New Electric Arc Furnace Installation - Update No. 10
Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Installation – Progress Update
We’re pleased to share the latest progress on our Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) installation, with insights from Brian Wright, Project Manager at the Materials Processing Institute, and Gerald Fleissner, INTECO Site Manager.
EAF Update – Video Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msk7uq2PT1Q
• Hydraulic systems have been successfully flushed, and hydraulic functionality checks are now underway.
• Work has been completed around the slag door, including minor refractory modifications.
• Water systems are now connected, with ongoing system checks.
• Due to the additional weight of the new furnace, we have upgraded the front tapping side boom pump mechanism. Undertaken by Elmtree Fabrications — a critical safety feature.
• We’ve also been reviewing all safety precautions ahead of EAF commissioning, including:
▫ Installing floor plates over service trenches
▫ Beginning installation of safety handrails around the tapping side
Next priorities
Our next step is swivel testing. Once successfully completed, we will introduce cooling water through the furnace system to check for any potential leakages. After this, the furnace will swivel out again with the collar and exhaust hood in place to check the movements are working.
To stay up to date with progress on the EAF installation, visit the news section of our website or follow on LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/materials-processing-institute
Project Summary
We are investing £2.9m to replace our EAF. This seven-tonne furnace is the only research facility of its kind in the UK and plays a pivotal role in developing the technologies and processes that will enable the next generation of green steel production.
The new and upgraded EAF will provide a cutting-edge facility for developing, testing, and refining advanced green steel technologies under realistic industrial conditions. By bridging the gap between laboratory research and full-scale production, it will support the transition to scalable, sustainable, low-carbon steelmaking backed by existing secondary refining and casting capability to make almost any steel.
More details here - https://www.mpiuk.com/news-details.php?news_id=601
This project is supported with funding from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), through the Foundation Industry Sustainability Consortium’s (FISC) EconoMISER programme. The programme provides access to advanced facilities and specialist expertise to help manufacturers integrate sustainable technologies into their processes.
17 March 2026
