ArcelorMittal rejects green steel production - the future of the work in danger!

Arcelor Mittal plant keine Umrüstung des Bremer Stahlwerks auf grünen Stahl. Zukunft der Produktion ungewiss.
Arcelor Mittal is not planning to retrofit the Bremen steel mill on green steel. Future of production uncertain. (Symbolbild/MB)

ArcelorMittal rejects green steel production - the future of the work in danger!

Bremen, Deutschland - in Bremen, the decision of the Arcelor Mittal ensures excitement for the production of green steel. According to Buten the second largest steel company in the world officially canceled its investment plans about two weeks ago. This decision could have serious consequences for the future of the work, which could close at the latest 2045 if there is no transformation, warned the Bremen Professor Torben Stührmann.

The criticism of Arcelor Mittal grows. The rejection of billions of billions from the federal and state governments causes additional resentment. It was still in the room that the conversion should begin by June 2025. An original contract with the Federal Government provided for funding of 1.3 billion euros in order to install new systems such as direct reduction systems and electric laying stoves.

protests and political reactions

About 2,000 of the more than 3,000 employees reacted to the announcement with protests before the work. The Bremen Senate also commented on the decision of Arcelor Mittal “disappointed and annoyed”. Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte called for a clear commitment from the company to steel production in Bremen, while Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke emphasized that jobs in Eisenhüttenstadt had to be protected.

The changeover to environmentally friendly production methods is necessary because the steel industry is one of the largest CO₂ emitters in Germany. But the market and the high electricity prices make it difficult to change. A switch to electrical laying stoves requires competitive electricity prices and sufficient hydrogen supply, which is currently a challenge in Germany. Here Tagesspiegel Clearly that the decision for a CO₂-reduced steel production Market situation and a lack of economy. The EU, on the other hand, is working intensively to strengthen the competitiveness of the steel industry.

EU action plan for the steel industry

In this context, the EU Commission presented an action plan for the steel and metal industry. The plan aims to ensure a competitive and low -carbon industry. Important points are a safe energy supply and the protection of European industrial capacities. Here, too, the steel industry has a key role, because it contributes around 80 billion euros to the EU GDP. Special measures that are intended in the action plan are intended to prevent CO₂ emissions from being shifted abroad, which could also put the European economy under pressure.

Overall, the future of steel production in Bremen and the entire European steel industry remains uncertain. The challenges are diverse, but some hope that a rethink and new approaches can bring the turn. The delicate location and the dependence on constant energy prices are in the room, while Arcelor Mittal regards the energy transition as a slow process. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop.

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OrtBremen, Deutschland
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