Dillinger Hütte and Saarstahl invest €43 million in ROGESA Roheisengesellschaft Saar mbH facilities.

The investment is to be used to increase coal-injection capacity at ROGESA's two blast furnaces. The existing coal-crushing plant is to be expanded by a third mill, and a new storage silo and injection system installed downstream, raising injection rates to a total of 200kg/tonne hot metal. In 1986, ROGESA was one of the first European blast furnace operators to introduce coal-injection technology. In this system, pulverized coal - so-called injection coal - is injected into the furnace with the blast via the tuyeres. The higher coal-grinding and injection capacities will make it possible to reduce coke consumption and increase furnace output simultaneously. This new investment program is the fruit of continuous and successful research activities and is a further step in optimization of blast furnace operation. ROGESA Roheisengesellschaft Saar mbH, Dillingen, is a jointly owned subsidiary of AG der Dillinger Hüttenwerke, Dillingen, and Saarstahl AG, Völklingen (each a 50% direct and indirect shareholder). ROGESA was founded in 1981 and currently produces from two blast furnace installations. Half of the around 4.3 million tonnes of hot metal tapped in 2006 was supplied to the Dillinger Hütte steelplant, the other half to that of Saarstahl AG.