SMS integrates Metso's ferrous technologies

Acquisition completed: SMS group has acquired selected technologies from Metso for the production of green iron.

With the acquisition of sintering and travelling grate and straight grate pelletizing business units, SMS completes its range of solutions for sustainable iron and steel production. The acquired technologies will contribute to SMS’ new innovative solution in the field of “green iron”, a hydrogen-based, combined fluidized bed – Open Bath Furnace process incorporating the Circored™ technology.
By acquiring selected Metso business units and technologies located in Germany, India, China and Australia, SMS group strengthens and expands its position as a leading full-line supplier for sustainable metallurgy. The acquisition enables SMS group to deliver customized solutions to accelerate the industry’s transition to low‑emission iron and steelmaking, adaptable to any site conditions, ore and energy profiles, or regulatory regimes.
By integrating agglomeration technologies for travelling grate pelletizing, sintering and CFB (Circulating Fluid Bed) calcination, SMS group broadens its upstream process offering and strengthens its position for sustainable metallurgy and direct‑reduction routes. Iron ore agglomeration is essential for producing the feedstock required by shaft‑furnace direct‑reduction processes as well as conventional ironmaking. Customers gain a single‑source partner for end‑to‑end solutions—from raw‑material processing to finished‑product systems— including high‑efficiency agglomeration technologies that combine flexible feed handling, advanced heat‑recovery and combustion technology, and robust automation.
“As a driving force in decarbonization, SMS and our new team members from Metso merge their research, process expertise and service business. We accelerate scalable, cost effective and sustainable processes for iron and steelmaking. The collaborative spirit of our experts will enable targeted and competitive innovation,” says Thomas Hansmann, CTO of SMS group.
SMS is leveraging Metso’s Circored technology to create a unique hydrogen-based direct reduction process for green ironmaking. This approach combines fluidized-bed reduction from Circored with SMS group’s established Open Bath Furnace technology, forming a two-stage reduction process. Unlike conventional direct reduction plants that rely on high grade pellets with high Fe-content and specific physical properties - entailing complex, energy‑intensive preprocessing— the Circored‑OBF route accepts iron ore fines with lower‑Fe concentration, reducing preparation needs and increasing feedstock flexibility and cost advantages.
Source: SMS group