CSN Stahlwerk Thüringen Unterwellenborn steel plant
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CSN Stahlwerk Thüringen Unterwellenborn steel plant, also known as CSN Stahlwerk Thueringen, is a steel plant in Unterwellenborn, Thuringia, Germany that operates electric arc furnace (EAF) technology.
Location
The map below shows the exact location of the plant in Unterwellenborn, Thuringia, Germany:
- Location: Kronacher Straße 6, 07333 Unterwellenborn, Germany
- Coordinates (WGS 84): 50.654574, 11.43745 (exact)
Background
The CSN Stahlwerk Thüringen Unterwellenborn steel plant started operations originally in 1878 with 2 blast furnaces and a Bessemer steel plant.[1] They have since evolved and switched to scrap-based electric steelmaking.[2] The plant was acquired by the CSN Group in February 2012 and have operated under the company since; though initially a state-owned group, CSN privatized in 1993.[3]
Worker Safety
In November 2022, workers began a strike over working hours and wages at the plant.[4] In March 2023, an employee died in an accident at the rolling mill.[5]
Transition Plans
CSN Stahlwrerk has committed to replacing natural gas in their production process with hydrogen, in addition to full carbon neutrality by 2040.[6] The company has signed a partnership deal with gas network operator Ferngas Netzgesellschaft mbH to revamp an existing 70-kilometer natural gas pipeline that runs from Erfurt to Unterwellenborn into a pipeline for clean hydrogen. The hydrogen will gradually replace the natural gas used in their production process.[7] The plant currently sources 100% renewable energy from Scandinavian hydropower for their green steel line, and produces electricity from an on-site photovoltaic array for their other electricity needs.
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Plant Details
Table 1: General Plant Details
| Start date | Workforce size | Power source |
|---|---|---|
| 1878[8] | 700[9][10] | Green electricity from Scandinavia Hydroelectric power[11] |
Table 2: Ownership and Parent Company Information
| Parent company | Parent company PermID | Parent GEM entity ID | Owner | Owner company PermID | Owner GEM entity ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional SA [100.0%] | 4297320527 [100.0%] | E100001000652 [100.0%] | Stahlwerk Thueringen GmbH [100%][12] | 4296860384 | E100000130808 [100%] |
Table 3: Process and Products
| Steel product category | Steel products | Steel sector end users | ISO 14001 | ISO 50001 | Main production equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| semi-finished, finished rolled[13] | billet, sections[13] | building and infrastructure[13] | 2024-06-06[14] | 2024-06-06[14] | EAF |
Table 4: Plant-level Crude Steel Production Capacities (thousand tonnes per annum)
| Capacity operating status1 | Electric arc furnace steelmaking capacity | Nominal crude steel capacity (total) |
|---|---|---|
| operating | 1100[15] | 1100[15] |
Table 5: Upstream Products Production Capacities (thousand tonnes per annum)
| Ferronickel | Sinter | Coke | Pellets |
|---|---|---|---|
| NF[16] | NF[16] | NF[16] | NF[16] |
Table 6: Actual Plant-level Crude Steel Production by Year (thousand tonnes per annum)
| Year | EAF production | Other/unknown steel production |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | unknown | unknown |
| 2020 | unknown | unknown |
| 2021 | unknown | unknown |
| 2022 | unknown | unknown |
| 2023 | unknown | – |
| 2024 | unknown | – |
Unit Details
Table 7: Electric Arc Furnace Details
| Unit name | Status | Current capacity (ttpa) | Current size (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| unknown EAF (1) | operating[16] | 1100[15] | 135.0[17] |
Table 8: Electric Arc Furnace Feedstock Details
| Unit name | Scrap-based | % scrap | % DRI | % HBI | % sponge iron (unknown if DRI or HBI) | % basic/merchant pig iron | % granulated pig iron | % pig iron (unknown if basic/merchant or granulated) | % other iron |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| unknown EAF (1) | yes[18] | 100.00[18] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Articles and Resources
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of steel plants, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Iron and Steel Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
References
- ↑ "History". STAHLWERK Thüringen GmbH.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Production Process". Stahlwerk Thueringen.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "CSN - Gruppe". STAHLWERK Thüringen GmbH (in Deutsch). Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ↑ Süddeutsche.de GmbH, Munich, Germany. "Aktuelle Nachrichten, Hintergründe und Kommentare - SZ.de". Süddeutsche.de (in Deutsch). Retrieved 2023-04-26.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ Voigt, Jens (March 9, 2023). ""We are still in shock": 23-year-old dies after an accident at work in the Thuringia steel mill". Thuringische Landeszeitung.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Green Steel that supports our environment". stahlwerk-thueringen.com. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Stahlwerk Thueringen and Ferngas Forge a Path for Hydrogen-Powered Steel in Germany". Fuel Cell Works. August 15, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220529093047/https://www.stahlwerk-thueringen.com/company/swt/history/. Archived from the original on 2022-05-29.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20220205123753/https://www.stahlwerk-thueringen.com/files/14B93364590/nachhaltigkeit_englisch.pdf?randID. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-02-05.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220529075157/https://www.stahlwerk-thueringen.com/company/. Archived from the original on 2022-05-29.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stahlwerk_Th%C3%BCringen.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240125060202/https://www.stahlwerk-thueringen.com/company/swt/csn_group/. Archived from the original on 2024-01-25.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 https://web.archive.org/web/20220319151744/https://www.stahlwerk-thueringen.com/products/. Archived from the original on 2022-03-19.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 14.0 14.1 https://www.stahlwerk-thueringen.com/company/responsibility/managementsystem/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "Map of EU steel production sites" (PDF). Eurofer. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-03-18.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 https://web.archive.org/web/20210122134418/https://www.stahlwerk-thueringen.com/company/production_process/productionprocess/. Archived from the original on 2021-01-22.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220124102936/https://www.stahlwerk-thueringen.com/company/production_process/productionprocess/?loopID. Archived from the original on 2022-01-24.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 18.0 18.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20240809182730/https://www.stahlwerk-thueringen.com/company/production_process/productionprocess/?loopID=14B93365D08. Archived from the original on 2024-08-09.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)
