- 24 Oct 2025
On 23-24 October 2025, the INCITE team, represented by Eric Aries and Ioannis Retsoulis, had the pleasure to carry out site visits in Italy to gather information on innovative technologies linked to Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steelmaking and Ferrous Metals Processing. This involved visiting one of the most advanced EAF steelmaking plants in Europe (Ori Martin, Brescia) and the Tenova innovation team during a one-day conference-like event organised at Tenova’s Headquarters in Castellanza, Italy. Tenova is a global technology provider company, designing and developing technological solutions for the metal processing and mining sectors aiming to reduce costs, save energy, decarbonise production processes and reduce their environmental impact.
During this visit, the objective of the INCITE team was to gather detailed and up-to date information on innovative technologies developed in particular in EAF steelmaking (since the last review of the Iron and Steel Best Available Techniques Reference document (the IS BREF)). This is essential to frontload information ahead of the upcoming review of this document planned in 2026. The opportunity was also taken to discuss new technologies linked to secondary steelmaking (e.g. ferrous metal processing applications) for achieving carbon neutrality, depollution and becoming more circular.
During the first day, a visit to the ORI Martin Group EAF plant took place in the morning. At this plant, several innovative technologies including enhanced steel scrap management using digitalisation and/or artificial intelligence, innovative charging / melting / electromagnetic stirring and novel energy recovery technologies have been implemented.
In the afternoon, at the Tenova Headquarters, we visited the Tenova Lab where testing is currently ongoing as part of the Horizon Europe project HyTecHeat for optimising H2 or combined multi-fuel H2 /CH4 combustion in reheating furnaces in ferrous metal processing applications. This was completed by a visit to the Pomini Tenova Workshop where an innovative digital texturing technology used for digital texturing of working rolls has been developed using modern fibre-optics laser heads.
During the second day, at the Tenova Headquarters, a number of technical presentations were given by Tenova experts on key technologies developed or currently under development by Tenova. In EAF steelmaking, several innovative technologies were discussed including the development of Consteel / Consteerer electric furnaces, open slag bath furnaces, novel heat recovery technologies for EAFs and steelmaking slag valorisation. In Ferrous Metal Processing, detailed presentations were also provided on e.g. the potential electrification of reheating and heat treatment furnaces, recent advances in pickling of stainless steel or Chromium VI-free passivation of tinplate ,etc.
Site visits and direct engagement with stakeholders are key priorities for INCITE, as they help to get first-hand information from experts about the degree of maturity and the environmental performance of key innovative techniques.
Special thanks to Ori Martin and the entire Tenova team for the impeccable organisation and excellent cooperation!