Axel Niesing

Classic Blast Furnace vs Future Direct Reduction Among the companies that aim to change this lack of options is Germany’s Salzgitter AG. Based in the town of the same name and with sales of €10.7bn in 20237 Salzgitter is one of the smaller #steel players globally, but – according to the Green Steel Tracker published by campaigner The Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT), among the most ambitious in terms of timing and scope of net-zero ambitions. The company’s history dates back to 1858 when the Aktien-Gesellschaft Ilseder Hütte was founded in the small rural town of Groß Ilsede, in what was then the Kingdom of Hanover (northern Germany). Two years later, the company commissioned its first blast furnace, marking the start of its pig iron production. More than 150 years on, in 2015, Salzgitter Group heralded the end of this era with the launch of its programme SALCOS® – or SAlzgitter Low CO₂-Steelmaking. Through this initiative, the company plans to gradually replace blast furnaces by so-called direct reduction plants and electric arc furnaces. The latter uses the direct reduced iron pellets to produce the final steel. The new process will be powered by electricity from renewable sources, such as wind power and green hydrogen. Until hydrogen is available in sufficient quantity, the company will also rely on natural gas for a transition period to operate its direct reduction plant. “Going forward, the conventional blast furnaces route – which is heavily reliant on coal to generate the high temperatures necessary to smelt the iron ore – will no longer be economically viable”, says Martin Zappe, Programme Director #SALCOS®, who joined Salzgitter in 2021. “And we believe that the best approach for producing low-emission steel is by a direct avoidance approach, in which iron ore is reduced to iron directly in its solid-state using hydrogen.” With this technology, water vapour is emitted instead of #CO₂ (see Figure). https://lnkd.in/dTkAe-sd!

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𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲-𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐗𝐩𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐧! 📈🔍 Major German Supplier WKW Automotive Files for Bankruptcy Amid Industry Crisis WKW Automotive, a leading supplier of car components in Germany, has officially declared bankruptcy, marking a significant blow to the country's already struggling automotive sector. The company, known for supplying decorative trims and spare parts to renowned automakers like Volkswagen, Mercedes, and BMW, employs 3,800 workers at its production facilities in Felbert and Wuppertal. ⚙️🚙 Despite restructuring efforts and support from financial institutions, customers, and even the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia, WKW was unable to pull itself out of a long-standing financial slump. 📉 In 2022, the company had already warned of potential insolvency, but the restructuring proved too slow to meet the challenges posed by Germany’s broader automotive crisis. The industry as a whole has been grappling with overcapacity and stiff competition from Chinese brands, which have outpaced European manufacturers in both efficiency and innovation. 🌍 The situation has worsened in recent months, with Volkswagen AG announcing potential staff reductions of up to 15,000 employees, and other suppliers like Walter Klein GmbH & Co. KG and Erwin Lutz following suit with closures and bankruptcy filings. 🏭 This crisis highlights deep-rooted issues in the German automotive industry, once a global leader, now struggling to retain its competitive edge. Despite state regulation and partial government ownership of companies like Volkswagen, efforts to stabilize the sector seem to be falling short. ⚡ The future of thousands of workers and Germany’s position in the global automotive market remains uncertain as the industry continues to reel from these setbacks. Stay updated with the latest insights by visiting xpylon.com. https://lnkd.in/dT3G3jYd #Automotive #Transportation #GemanAutomotive #WKWAutomotive

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Austrian steelmaker Voestalpine sells German division Buderus Edelstahl. Austrian steelmaker Voestalpine has sold its German company Buderus Edelstahl to local investment company Mutares. The deal was concluded on October 22, 2024. It is currently awaiting regulatory approval. The final transfer of Buderus Edelstahl to the German investment company is scheduled for the end of 2024. By agreement of the parties, the price of the deal was not disclosed. However, according to Voestalpine's forecasts, the sale of Buderus Edelstahl will add $1.5 billion to the company's pre-tax profit in the current financial year. Buderus Edelstahl specializes in the production of stainless and special steel. Its capacity is 300 thousand tons per year. According to a statement from a Voestalpine representative, the sale of the division and the reduction in the company's share in the European market for these products, as well as tool and high-tech steel, are motivated by low demand. In turn, the purchase of Buderus Edelstahl will allow Mutares to strengthen its position in the high-tech materials market. It will also expand the customer base and reduce the company's dependence on market risks. Content Author: https://lnkd.in/e_h9wrp6 Source: https://lnkd.in/ezxcBX_6 #butov #oilgasmarket #oilgasworld #innovation #management #humanresources #technology #digitalmarketing #entrepreneurship #careers #socialmedia #socialnetworking #futurism #startups #branding #advertisingandmarketing #creativity #marketing #sales #motivation #energy #money #sustainability #productivity #gettingthingsdone #leadership #education #strategy #business #europe #mindfulness #inspiration #engineering #africa #india #europeanunion #china #smallbusiness #success #production #oilandgas #collaboration #contentmarketing #research #globaltrade #onlineadvertising #dubai #kenya #abudhabi #socialmediamarketing #manufacturing #climatechange #oilandgas #work #oilgas #science #logistics #hydrocarbons #shipping #growth #uae #marketresearch #oil #oilindustry #oilandgasindustry #agriculture #designer #oilfield #oilindustry #petroleum #trading #gas #chemistry #chemical #petrochemical #agro #refinery #import #export #industrial #agribusiness #quality

