittal.com/en/arcelormittal-signs-letter-of-intent-with-the-governments-of-belgium-and-flanders-supporting-e1-1-billion-investment-in-decarbonisation-technologies-at-its-flagship-gent-plant/. Archived from the original on 03 July 2022. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archive-date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  20. ↑ https://www.kallanish.com/en/news/steel/market-reports/article-details/arcelormittal-announces-plans-for-drieaf-in-gent-0921/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  21. ↑ (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20220129220418/https://corporate-media.arcelormittal.com/media/kl3iewkk/fact-book-2020.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  22. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220920080732/https://corporate.arcelormittal.com/media/press-releases/arcelormittal-signs-letter-of-intent-with-the-governments-of-belgium-and-flanders-supporting-1-1-billion-investment-in-decarbonisation-technologies-at-its-flagship-gent-plant/. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  23. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20211224154052/https://belgium.arcelormittal.com/en/contact/. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 24.6 24.7 24.8 https://web.archive.org/web/20211226043605/https://belgium.arcelormittal.com/en/innovation/applications/. Archived from the original on 26 December 2021. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  25. ↑ (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20220320120211/https://belgium.arcelormittal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ISO-50001_NL.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  26. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20211226085327/https://belgium.arcelormittal.com/en/work-environment/production-departments/. Archived from the original on 26 December 2021. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 27.5 (PDF) https://corporate.arcelormittal.com/~/media/Files/A/ArcelorMittal/investors/presentations/investor-days/European-plant-tour-investors_MJehl_2017.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20220124080638/https://corporate.arcelormittal.com/~/media/Files/A/ArcelorMittal/investors/presentations/investor-days/ArcelorMittal%20Belgium_LATEST_26%20Sept18.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20220121144844/https://factbook2018.arcelormittal.com/~/media/Files/A/Arcelormittal-Factbook-2018/AM_FactBook_2018.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 January 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  30. ↑ https://www.primetals.com/press-media/news/primetals-technologies-to-supply-arcelormittal-with-two-ld-converters-bofs. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20220318115528/https://www.eurofer.eu/assets/Uploads/Map-20191113_Eurofer_SteelIndustry_Rev3-has-stainless.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 March 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 32.4 32.5 https://web.archive.org/web/20221016084219/https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/market-insights/latest-news/metals/020121-arcelormittal-confirms-ghent-blast-furnace-b-to-restart-production-by-mid-feb. Archived from the original on 16 October 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  33. ↑ (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20231029182836/https://corporate.arcelormittal.com/media/pfwpkrrw/arcelor-mittal-fact-book-2022.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2023. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20211014201932/https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/09/28/2304118/0/en/ArcelorMittal-signs-letter-of-intent-with-the-governments-of-Belgium-and-Flanders-supporting-1-1-billion-investment-in-decarbonisation-technologies-at-its-flagship-Gent-plant.html. Archived from the original on 14 October 2021. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 35.5 35.6 https://abmproceedings.com.br/en/article/download-pdf/successful-upgrade-of-the-pulverised-coal-injection-facility-at-arcelormittal-gent-belgium. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20221212113947/https://carbonherald.com/bhp-group-and-arcelormittal-partner-on-carbon-capture-in-steel/. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20230121204420/https://www.primetals.com/press-media/news/new-sustainable-technology-for-carbon-capture-and-utilization-now-market-ready. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  38. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240322051207/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248864871_Relining_of_the_Sidmar_blast_furnace_A. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  39. ↑ (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20240322051233/https://www.belspo.be/belspo/organisation/publ/pub_ostc/CG2131/rappCG31Ann2_en.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20221128015619/https://www.ceramicsrefractories.saint-gobain.com/sites/hps-mac3-cma-pcr/files/assetbank_media/Iron---Steel-Blast-Furnace-brochure-2022-web-2274441.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 November 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  41. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20221203223426/https://www.paulwurth.com/en/technology/blast-furnace-ironmaking/modern-blast-furnace-design/. Archived from the original on 03 December 2022. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archive-date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  42. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240119005811/https://www.steelorbis.com/steel-news/latest-news/arcelormittal-belgium-to-convert-waste-wood-into-bio-coal-for-carbon-reduction-1320394.htm. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  43. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230328192328/https://constructalia.arcelormittal.com/en/news_center/2021/06/arcelormittal-belgiums-blast-furnace-of-the-future. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

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