Esfahan Steel Isfahan plant

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Esfahan Steel Isfahan plant (شرکت آهن و فولاد اصفهان, شرکت ذوب آهن اصفهان), also known as ESCO, Aryamehr Steel Mill (Predecessor), Esfahan Aryamehr Steel Company (Predecessor), Isfahan steel plant, is a steel plant in Lenjan, Isfahan, Iran that operates electric arc furnace (EAF), basic oxygen furnace (BOF), and blast furnace (BF) technology.

Location

The map below shows the exact location of the plant in Lenjan, Isfahan, Iran:

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  • Location: Lenjan, Isfahan Province, Iran
  • Coordinates (WGS 84): 32.418304, 51.331314 (exact)

Background

Esfahan Steel, the first modern steelmaking complex in Iran, was constructed in the 1960s with the help of the Soviet Union as part of a Pahlavi-era industrialization project for the country.[1] It remains one of the largest plants in the country. It also has a long history of labor organizing that stretches back to pre-Islamic revolution times.[1]

As of 2025, the plant operates three blast furnaces, the oldest of which dates back to the 1970s.[2] Together, they have a capacity of more than 3.5 million tons per year in iron production.[3] They also represent some of the only remaining blast furnace iron production in Iran and the Middle East, which has largely switched from the coal-based process to Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) production using natural gas.

The ironmaking units are accompanied by three operating Basic Oxygen Furnaces (BOF), with a total capacity of 3.6 million tons per year in steel capacity, with potential plans to expand BOF steel production or replace it with cleaner Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) units.[4]

In 2015, an explosion at the plant killed three workers and injured another four.[5] In another incident, thousands of workers had their pay delayed due to unpaid taxes by the company.[6]

As of 2025, production at the plant had fallen dramatically, by more than 40%, due to scarcity of raw materials and the increasing age of the blast furnaces.[7]

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 Iron ore source Coal source
1971[8][9] 890[10] 2 power plants (110 mw each)[10] unknown[11] Old source, but was previously 50-50 domestic vs international, aiming for 60% domestic in 2013[12]

Table 2: Ownership and Parent Company Information

State-owned entity status Parent company Parent company PermID Parent GEM entity ID Owner Owner company PermID Owner GEM entity ID
Full Iranian Mines & Mining Industries Development & Renovation Organization 5000935267 E100000000547 Esfahan Steel Co [100%][13] 4297254997 E100001010254 [100%]

Table 3: Process and Products

Steel product category Steel products Steel sector end users ISO 14001 ISO 50001 Responsible steel Main production equipment
crude, semi-finished, finished rolled[14] pig iron, round bar, channel, angle, beam, parallel flanges, rebar, studs, rail, ingot[15][14] building and infrastructure, energy, transport[15] Expired[16] unknown[17] unknown BF; EAF; BOF

Table 4: Plant-level Crude Steel Production Capacities (thousand tonnes per annum)

1Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page for an explanation of the different capacity operating statuses.
Capacity operating status1 Basic oxygen furnace steelmaking capacity Electric arc furnace steelmaking capacity Nominal crude steel capacity (total)
announced 2280[18] 1650[19] 3930[19][18]
operating 3600[20][19][21] – 3600[20][19][21]

Table 5: Plant-level Crude Iron Production Capacities (thousand tonnes per annum)

1Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page for an explanation of the different capacity operating statuses.
Capacity operating status1 Blast furnace capacity Nominal iron capacity (total)
operating 3565[22][23][8][24][25][26] 3565[22][23][8][24][25][26]

Table 6: Upstream Products Production Capacities (thousand tonnes per annum)

Ferronickel Sinter Coke Pellets
NF >2400[10] 2035[8][10][24] >0[10]

Table 7: Actual Plant-level Crude Steel Production by Year (thousand tonnes per annum)

Year BOF production EAF production Other/unknown steel production Total (all routes)
2019 2420[27] unknown[27] –[27] 2420[27]
2020 unknown unknown unknown –
2021 unknown unknown unknown –
2022 unknown unknown unknown –
2023 – unknown unknown –
2024 – unknown unknown –

