Italian Beltrame group to develop an eco-intelligent steel-concrete factory in Romania

By Edwig Ban
AFV Beltrame Group, one of the largest producers of steel bars and special steels in Europe, is investing 300 million euros to build in Romania an eco-intelligent factory of steel-concrete and rolled wire, unique in Europe, and considers more locations. Beltrame Group also owns the Donalam Călăraşi steel plant.
“After a long feasibility study, AFV Beltrame Group, one of the largest producers of steel bars and special steels in Europe, is investing 300 million euros to build an eco-smart steel-concrete and rolled wire plant in Romania. This will be Europe’s first greenfield project in steel production in decades and will set a new standard for the steel industry in reducing pollutant emissions. The production unit will include a steel plant and a rolling mill, as well as a photovoltaic park with a capacity of 100 MW. Currently, the company is considering several locations for their construction “, the group announced.
The eco-smart plant will have the lowest level of emissions generated by a worldwide steel production unit, both in terms of greenhouse gases and suspended dust (dust). Also, water consumption will be minimal, through treatment and recirculation, ensuring the highest level of the circular economy.
“The new innovative technology, conceived and developed in the last two years, has the potential to place Romania at the forefront of innovation in the steel sector”, said the group’s representatives.
The plant will have a production capacity of approximately 600,000 tons/year of steel – concrete and rolled wire.
The Beltrame Group’s investment will help create about 250 new direct jobs locally, as well as almost 1,000 indirect jobs, of which at least 800 will be built and about 150 will be built.
“The challenge for the steel industry is to align with the environmental objectives set by the European Green Pact, although the zero-emissions target or, in other words, the production of ‘green steel’ is impossible to achieve with existing technology. I think that greenwashing today is a very common phenomenon, which leads to the exaggeration of the terms ‘green’ and ‘zero emissions’. The project developed by Beltrame Group will establish unprecedented progress in the steel sector due to the innovative design and technologies provided, which make it possible to minimize the pollutant emissions generated in the production activity. It is a project in which we have invested a lot of work, dedication and time, and through this investment, the group demonstrates its commitment to achieving environmental goals and capitalizing on local resources, “said Carlo Beltrame, AFV Beltrame country manager in France and Romania. Group Business Development.
In the construction sector, the internal consumption of steel – concrete and wire is about 1.4 – 1.5 million tons per year. It is expected to grow over the next at least 10 years, mainly due to government investment in public infrastructure, but also in private investment.
At present, Romania imports almost entirely the required amount of steel – concrete.
The Beltrame Group owns in Romania the Donalam steel plant, specialized in the production of hot-rolled steel bars and special steels, with uses in various industries, from oil and gas, automobiles, large mechanical and hydraulic equipment, to agricultural machines and equipment. The company has over 270 employees and annually exports about 180,000 tons of products to the European market.
Founded in 1896, AFV Beltrame Group is currently one of the largest manufacturers of steel bars and special steels in Europe. The group owns 6 factories in Italy, France, Switzerland and Romania, with a total of over 2,000 employees, over 2 million tons sold annually and commercial activities in over 40 countries.
Donalam, based in Calarasi, is one of the leading players in the hot rolled steel bars and special steels industry in Europe. The company was founded by AFV Beltrame Group in 2006, and a year later, in 2007, it acquired a rolling mill on the platform of the former Siderca steel plant in Tenaris. The company has over 270 employees and sells about 120,000 tons of steel bars annually.