07.06.2024

Press Release

Jesenice, 5 June 2024 - With the EUR 18 million investment into the overhaul of the ACL heat treatment line for non-oriented electrical steel, SIJ Acroni has established the conditions for the production of the most advanced SIWATT electrical steel for traction motors, which are considered the heart of electric-powered vehicles of the future.

At today’s opening ceremony, SIJ Acroni, the largest company of SIJ Group and the third largest producer of stainless steel quarto plates in the European Union, symbolically handed over the renovated annealing and coating line for production of the most advanced electrical steel for use in the production of traction motors for use in electric vehicles.

The line has been designed to handle all stages of the heat treatment process so that it can achieve the required electromagnetic and mechanical properties required by the most stringent standards and, most importantly, meet the technical specifications of our customers in the automotive industry. At the same time, the production line’s energy efficiency was improved, gaining an additional 15,000 tonnes, or 20% of production capacity.

“After three months in operation, we are pleased to announce that we have reached our goals: thanks to years of experience, expert mentoring, and investments in state-of-the-art technology, we successfully produced non-oriented electrical steel for electric motors with the upgraded production line. In addition, we also improved energy efficiency by almost 40 per cent and reduced our carbon footprint from 156 to 86 kilograms per tonne of the finished product, which translates to more than 55 per cent,” said mag. Branko Žerdoner, CEO of SIJ Acroni.

The renovation of the AC line marks a strategic investment for SIJ Acroni, where the new, third pillar of cold-rolled electrical steels will be joining two existing pillars of our business, the stainless steel quarto plates and special steels:

“Since 2007, when the current ownership structure was established, we have dedicated over EUR 870 million to investments. By 2030, we plan to invest an additional EUR 70 million on sustainability projects and efficiency improvements, half of which will be directed toward SIJ Acroni. This allows us to develop solutions for those areas of application which will play a key role in our transition to a low-carbon society. With the investment in the AC line, we are proving that the production of the most advanced and highest quality electrical steels is also possible via circular economy, which was previously difficult to imagine for many customers in the automotive industry. This opens doors for SIJ Acroni, giving it access to all those who seek to reduce the carbon footprint in their supply chains,” said Tibor Šimonka, Senior Vice President of SIJ Group.

SIJ Acroni is also planning further investments to achieve its strategic goal of becoming a trusted supplier in the automotive industry. By 2028, they aim to double today's production capacity of the most highly advanced electrical steels and reach 140,000 tonnes of production per year. By initial estimates, the planned investments are set to exceed EUR 100 million by 2028.

As a steel producer catering to niche steel markets, SIJ Acroni produces steel from secondary raw materials according to the circular economy principles. SIJ Acroni's electrical steel contains 97% recycled materials, which means the lowest possible carbon footprint in the world for electrical steel production, considering the technological production cycle. The total carbon footprint (Scope 1, 2, 3) of less than 700 kilograms of CO₂ per tonne of product ranks SIJ Acroni at the very top of the world's steel mills.

SIJ Acroni is a strong member of the GREen MObility (GREMO) initiative and by investing both in production facilities, such as the renovation of the AC line, and in the development of new technologies in the field of electric steels, it is making an important contribution to consolidating the position of the Slovenian automotive industry as one of the European centres for the development of green and sustainable mobility.

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SIJ Group – Slovenska industrija jekla is a leading European producer of stainless and specialty steels. We are committed to achieving climate goals on a global and EU level and operate according to the principles of circular economy. Our steels and our products establish us as a partner for Europe’s green transition. We confirm our commitment to sustainability with the ResponsibleSteel certification, the first global initiative to standardise and certify responsible and sustainable practices in the steel industry. This ranks us among the most responsible and sustainable steel producers in the world. Our largest companies are modern recycling steel mills, and our steel is recycled, as it is produced from steel scrap. With a headcount of 3,500, we are one of Slovenia’s largest employers and are a cornerstone of Slovenia’s steel sector. We rank among Slovenia’s leading exporters, as we generate approximately 85 percent of our total revenue on foreign markets.

Find out more at:

SIJ – Slovenska industrija jekla, d.d.

Mag. Sara Wagner, Head of Corporate Communications

Phone: +386 1 242 98 27

Mobile: +386 41 313 532

E-mail: sara.wagner@sij.si