voestalpine, the premier international steel making and processing group from Austria, announced its final site selection for the development of its U.S. direct reduction facility. The official announcement took place at the Portland Community Center, Wednesday, March 13, 2013 and is subject to successfully completing and executing all agreements with various regional and State of Texas partners.
Headquartered in Linz, Austria, The voestalpine Group is a steel making, processing, and technology group that operates worldwide and manufactures, processes and develops high-quality steel products. With 500 production and sales companies in more than 50 countries on five continents, the Group has been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1995. With its top-quality flat steel products, the Group is one of the leading partners to the automotive and domestic-appliance industries in Europe and to the oil and gas industries worldwide. The voestalpine Group is also the world market leader in railway switch technology, special rails, tool steel, and special sections. In the 2011/2012 business year, the voestalpine Group staffed roughly 46,500 employees worldwide.
The planned direct reduction plant will produce high quality DRI and HBI (“sponge iron”) from iron ore pellets. DRI and HBI are comparable to the highest quality scrap or pig iron, and therefore an excellent pre-material for the production of crude steel. In contrast to using pure coke-based blast furnaces, the planned direct reduction plant will exclusively use more environmentally friendly natural gas as the reducing agent. Additionally, cutting edge environmental control technology will be implemented in order to ensure low-emission iron reduction.
“voestalpine is a major international player in the steel making and processing industry with a very strong focus on the environment. Their operation will drive import and export cargo through the Port of Corpus Christi. The Port’s commitment, with support from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to fund and extend the La Quinta Ship Channel to the site of the La Quinta Trade Gateway was a significant factor in the decision by voestalpine to select our site. Port representatives and other regional leaders have visited their plant in Linz, Austria and have been working with the GoWest team for over a year to facilitate this project. The Port and its Commission will continue working with voestalpine throughout the development of their project.” Said Mike Carrell, Chairman Port Corpus Christi Commission.