In April 2023, Outokumpu had commissioned the new inert gas atomisation plant for the manufacture of high-quality metal powders – now the plant was officially put into service. Planning and construction time took up a total of two years.
At the official ceremony, Hendrik Wüst, the Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia will welcome around 160 other guests.
Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia Hendrik Wüst said: “Outokumpu links the concepts of industry and climate protection and invests in both its own future and in that of the steel industry. The company makes use of the opportunities offered by circular economy to make its steel production more efficient while also conserving resources and, at the same time, maintaining and creating good jobs. The industry’s use of additive manufacturing is promising and it is a key technology for North Rhine-Westphalia as an industrial region, also with a view to securing our ability to compete globally. Germany must remain a technology leader in this sector.”
For more than 120 years, the production site with a long tradition in Krefeld has been producing steel. Since its beginnings, many things have changed – both in Krefeld and in the entire sector of industry. In order to prepare the Krefeld site for the future, Outokumpu has in the past years invested in modernising production plants and infrastructure. The company has also initiated new projects. The new metal powder production plant is an important step towards expanding the product portfolio and extending the customer base into new areas.
“We are pleased to be able to commission a completely new production unit here in Krefeld after such a long time”, says Thomas Anstots, Head of the Advanced Materials Business Line at Outokumpu. “The new plant is an important part of this site’s focus on the future and the first step towards our long-term goal: supporting our customers on their journey with professional expertise, the development of new, sustainable materials, flexibility and adjustments for various powder metallurgy technologies.”
Outokumpu is breaking new ground, and not only from a technological point of view. The organisation of the new business unit also demonstrates the company’s capacity for innovation. The team is structured like a start-up, where the agile work organisation grants all employees more responsibility and control over the entire production process. This extends from raw material procurement to production organisation and delivery to the customer. In Krefeld, Outokumpu also maintains a test lab set up specifically for metal powder production that serves to implement customer-specific adjustments of powder products and to offer needs-based consulting.
In addition, in its role as a large recycling unit, the new plant supports Outokumpu’s objective of increasing sustainability along the entire value chain while promoting circular economy at the same time. This is possible by using steel scrap from the company’s own production as a raw material. Creating the raw material, manufacturing the product and packaging all take place at the same site. This also reduces transport-related emissions considerably.
Close collaboration with the SMS group as a technology supplier will allow for continuous optimisation in the coming years. In this way, the plant can be adjusted to the specific needs of customers in the growing additive manufacturing market.
“This ground-breaking plant represents a significant step forward in the development and processing of metals, particularly for 3D printing, and is setting new industry standards. The close collaboration of two visionary companies that combined their extensive know-how and technological expertise created this unique solution for manufacturing high-quality metal powders here at Outokumpu”, explains Dr.-Ing. Thomas Hansmann member of the management board (CTO) at SMS group GmbH. “The realisation of the world’s first project with this innovative metal powder atomisation fills us with joy and pride.”
