Alleima, a Swedish company specializing in stainless steels and special alloys, has taken a further step in its sustainability plan by electrifying the preheaters at its continuous casting plant in Sandviken, Sweden. This transformation was made possible by its specialized division Kanthal, a provider of industrial heating solutions.
This project is part of Alleima’s goal to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 CO₂ emissions by more than 54 % by 2030, an ambitious figure that aligns with its production model based on scrap and fossil-free electric power.
From gas to electricity
The preheaters previously operated with 3 gas burners, however, thanks to a transition initiated through a prototype to validate design and performance, they now operate entirely with electric heaters. The complete implementation not only generated greater efficiency and energy savings, but also improved the working environment by eliminating burner noise.
Since it was a new technology for us, we started with a prototype to make sure the design and performance were right.
Maria Mueller, steel plant manager.
Reducing emissions where it matters most
Although Alleima already has low emissions compared to the average of the steel industry average,the goal is to improve further. According to Håkan Sundström, the company’s Director of Sustainability and Governance,
Currently, 80% of the company’s direct emissions come from the Sandviken plant. In this context, such projects represent strategic advances in both sustainability and operational efficiency.
A model that could inspire the entire industry
The experience gained in this project opens the door to a broader electrification of other thermal processes. Alleima produces around 200 different alloys per year, which implies complex logistics where heat treatment will remain indispensable.
The case of electric preheaters in the steel industry represents an innovative reference for other companies facing similar challenges.
Source: Kanthal