Table 8: Actual Plant-level Crude Iron Production by Year (thousand tonnes per annum)

Year BF production Other/unknown iron production
2019 unknown unknown
2020 unknown unknown
2021 unknown unknown
2022 unknown unknown
2023 unknown unknown
2024 unknown unknown

Unit Details

Table 9: Blast Furnace Details

Unit name Status Start date Furnace manufacturer and model Current size Current capacity (ttpa) Decarbonization technology Most recent relining
BF 1 operating[28][29][30][31] 1972[32] Šahriyār Industrial Group[33] 1033.0 m3[34][8] 665[8][25][24] unknown 2011-09[35]
BF 2 operating[22][30] –[22] METPROM, TAM[22] 2270.0 m3[22] 1500[22] unknown 2013-04-24[36]
BF 3 operating[26][23] 2009[26][25] POSCO; Qaim Reza Company; FIECO[26][37][38] 2020.0 m3[38] 1400[26][23] unknown –

Table 10: Electric Arc Furnace Details

Unit name Status Current capacity (ttpa)
unknown EAF (1) announced[19] 1650[19]

Table 11: 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) None unknown unknown unknown unknown unknown unknown unknown unknown

Table 12: Basic Oxygen Furnace Details

Unit name Status Current capacity (ttpa) Current size
unknown BOF (1) operating[39] 1200[19][20][21] 330.0 m3[8]
unknown BOF (2) operating[39] 1200[20] 330.0 m3[8]
unknown BOF (3) operating[39] 1200[20] 330.0 m3[8]
unknown BOF (4) announced[40] 2280[18] –

