The project, which involved an investment of €11.3 million ($12.5 million), has enabled the company to eliminate ammonia from the annealing process, shorten its duration, and reduce natural gas and electricity consumption. As a result, carbon emissions have been reduced by 50%.

As part of the upgrade, the company dismantled its old cap furnaces and replaced them with nine new furnace stations. The plant is now in the launch phase.

"Replacing the previous units with new ones operating in a 100% hydrogen atmosphere marks a significant technological advancement. These are the only hydrogen furnaces in Poland and the first in the ArcelorMittal Group in Europe," said Kamil Kaczmarek, Maintenance Manager at the Cold Rolling Shop and Technical Project Manager. He added that components for the project were sourced from Poland, Austria, and the United States.

Krzysztof Masternak, Quality Support Manager at ArcelorMittal Poland, emphasized that beyond the environmental benefits, the new facility also brings potential for improved production quality. The advanced technical solutions enable better control of the technological process.

"For our customers, the purity of the surface and the stability of mechanical properties are key factors," he explained.

ArcelorMittal Poland also highlighted that its Krakow plant houses the most modern hot strip mill in Europe, built in 2007 at a cost of €255 million, along with a cold rolling mill featuring galvanizing and painting lines. Since its acquisition by ArcelorMittal in 2004, the total investment in the plant's processing section has approached €550 million.