10 July 2023
After a multi-million investment from 2021, the time has come for another one. At the Steuler production site in Höhr-Grenzhausen, a new 80-metre-high kiln is being built, which will operate at temperatures between 1,430 and 1,650 °C. It will replace three discontinuous shuttle kilns, which are significantly less efficient than the continuously operating tunnel model.
This is particularly important in the production of high-value materials. This investment is another step towards increasing the energy efficiency of the production of refractory bricks in the long term. With this investment, Steuler is increasing its refractory production capacity by approximately 15,000 tonnes per year. The increase in production capacity has become necessary due to the increasing orders from the steel industry, which is undergoing a green transformation and in which the Steuler group is considered a technological leader (in terms of coatings).
In order not to jeopardize current production, construction work is carried out in various closely coordinated sub-sections. Only after the installation and successful commissioning of the new kiln (probably in November 2023) will one of the old shuttle kilns be shut down and dismantled. A tunnel dryer will later be built in its place, using the waste heat from the new kiln to pre-dry the products. The well-thought-out arrangement of two units one behind the other will allow for effective and efficient filling of the kiln in the future.
Completion of the entire project is scheduled for March 2024.
Detailed information on the project can be found at
https://www.steuler.de/en/media/news/article/the-next-multi-million-investment-at-steuler-casts-its-shadow-ahead.html
