Under the agreement, Midrex will supply a 2.5 million metric ton per year HDRI/HBI MIDREX® Plant. The facility is expected to commence production in 2029.
The project is regarded as a major milestone for the North American steel industry. The investment will be the first of its kind in the United States to integrate electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking with a domestic direct reduced iron (DR)-grade pellet supply chain.
The MIDREX Flex® Plant will provide high-quality Hot Direct Reduced Iron (HDRI) to the adjacent electric arc furnaces. In addition, the facility will produce Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) for commercial sales and export to steel producers worldwide.
According to the company, feeding HDRI directly into electric arc furnaces offers significant advantages, including reduced energy consumption, improved furnace productivity, lower operating costs, and reduced emissions intensity.
HBI is increasingly preferred by the global steel industry as a high-quality metallic feedstock with low residual content. Thanks to its low reactivity, HBI is safer to transport, minimizes metallization losses, and provides lower yield losses throughout the logistics chain due to its high physical strength. The company also emphasized that HBI is a key raw material supporting low-emission steelmaking technologies.
Commenting on the project, Midrex President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) K.C. Woody said, “Midrex is proud to support Big River Steel in this landmark project that is helping shape the future of iron and steel production in the United States.”
Woody added that the facility will pioneer the integration of direct reduction technology with modern electric arc furnace steelmaking, contributing to stronger domestic manufacturing capabilities and enhanced supply chain resilience.
Comments
No comment yet.