PressLondon, August 7, 2024

Tata Steel Nederland Orders Advanced Pellet Pot Testing
Facility from Primetals TechnologiesPrimetals Technologies to design and supply the world’s most advanced pellet pot testing
facility
Allows for fast and reliable pot grate test results
Future implementation of direct reduction and electric steelmaking plants at Tata SteelNederland’s site in IJmuiden emphasizes need for well-structured and carefully developedpellet-feed mixtures

Tata Steel Nederland has chosen Primetals Technologies’ pellet pot testing facility solution for its pilot
plant located in IJmuiden, the Netherlands. Primetals Technologies will design, supply, and implement
the equipment for Tata Steel Nederland’s research and development department (Tata Steel R&DTechnologies) along with a comprehensive electrical and automation solution. Startup of the new facility
is scheduled for mid-2025.
Primetals Technologies has been operating an innovative pellet pot in Leoben, Austria, since 2014. With
Tata Steel Nederland’s pellet pot testing facility, Primetals Technologies will take this concept to the nextlevel in terms of capacity, level of autonomous operation, and special features – the latter are designed
to replicate the configuration of Tata Steel Nederland’s industrial pelletizing plant.
"This is one of Tata Steel R&D’s largest investments in years," said Vincent Ritman, director of Tata
Steel R&D. "In working with Primetals Technologies, we are bringing in a reliable and knowledgeable
partner who will help us to make the connection between the pellet plant and the future direct reduction
plant possible. The installation can produce high-quality and uniform pellets on a large scale, 65
kilograms, for the current pellet research program.”
The Next Level of Pellet TestingThanks to Primetals Technologies’ own testing facility in Austria, the pellet pot concept is a tried-andtested system. It enables fast and comprehensive testing of various concentrates and pellet-feed
mixtures as well as detailed analysis and determination of optimal temperature profiles tailored to Tata
Steel Nederland’s pellet quality targets.
Primetals Technologies will design Tata Steel Nederland’s pellet pot to handle up to six pot grate tests
per day and 500 tests annually. The pellet testing facility also features a system for off-gas analysis,
which will generate valuable insights on emission levels.

Primetals Technologies, Limited
A Group Company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Communications

Press reference number: PR2024033082en

Chiswick Park, Building 11, 566 Chiswick High RoadW4 5YS London
United Kingdom
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Carbon Neutrality by 2045
Tata Steel Nederland has the ambition to reduce CO2 emissions by 40 percent by 2030 and to becomecarbon neutral by 2045. At its IJmuiden site, this is a process encompassing the whole ironmaking andsteelmaking value chain. In terms of equipment, the transition will result in a switchover to gas andhydrogen based direct-reduced iron technology along with an electric arc furnace based steelmaking
plant.
The implementation of the new ironmaking and steelmaking plants means that Tata Steel Nederland will
operate partly with new types of raw materials, while dealing with higher requirements on pellet qualities.
As a result, the new state-of-the-art pellet testing facility will play a key role both in ensuring optimal raw
material mixes for the pelletizing plant and in optimizing the parameters for the induration process.
Premium Steel Products
Tata Steel Nederland is one of Europe’s largest steel producers and supplies high-grade steel products
to demanding sectors all over the world, including the construction, automotive, and packaging
industries, as well as producers of industrial machines. The research and development department, Tata
Steel R&D Technologies, is an important part of the company. In close cooperation with customers, thedepartment designs new steel products that will help them stand out from their competition.
Tata Steel Nederland comprises two business units, Tata Steel IJmuiden and Tata Steel Downstream
Europe, and is part of Indian global steel company Tata Steel.

Tata Steel Nederland has tasked Primetals Technologies with the implementation of a cutting-edgepellet pot grate testing facility. From left to right: Piotr Ksen, Project Manager, Hans-Jörg Baumgartner,
Process Engineer, both with Primetals Technologies; Jan Baalbergen, Project Manager at Tata Steel
IJmuiden; Christoph Aichinger, Head of Agglomeration, and Thomas Marton, Commercial VP
Ironmaking, both with Primetals Technologies.

This press release and a royalty-free picture are available at primetals.com/press/Primetals Technologies, Limited
A Group Company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Communications

Press reference number: PR2024033082en

Chiswick Park, Building 11, 566 Chiswick High RoadW4 5YS London
United Kingdom
Page 2/3

Contact for journalists:
Björn Westin, Press Officer
bjoern.westin@primetals.com
Mob. +43 664 6150250
Follow us on social media:
linkedin.com/company/primetals
facebook.com/primetals
twitter.com/primetals
Primetals Technologies, Limited, headquartered in London, United Kingdom, is a pioneer and world leader in the fields of engineering, plantbuilding, and the provision of lifecycle services for the metals industry. The company offers a complete technology, product, and services
portfolio that includes integrated electrics and automation, digitalization, and environmental solutions. This covers every step of the iron andsteel production chain—from the raw materials to the finished product—and includes the latest rolling solutions for the nonferrous metals sector.
Primetals Technologies is a Group Company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, with around 7,000 employees worldwide. To learn more about
Primetals Technologies, visit the company website primetals.com.

Primetals Technologies, Limited
A Group Company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Communications

Press reference number: PR2024033082en

Chiswick Park, Building 11, 566 Chiswick High RoadW4 5YS London
United Kingdom
Page 3/3