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It was fun working on this article. Actually we have a lot more on ACE Coatings at our free of charge special on this topic at https://lnkd.in/edDkwG_D #ACE #Coatings #Finishing

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𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. As the German automotive sector transitions, Schaeffler’s realignment serves as a signal to other suppliers about the necessity of adapting to sustain relevance in a rapidly changing market. Read the article: https://lnkd.in/g5jk7jvd #AutomotiveTransformation #Schaeffler #GermanyAutoIndustry #ElectricMobility #Sustainability #Digitalization #FutureOfAutomotive #JobRestructuring

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German GMH Gruppe acquires tool steel manufacturer. German specialty steel manufacturer Georgsmarienhuette Gruppe (GMH) announces the acquisition of 100% of the shares in Kind & Co., Edelstahlwerk, based in Wiehl, North Rhine-Westphalia. Kind & Co, founded in 1888 and still controlled by the founding family, specializes in the production of high-alloy steel grades, including tool steel. In 2023, the company's revenues amounted to around 125 million euros. "We are planning to integrate Kind & Co into the GMH Gruppe. This cooperation is in line with our strategic goals and increases added value for customers. The products of Kind & Co will organically complement our existing product range and expand our market presence," said Alexander Becker, CEO of GMH Gruppe. It is also stated that the acquisition will allow GMH Gruppe to occupy new market niches, expand its product range and increase its value in the eyes of customers. In turn, Kind & Co will be able to increase its presence in foreign tool steel markets and expand its resource base. https://lnkd.in/eepqriXM #butov #oilgasmarket #oilgasworld #innovation #management #humanresources #technology #digitalmarketing #entrepreneurship #careers #socialmedia #socialnetworking #futurism #startups #branding #advertisingandmarketing #creativity #marketing #sales #motivation #energy #money #sustainability #productivity #gettingthingsdone #leadership #education #strategy #business #europe #mindfulness #inspiration #engineering #africa #india #europeanunion #china #smallbusiness #success #production #oilandgas #collaboration #contentmarketing #research #globaltrade #onlineadvertising #dubai #kenya #abudhabi #socialmediamarketing #manufacturing #climatechange #oilandgas #work #oilgas #science #logistics #hydrocarbons #shipping #growth #uae #marketresearch #oil #oilindustry #oilandgasindustry #agriculture #designer #oilfield #oilindustry #petroleum #trading #gas #chemistry #chemical #petrochemical #agro #refinery #import #export #industrial #agribusiness #quality 

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From April 17 to 19, Kiekert CEO Jerome Debreu attended the annual congress of the AKJ Automotive Germany initiative on ‘Best Practices in der Supply Chain Automotive’ in Saarbrücken. Over 300 key personalities of the political, corporate and other major spheres of society followed the open, interesting and well-organized program of this unique event.    Mr Debreu took part in a panel discussion addressing the theme titled “Wirtschaftswunder: the hut is on fire !” ('Die Hütte brennt') and called for urgent changes in German and European industrial policies.    In this exchange with Prof. Dr. Klaus-J. Schmidt, Felix Kuhnert (PWC), Dr. Albrecht Köhler (Schaltbau Holding), Dirk Dreher (BMW) and Dr. Marcus Ewig (Rhenus Automotive), he reminded the audience that the automotive industry in Europe is suffering significantly, whereas in other parts of the world (United States and China), the industry was heavily supported and protected.    Only in Europe is it burdened with bureaucracy and political shortsightedness. Governments must establish reliable and stable long-term frameworks based on proven facts. Wishful thinking and generous ideals unfortunately play into the hands of competitors who act differently, do not apply the same market rules and discipline, and promote technologies that will at best represent a small proportion of the automotive market. Meanwhile, a long-standing European-wide economic pillar is being threatened and eroded. Bankruptcies of suppliers are increasing. So are transfers of activity and industrial locations out of Germany and Europe   Kiekert continues to prove that despite current adverse conditions that German manufacturing and engineering expertise is still a leading force in the automotive market and that duly selected operations in Germany can be profitable. Success has been and will be achieved through the development of innovation and intellectual property. Kiekert is thus committed to its headquarters in Heiligenhaus, where two production lines have been relocated. By 2030, a new headquarter site and an expanded production facility are to be built in Heiligenhaus. More on TV, take a look yourselves.

