Voestalpine shuts down blast furnace No. 6 in Linz for 80-day overhaul

After completing the modernization of the blast furnace in Linz, the company will stop the furnace in Donawitz for repairs

Austrian steelmaker Voestalpine has shut down blast furnace No. 6 in Linz for an 80-day overhaul. This was announced by the company’s CEO Herbert Eibensteiner during a quarterly conference, Kallanish reports.

The modernization of the unit involves an investment of €30 million. Upon completion of the work, a similar overhaul will begin at the blast furnace in Donawitz.

Blast furnace No. 6 is not subject to conversion to green technologies during the first stage of the company’s transition to DRI/EAF steel production this decade. At the same time, the investment will keep it in operation until at least 2035.

Voestalpine’s revenues in the first quarter of fiscal year 2024/2025 (April-June) amounted to €4.1 billion, compared to €4.4 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal year. EBITDA decreased by 16.5% y/y – to €417 million, mainly due to the sale of Buderus Edelstahl. Net profit fell to €150 million compared to €213 million a year earlier.

In early July, Voestalpine announced that it had successfully secured a €300 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for research and development of green steel production. The main focus will be on greentec steel, a project to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% in 2029 compared to 2019 by partially replacing blast furnaces with electric arc furnaces powered by green electricity.