Alter Steel to upgrade steel mill in Australia

The Australian steel producer is equipping its mini steel mill with environmentally friendly technology.

Alter Steel selected Danieli to supply technology and equipment for its new steelmaking facility in Pinkenba, Queensland, Australia. The project will leverage Danieli Mida QLP -Quality Long Product - technology and will incorporate an electric arc furnace (Digimelter) and alternating current power supply (Q-One Power Feeder) with power electronics for sustainable electric steel production. According to the manufacturer, the so-called Mida (Minimill Danieli) technology for long steel production is considered the most efficient and cost-effective method for manufacturing long steel. According to Danieli, the plant will produce 500,000 tons per year of high-quality reinforcing bar, wirerod, hot-rolled mesh, spooled coil and bar, all from a single site.
Fully compatible with renewable energy sources, the Digimelter will achieve CO₂ emissions of just 0.37 tons per ton of steel, an 80% reduction compared to traditional blast furnaces.
Furthermore, the Mida QLP endless casting-rolling process eliminates billet reheating, cutting energy use by up to 75% compared to conventional mills. The finished products are delivered in under two hours, in precision-aligned, tangle-free bundles for optimized downstream processing, says Danieli.
The facility is scheduled to be completed by late 2027, and will be the first, greenfield steel mill built in Australia in over 40 years. The project will support local demand for construction-grade products with 100% Australian scrap-sourced materials.
Source: Danieli