• Primetals Technologies to modernize spout-type electric arc furnace (EAF) plant and its dedusting system 
• Marcegaglia’s Sheffield meltshop will see efficiency and environmental improvements
• Implementation scheduled for mid-2026

Founded by Steno Marcegaglia in 1959, Marcegaglia Group is a leading player in the global steel industry, specialized in steel product transformation. In 2023, Marcegaglia Group realized the long-held vision of its founder by entering liquid steel production through the acquisition of Outokumpu’s stainless steel long product division, including the Sheffield Meltshop, which focuses on producing stainless steel billets, blooms, and slabs.

In August 2024, Marcegaglia tasked Primetals Technologies with a comprehensive modernization of the existing spout-type electric arc furnace (EAF) plant and its dedusting system. The order came after a recent study executed by Primetals Technologies, which was focused on optimizing measures for the meltshop aimed at increased productivity. 

Efficiency And Environmental Improvements

Sheffield is historically significant as the birthplace of stainless steel production technology, this is the city where English metallurgist Harry Brearley developed what is widely regarded the first “rustless” – now known as stainless steel – in 1913. The contract between Marcegaglia and Primetals Technologies was signed in the Harry Brearley suite, a part of Marcegaglia’s on-site conference center, as a tribute to the rich history of Sheffield. 

Marcegaglia’s Sheffield site, a U.K. leader in green steel production compared to blast furnace-based producers, will see further efficiency and environmental improvements through this EAF upgrade project. Primetals Technologies’ modernization of the EAF plant will further enhance the plant’s efficiency and ecological compatibility. To ensure a short down time, larger furnace components will be preassembled, and completion is scheduled for mid-2026. With this new EAF, Marcegaglia aims to increase plant productivity to over 500,000 tons per year of stainless steel products, which will be further processed within Marcegaglia Group. 

An Optimized Melting Process

The project involves completely rebuilding the existing furnace with a larger diameter and volume to facilitate scrap charging and reduce delays. In this way, the melting process will be optimized. The new 7.1-meter furnace diameter will maximize the use of the existing transformer power and allow for shell exchange practices designed to minimize downtime. Additionally, furnace operations will be sped up thanks to an upgraded hydraulic unit and a redesigned furnace platform. 

As a result of the extensive revamp the production process will be enhanced by the installation of a dedicated burner system and a lime-dolo injection system. The dedusting system will be upgraded with new water-cooled ducts and a drop-out box, ensuring precise furnace pressure control and improved extraction of increased thermal power from fumes.

Leading Provider in Stainless Steel Production

Dr. Antonio Marcegaglia, President and CEO, and Dr. Emma Marcegaglia, Vice President and CEO, expressed their satisfaction in selecting Primetals Technologies as a partner for this investment. Several factors influenced the choice of supplier, including a solid reference base and the company’s leading expertise in stainless steel production. This project is not only economically and technically significant but also marks the Group's first venture into steel production.

Marcegaglia Group, headquartered in Gazoldo degli Ippoliti, Italy, is a world leader in steel product transformation. With a total production capacity of 6.5 million tons of carbon and special steels, the Group employs some 7,500 people and operates 36 plants spread across four continents. 

Representatives from Marcegaglia Group and Primetals Technologies at the occasion of contract signing for the EAF project. Back row (left to right): Dr. Tim Wray, Steelmaking and Refractories Manager, Steve Bastow, Head of SMACC, and Tom Eades, Engineering Manager, all with Marcegaglia Group. Front row (left to right): Matt Clayton, General Manager Sales and Engineering Metallurgical Services U.K. at Primetals Technologies, Liam Bates, Head of Marcegaglia Stainless, and Jon Stewart, Head of Metallurgical Services U.K. at Primetals Technologies.