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Voestalpine predicts muted demand from the European automotive sector Fastmarkets Darina Kahramanova November 14, 2024 nternational steel and technology group voestalpine expects muted demand for steel products from the automotive industry in Europe in the next months, the company said in its latest financial report published on Wednesday November 13. The prospects for other industries such as construction, mechanical engineering, and consumer goods sectors also remained gloomy, the company added. “Demand for steel and steel products in the European market remained subdued overall in the reporting period,” voestalpine said in its report for the first half of the financial year 2024/2025 (from April 1 to September 30). “Despite the interest rate cuts by the European Central Bank in June and September, there was no noticeable recovery in the construction industry, which is one of the largest steel consumers,” the company added. Other major industries such as mechanical engineering and consumer goods sectors also remained at a low level. As a result, steel prices in the European spot market continued to decline in the first half of 2024/25, the company added. voestalpine added that it managed to maintain the sustainability of its steel division thanks to its focus on niche products for industries such as railway infrastructure, aerospace, warehouse and rack solutions as well as the conventional energy sector, from which demand remained “very good”. voestalpine also underlined that globally, Europe was the market “with the most difficult conditions” in the first half of 2024/2025. voestalpine’s key indicators Revenue from voestalpine’s steel division was €2.92 billion in April-September – the first half of its business year 2024/25 – down by 6.7% from the same period of 2023/24. “This was primarily due to the decline in shipment volumes,” the company said, without giving more details. Subscribers can read the full story and pricing data at this link: https://fmrkts.com/3USBaV5 #steel #Europe #voestalpine #HRC #hotrolledcoil #Automotive

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Today we are sharing a post from a representative of VanKing Celkar Group P.S.A., the company that owns our brand. Piotr Kuna participated in an important automotive conference organized by Gesamtverband Autoteile-Handel e.V. this week. Read his brief summary of this remarkable event. 📝 #automotive #automotiveindustry #LCV #spareparts #car #aftermarket #event #conference

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Follow ALUMINIUM CHINA to stay attuned to the latest industry news and trends: Chinese automaker #BYD Co. has taken full control of its joint venture with Mercedes-Benz Group AG, marking the end of a 13-year partnership in China's electric vehicle (EV) market. BYD acquired the remaining 10% of shares in the company that were previously owned by Mercedes-Benz, bringing the Denza premium EV brand entirely under BYD's ownership. BYD sells around 3 million vehicles a year, making it the world's leading EV company. #Aluminium extrusions usage in the transportation sector is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 4.32% during the next seven years due to vehicles’ light-weighting needs and growth in the market for new energy vehicles. Passenger cars use aluminium extrusions to produce complex shapes at a lighter weight. According to the Aluminium Association, on average, North American passenger cars have more than 20 kg of aluminium extrusion content in 2020, as compared to 18 kg in 2016. Extrusion content is likely to reach close to 25 kg per vehicle by 2025. #lightweight #automotive

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VW capitulates: German technology not enough for China. Volkswagen is apparently backing down in China: The MEB platform, the heart of VW's electric models, is being phased out there - instead, the company is now relying on technology from its Chinese partner XPENG. This means that the ID.Unyx should still be a success. Volkswagen wanted to make a big splash in China with the ID.Unyx electric SUV. But the opposite is the case: only a few hundred vehicles have been sold there since July, says an insider. Chinese customers do not seem to be very enthusiastic about the ID.Unyx, and even high discounts of several thousand euros have not been able to change that. Now, according to reports, Volkswagen is pulling the plug and saying goodbye to the MEB platform - the technology is apparently not sufficient to keep up in China. Instead, from 2026, VW Anhui will be using the "China Electrical Architecture" (CEA), which is being developed together with the Chinese electric car expert Xpeng (source: CnEVPost). The focus is on cheaper models that are better adapted to the local market. The future models are expected to be priced between 19,500 and 25,000 euros. They are expected to come onto the market from 2026. The abandonment of the company's own MEB technology in favor of Xpeng's solutions shows how tough the Chinese market has become. With companies like BYD, Nio and Xpeng, the manufacturers there are increasingly setting new standards. VW has apparently adapted to the new realities and market conditions with the CEA architecture. by @Simon Stich (https://www.giga.de/)

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“We believe that the best approach for producing low-emission #steel is by a direct avoidance approach” Martin Zappe, Programme Director SALCOS® | Salzgitter AG®, Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH “Going forward, the conventional blast furnaces route – which is heavily reliant on coal to generate the high temperatures necessary to smelt the iron ore – will no longer be economically viable”, says Martin Zappe, Programme Director SALCOS®, who joined Salzgitter in 2021. “And we believe that the best approach for producing low-emission steel is by a direct avoidance approach, in which iron ore is reduced to iron directly in its solid-state using hydrogen.” With this technology, water vapour is emitted instead of CO₂.

