As part of its forward strategy for profitable growth, ThyssenKrupp Steel is carrying out significant investment to expand its capacities on both sides of the Atlantic. From 2009 the steel mill it is currently building in Brazil will ship 2.1 million tons of steel slabs to Europe each year, to be processed into flat steel products at the company’s sites in Germany.

ThyssenKrupp Steel has decided to transship the slabs at the port of Rotterdam. The Port of Rotterdam Authority will create the necessary infrastructure for this, and the logistics company Steinweg will build a highly modern terminal with storage capacities and cranes. For the first time, the slabs will be handled by means of magnets. This technology offers significant cost advantages. In addition, the combination of slab and container handling at the new terminal will provide maximum flexibility and productivity. Onward transportation of the slabs to the production sites of ThyssenKrupp Steel in Duisburg and Bochum will be by barge and rail.

ThyssenKrupp Steel will therefore be concentrating its slab logistics in Rotterdam, where it also traditionally handles raw materials such as iron ore and coal. Independently of this decision, steel exports for overseas destinations will continue to be handled via the port of Antwerp. Here ThyssenKrupp Steel owns interests in a sea freight forwarding company and a transshipment terminal.

This press release is also available on the Internet at: www.thyssenkrupp-steel.de