Sustainable stainless steel manufacturer Outokumpu will invest EUR40 million (USD42.3 million) at Germany’s Mukran port.
The Finnish company will build a plant for the production of biocarbon at Mukran port in the coming years. Biocarbon is produced from secondary wood raw materials using an innovative high-temperature process.
The fine granulate obtained in this way, which looks like “black sand”, will then be shipped via Mukran port to Tornio in Finland for further processing into biocoke pellets. The biocarbon produced at Mukran in the future can be used to replace conventional coal or fossil energy sources in various stages of stainless steel production.
Fridjof Ostenberg, managing director of Mukran port, emphasises the strategic importance of the move: “Outokumpu’s decision in favour of Mukran is the result of an intensive process. It shows how attractive our port is for companies that rely on multimodal transport chains. The planned delivery of raw materials by rail and shipment of the end product by ship will strengthen the site’s logistics diversity.
Stefan Erdmann, chief technology officer at Outokumpu, also championed the advantages of the location: “Mukran Port convinced us with its combination of existing industrial space, modern infrastructure and excellent hinterland connections. The short sea routes to Finland also enable efficient and more environmentally friendly logistics. We look forward to further developing this location together.”
The by-products from the production process, in particular the waste heat generated, will be fed into the district heating network on the island of Rügen.
