Based in Buttrio, in the north-east of Italy, Danieli Group emerges as a preeminent global industrial machinery manufacturer boasting a legacy of over a century of excellence in the metals industry. Its forward-looking stance materializes through an ongoing commitment to groundbreaking projects, underpinning a resolute dedication to worldwide innovation and environmental sustainability.
At its essence, Danieli Group is dedicated to delivering state-of-the-art process automation and control systems meticulously crafted to suit the nuanced demands of the metals industry. Beyond technological prowess, the Group actively responds to the contemporary emphasis on sustainability by incorporating environmentally conscious practices into its operational fabric. In an interview with the magazine Think Steel, Chairman Gianpietro Benedetti expounded on these endeavors, while talking about the future of steelmaking.
As highlighted by the Chairman, the dynamic markets currently in the vanguard are notably India, where the momentum is particularly robust, and the United States, where “producers are still all excited”. Additionally, the regions of the United States, India, Southeast Asia (SEA), and China not only hold paramount importance presently but are anticipated to maintain their significance in the months ahead.
A key focus, according to the Chairman, is also the significant commitment of China to Green Steel. Globally, the transition toward Green Steel is notably prominent in China and the United States, surpassing the initiatives in Europe. While Europe has “a lot of ideas about Green Steel”, when measured against the population in those regions, the investments in China and the United States eclipse those in Europe. Drawing parallels, the Chairman cited the example of solar energy, where China has outpaced Europe in investments over the past couple of years on a per-inhabitant basis.
Danieli Group’s Chairman also stressed that, in the upcoming years, the demand for steel products will vary based on regional economic development. Developing economies are likely to prioritize long products like rebar and wirerod, while in advanced countries, various products, including automotive components, pipes, and others, will be attractive.
Furthermore, China is expanding its electric arc furnace installations at a remarkable pace, not only increasing the number of electric arc furnaces but also testing “hydrogen fuel for direct reduction. Thanks to God, our direct reduced iron process – Energiron, jointly developed with Tenova – can work with up to 95% of hydrogen as fuel, as already proven”. Regarding Green Steel production, the next decade may witness the conversion of 200-250 million tons of integrated steel capacity to electric steelmaking, constituting around 10-15% of the total global production. This shift involves transitioning from blast furnace ironmaking to direct reduction steelmaking.
As Gianpietro Benedetti said in conclusion, competitiveness in greener steelmaking involves strategic shifts, like closing blast furnaces and installing Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) units, initially utilizing natural gas and potentially transitioning to hydrogen.