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Bold. Fast. Affordable. Courtesy of ASTARA Switzerland I recently had a chance to test drive MG's - MG4 Xpower. See the test here: https://lnkd.in/eZJ_zjCj MG is the largest selling Chinese brand in Europe – last year MG sold nearly 232,000 cars in Europe, and because of its British heritage the brand is known to many, at least to people over 50 years of age. MG is a British brand dating back to 1924 and was famous for small, affordable and nippy sports cars. My favourites were the MGA, the MGB and MGB GT, and the MG RV8 – wonderful sports cars for their time. The MG4 Xpower is about the same size as a VW ID.3, but with more technology, 4x4 and much more horsepower. It comes with a very competitive price tag of 40,140 CHF including the matt green special colour. Other full-electric competitors would be the Tesla Model 3 dual motor, the Cupra Born, the Smart #1 Brabus and the Volvo EX30 twin motor. The MG4 measures 428.7 cm in the length and 206 cm in the width and fits well into our European car parking spots. It weighs 1878 kg and offers a trunk with 363 liters, with rear seats folded you get up to 1177 liters of stowage. It is based on SAIC’s Modular Scalable Platform which gives no less than 435 HP and 600 Nm with a 61.7 kWh net capacity battery. MG says 0-100 km/h takes just 3.9 seconds using launch control, and the top speed is limited to 200 km/h. At first glance, the MG4 XPower 2025 meets you with a dynamic and aggressive design – almost a bit over-designed to the European eye and certainly much more in-your-face than eg the VWs, Smarts or Volvos of this world. The 18” aluminum rims almost look undersized – 19” or 20” would look more sharp and give better handling. But all in all a great effort by MG. #mobilityinsider #mg #astara Nicole Sahlmann

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𝐕𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 🚗🏭 Voestalpine has announced a reorganization of its automotive component business in Germany due to declining demand and structural changes. This includes the closure of its Birkenfeld site, impacting about 220 jobs, while Dettingen, Schmoelln, Schwaebisch Gmuend, and Boehmenkirch will form a joint production network focusing on core technologies. The measures aim to secure the long-term future of around 2,000 jobs in the automotive supply segment. Voestalpine's shares rose by 3.3% amid these developments, reflecting positive market sentiment despite challenges in the automotive industry. Stay updated with the latest insights by visiting xpylon.com. https://lnkd.in/d6RTmJnp #Transportation #Automotive #OEM

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RETREADING SEMINAR: Our first retreading seminar from The Tire Cologne has been edited and published for you! The first presentation comes from Vijay Srinivas, the CEO of Indag Rubber. Watch his speech focusing on the sustainability benefits of retreading in a few clicks! #Retreading #TyreManufacturing #Sustainability

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Despite currency fluctuations and inflation, Pirelli maintains its strong position with a focus on high-value segments. The company sees growth in car volumes and improves its product mix, driving profitability. Sustainability remains a top priority with the adoption of FSC-certified natural rubber. #pirelli #financialresults #automotiveindustry #sustainability #tyres #highvalue #growth #inflation #currencyfluctuations #businessupdate #positiveoutlook

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Ukraine increased the export of metal and iron ore raw materials. The head of the Committee on Finance Danylo Hetmantsev pointed out to the first quarter of 2024 results that the mining and metallurgical complex products accounted for almost 20% of all commodity exports. For comparison, this type of export accounted for 13% in the corresponding period last year. Thus, in the first quarter, Ukraine exported $0.86B worth of iron ore versus $0.4B in the first quarter of 2023. At the same time, agricultural products still occupy the lion's share on which Ukrainian exports are based. About 70% of all merchandise exports in the first quarter were agricultural raw materials and food. At the same time, Ukraine significantly increased the export of ferrous metals in the first two months of the year. The corresponding indicator increased by 46.2% or up to $522.5M compared to January-February last year, the State Statistics Service reported. At the same time, the indicators of the export of grain crops decreased by 8.1%, or in monetary terms, to $1.838B. https://lnkd.in/eBMnUHBd

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