hebig.org/blog
Personal webnode of Haiko Hebig

Click to enlarge

FACILITY: 120 tons electric arc furnace (EAF)
Plant: Elektrostahlwerk Oberhausen GmbH (Thyssen, former GHH)
Location: Oberhausen, Germany
Supplier: MAN GHH
Area size: 60 hectares
Status: Closed down
Photo taken: November 2004

Note: The electric steel plant shown is one of the last remainders of a once very large iron and steel works. It has been put in service in 1980 as an attempt to maintain operations at this site while shutting down all other facilities, including the outdated Siemens-Martin steel mill and all seven blast furnaces. As quality steel capacities had been shifted to the Duisburg site, the new Oberhausen mill had to focus on simpler alloys, but operated at too high costs and ultimately faced its close down at December 31, 1997.

Future perspective: Everything except of the two 120 tons EAFs and parts of the ladle furnace has been torn down. Shortly, the remainders will be transformed into a Galeria Stahlwerk as part of the O.Vision project.

Additional photos: Stefanie Grebe has some photos of this plant in operation. Unsurprisingly, they are of rather poor quality. That's what happens most times if professional or studied photographers try to capture heavy industry. Then again, as the opportunity to take such photos is no more, we just have to take things as they are.