Investment in the future for electric mobility

• Alignment with future market requirements though production of thinner, highly silicized, non-grain-oriented electrical steel with optimized mechanical and magnetic properties
• Electrical steel is the key material for efficient motors and generators
• Total investment at the Bochum location of around 300 million euros, of which around 150 million euros are for the annealing and isolating line
• Capacity for over 200,000 metric tons of high-tech electrical steel
• Long-term safeguarding of Bochum as a steel location, creating in total more than 200 new qualified jobs

thyssenkrupp Steel continues to implement key investments for the future: with the new annealing and isolating line having been taken into operation, the modernization of the Bochum location is now largely complete. The modern and energy-efficient plant enables manufacture of up to 0.2 mm thin electrical sheet with particularly homogeneous mechanical and magnetic properties. They are specially designed to meet the requirements of highly efficient motors used primarily in electric vehicles. The rolling mill upstream of the annealing and isolating line, a double reversing stand installed on the basis of the latest technology, has already been completed. The two new units are set to be complemented by a new electrical steel inspection line and a finishing line, for which the order has now been placed, to cut the finished sheets and tailor them to customers‘ requirements. The finishing line is scheduled to go on stream in 2026.

Dennis Grimm, Spokesman of the Executive Board at thyssenkrupp Steel: "By taking the annealing and isolating line into operation, we are making an important step towards the future: Our target is to be the leader in technology and quality, particularly when it comes to demanding premium steels. We have invested around 300 million euros in our Bochum site in order to strengthen and expand our position in steel grades for electric mobility and high-strength multiphase steels. In conjunction with the major investments in the Duisburg location, we are now on the home stretch in implementing the investments provided for in Strategy 20-30. The core of the strategy remains realistic and sound despite the changed market conditions: namely the consistent optimization of our production network and our product portfolio to cater for future markets and the growing demands of our customers."

High-tech steels from Bochum for the future of electric mobility

The new annealing and isolating line will be capable of producing over 200,000 metric tons of non-grain-oriented electrical steel per year. The Düsseldorf-based plant builder, the SMS group, is the project partner for the construction of the plant.

Thanks to the modernization campaign, the production facility on Essener Strasse is being continuously developed into a center of excellence for electric mobility and high-strength materials. Following the completion of the double reversing stand, the construction of the annealing and isolating line marks the completion of the main transformation step. The production of highly specialized electrical steel can now be further expanded in Bochum, as the trend in electric mobility is also moving towards ever more sophisticated grades. These high-quality, extremely thin steels with a high silicon content make a decisive contribution to improving energy efficiency, thereby increasing the range of electric vehicles, among other things. In the new plant, the structure of the cold-rolled strip is recrystallized during the annealing process. The appropriate texture can then be set, and the sheet is coated with an insulating layer after the annealing process. This is particularly important for the materials used in electric motors and generators to increase the efficiency of the motors and minimize core losses.

Development of the Bochum location with scope for future adaptation

The modernization of the Bochum location is an essential component of the market-oriented optimizations of the production network implemented by thyssenkrupp Steel since 2020, as well as the plans for the realignment of the company presented last November. The focus on high-tech steels for electric mobility and high-strength multiphase steels will form the core of further development in Bochum.

Electrical steel production for electric motors and generators is currently still taking place at the plant on Castroper Strasse. However, the grades demanded by the market in the future will only be able to be produced using the new high-tech units. This is why electrical steel production will be gradually transferred to the new facilities once the finishing line on Essener Strasse has been taken into operation.

Dennis Grimm: "Greater focus, increasing our competitiveness, and concentrating on the needs of our customers have set the pace for our realignment. The Bochum location will play a central role in this. We intend to concentrate our expertise there, thus future-proofing the location and preserving as many high-quality jobs as possible in the long term. We have now created the essential prerequisites to this end."

Reference data of the annealing and isolating line:

Investment volume: approx. 150 million euros
Length: 364 m
Height: up to 13.5 m
Capacity: approx. 218,000 metric t/a (depending on portfolio)
Strip widths: 700 mm to 1,350 mm
Strip thicknesses: 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm

Material installed: 35,000 m³ excavation/63,000 metric t; approx. 20,000 m³ /46,000 metric t concrete; approx. 2,700 metric t reinforcing bars

Caption

Start of commissioning at thyssenkrupp Steel on the new annealing and insulating line at the Bochum site for future steel grades for electromobility