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

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "ذوب در ذوب‌آهن/ پیدایش و تکامل کارخانه ذوب‌آهن اصفهان". irdc.ir. Retrieved 2025-12-03.
  2. ↑ "RUSSIA AND THE ISFAHAN STEEL MILL | Cold War". coldwarstudies.com. Retrieved 2025-12-03.
  3. ↑ "Esfahan Steel furnace to come online".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ↑ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). www.oecd.org. Retrieved 2025-12-03.
  5. ↑ "شرکت ذوب آهن اصفهان". Esfahan Steel. Retrieved 2022-03-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ↑ "Iran's steel industry grinds to a halt due to electricity cuts | Iran International". www.iranintl.com. Retrieved 2025-12-03.
  7. ↑ (https://www.donyayemadan.com/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%88%D9%85%DB%8C-3/267454-%D8%B0%D9%88%D8%A8-%D8%A2%D9%87%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%B2%D8%B1%DA%AF-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%84%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%82%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%B5%D9%86%D8%B9%D8%AA-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%AF-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AF "آهن اصفهان در واقعیت سقوط آزاد". {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 https://engineer-mohamad.blogsky.com/1395/08/03/post-933/%D8%A2%D8%B4%D9%86%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%B4%D8%B1%DA%A9%D8%AA-%D8%B0%D9%88%D8%A8-%D8%A2%D9%87%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220114110159/https://www.esfahansteel.ir/newcmsen-profile. Archived from the original on 2022-01-14. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 (PDF) https://www.mesteel.com/countries/iran/Esfahan_Steel_Co.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ↑ https://financialtribune.com/articles/economy-business-and-markets/64453/esco-s-iron-ore-beneficiation-plant-becomes-operational. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ↑ https://www.qudsonline.ir/news/149270/%DA%A9%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%A8%D9%84%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-2-%D8%B0%D9%88%D8%A8-%D8%A2%D9%87%D9%86-%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B2%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B4-%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%88%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%B4-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AA. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220112161729/https://www.esfahansteel.ir/newcms_en. Archived from the original on 2022-01-12. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20220120103324/https://www.esfahansteel.ir/newcmsen-steelproducts. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 https://en.stic.ir/esfahan_steel_company/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  16. ↑ https://esi.co.ir/en/about-us/honors. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20210514184048/http://www.esfahansteelco.com/en/quality-management/certificate/default.aspx. Archived from the original on 2021-05-14. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20230410190908/https://www.oecd.org/industry/ind/latest-developments-in-steelmaking-capacity-2022.pdf (PDF). {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20210929032946/https://www.oecd.org/industry/ind/latest-developments-in-steelmaking-capacity-2021.pdf (PDF). {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 https://web.archive.org/web/20220112161729/https://www.esfahansteel.ir/newcms_en. Archived from the original on 2022-01-12. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20211216201449/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/prd-wret/assets/palladium/production/mineral-pubs/country/2015/myb3-2015-ir.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2021. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 https://web.archive.org/web/20221209065855/https://en.metprom.net/projects/esfahan-steel-company-2. Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 https://www.steelbb.spglobal.com/?PageID=157&article_id=64173. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 https://web.archive.org/web/20220123033935/https://www.esfahansteel.ir/page-English/en/0/form/pId303. Archived from the original on 2022-01-23. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 https://www.meed.com/esfahan-steel-furnace-to-come-online/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 26.5 https://web.archive.org/web/20250314183621/https://ghaemreza.ir/en/page/blast-furnace-no-3-of-isfahan-iron-smelting-balance-plan. Archived from the original on 2025-03-14. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 https://web.archive.org/web/20211018013424/http://ahan1400.ir/blog/item_1549977012589/298098450/%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%B4%D8%B1%DA%A9%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%81%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%84-98. Archived from the original on 2021-10-18. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  28. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230201193124/https://www.esfahansteel.ir/page-English/en/0/dorsaetoolsenews/90-G0/ESCO-is-to-Increase-Pig-Iron-Production-for-Export. Archived from the original on 2023-02-01. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  29. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230612041137/https://financialtribune.com/articles/economy-business-and-markets/54090/esco-stake-sale-gets-no-bids. Archived from the original on 2023-06-12. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 https://www.kallanish.com/en/news/steel/market-reports/article-details/esfahan-steel-idles-blast-furnace-revamp-0116/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  31. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220930132804/https://financialtribune.com/articles/economy-business-and-markets/81068/iran-steel-exports-to-15-states. Archived from the original on 2022-09-30. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  32. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220626022859/https://coldwarstudies.com/2013/03/06/russia-and-the-isfahan-steel-mill/. Archived from the original on 2022-06-26. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  33. ↑ https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/steel-industry-in-iran/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  34. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20221209064306/https://en.metprom.net/projects/esfahan-steel-company-1. Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  35. ↑ https://en.metprom.net/projects/esfahan-steel-company-1 https://steelmillsoftheworld.com/news/cntry_searchresults.asp?mideast=iran, https://en.metprom.net/projects/esfahan-steel-company-1. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  36. ↑ https://www.tam.co.ir/fa/%DA%A9%D8%B3%D8%A8-%D9%88-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1/%DA%A9%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%84-%D9%88-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D9%82%DB%8C%D9%82/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B2%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%83%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%A8%D9%84%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%B0%D9%88%D8%A8-%D8%A2%D9%87%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86/ https://en.metprom.net/projects/esfahan-steel-company-2, https://www.tam.co.ir/fa/%DA%A9%D8%B3%D8%A8-%D9%88-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1/%DA%A9%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%84-%D9%88-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D9%82%DB%8C%D9%82/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B2%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%83%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%A8%D9%84%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%B0%D9%88%D8%A8-%D8%A2%D9%87%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86/. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  37. ↑ https://pmco.ir/fa/web/page/%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%BE%D8%B1%D9%88%DA%98%D9%87:-%DA%A9%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%A8%D9%84%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-3-%D8%B7%D8%B1%D8%AD-%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%86. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/13753841/steel-plant. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 https://web.archive.org/web/20230803043516/https://www.esfahansteel.ir/page-Main/fa/0/form/pId66. Archived from the original on 2023-08-03. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  40. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240912172715/https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/industry-business-and-entrepreneurship.html. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-09-12. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

Resources

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