Global demand for steel continues to grow. However, iron and steelmaking account for roughly 20 percent of the world’s industrial energy consumption and 30 percent of industrial CO₂ emissions. The power consumption of electric arc furnaces used for melting scrap metal is particularly high.

The team came up with a promising design and presented it to the management. That’s when things really took off. “We saw great potential in the new furnace concept for our customers and immediately decided to prioritize the project,” site CEO Bertram Junker recalls. News of the plans for the new furnace was enthusiastically welcomed by the staff of more than 320 employees, including engineers, specialists and support personnel. It has become a rallying point for the entire site,” as Dr. Markus Dorndorf, Head of R&D, points out. “Everyone is totally committed to the project.”

Steelmaking innovation has a long tradition at Willstätt-Legelshurst. The Quantum electric arc furnace is the centerpiece of the new compact steelmaking plant Siemens is constructing for the Mexican steelmaker Talleres y Aceros S.A. de C.V. (Tyasa) at its Ixtaczoquitlán site. It achieves tap-to-tap times as low as 36 minutes. At just 280 kilowatt-hours per ton of crude steel, it consumes up to 20% less electricity compared to conventional electric arc furnaces. Tyasa CEO Oscar Chahin Trueba underscores this factor in stating: “We’re expecting to gain significant advantages in operating costs, especially from the new electric arc furnace.” There is another significant advantage: 30% lower CO₂ emissions.

While some of the staff at the site are feverishly working to implement the new Tyasa furnace, others are already tinkering with new concepts to further improve furnace efficiency. What will they think up next?