Shaping a low-carbon and productive future for metals
The global metals industry is at a pivotal point, facing mounting pressure to decarbonize while enhancing productivity amid rising costs and global competition. ABB empowers metals producers to meet these challenges through innovative, energy-efficient technologies, integrated digital platforms, and sustainable automation and electrification solutions which help them outrun leaner and cleaner.
Web Story
7min
2025-05-07
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The $4 trillion global metals industry is crucial to multiple industries and also impacts the energy transition.02
The sector faces significant challenges, including high CO2e emissions, economic uncertainty, and competitiveness pressures - especially in energy-intensive regions.03
ABB supports the metals industry worldwide with tailored technologies - from AI-powered digital platforms to energy-efficient motors - helping customers improve productivity, reduce costs, and meet decarbonization goals.Global metals sector
The $4 trillion metals (including steel, aluminium, copper) products industry [1] is a foundational supplier to numerous industries including construction, manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and energy. Asia-Pacific dominates with a 72.6% market share [2], driven by rapid industrialization and urbanization. Europe and North America have experienced decreasing production shares but maintain important positions in the market. Europe focuses on high-value specialized metal products while the United States maintains a substantial steel industry concentrated in coastal states and Canada is a significant producer of aluminium. Achieving a net-zero economy will also rely on metals, making the energy transition both a challenge and an opportunity for the industry - driving technological innovation, advancing electrification, and accelerating digital transformation.
Current and emerging trends
The metal industry is undergoing significant transformation driven by several key trends.
Challenges in the sector
The metals industry faces a mixed basket of challenges requiring proactive strategies:
High CO2 Emissions
The entire iron and steel industry is responsible for 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions-equivalent to powering about 470 million homes for a year[4]. Aluminium - an important input to a number of technologies critical to the energy transition, emitted nearly 270 Mt of direct CO2 emissions (about 3% of the world’s direct industrial CO2 emissions)[5].Economic uncertainties
Economic slowdowns and uncertainties significantly impact the industry's transition to low-carbon technologies. According to McKinsey's "Global Materials Perspective 2024" [6] while the materials industry maintained healthy finances until 2023, the years ahead project greater challenges due to slower economic growth and potentially delayed adoption of low-carbon technologies.Increased competitiveness challenge
Older industrial economies, face specific competitiveness challenges including high energy costs, intense global competition, decarbonization pressures, and regulatory burdens. These factors have contributed to declining global production shares in energy-intensive sectors like steel and the primary aluminium production.ABB's solutions and technologies
ABB partners with the metals industry, offering integrated electrification, automation, metallurgical, and digital solutions across the entire metals value chain. Its technologies in the metals sector - augmented by its industrial control systems, and electrification and energy conservation through electric motor efficiency and drives. serves a variety of plants applications.
With more than 100 years of experience, ABB collaborates with producers, Original Equipment Manufacturer OEMs, and suppliers to develop customized solutions that optimize production processes from the mine to the plant, improve sustainability practices, enhance product quality, and supports the transition toward autonomous operations that utilize AI.
How we are making Real Progress in metals
Sustainable solutions for market growth
To help build a net-zero future by 2050, the metals industry must embrace more sustainable manufacturing practices. At ABB, we enable this transformation by driving electrification, automation, and digitalization across the steel, aluminium, and broader metals value chains. Our technologies help manufacturers reduce energy use, minimize raw material consumption, and protect workers in hazardous environments. By supporting smarter, more autonomous operations, we pave the way for circular, low-carbon production.
ABB enables decarbonization and green steel production through technologies like the ArcSave® electromagnetic stirrer and the ABB Ability™ Energy Management System. It also sources lower-carbon copper for its own electrical products and technologies, which addresses supply chain emissions and promotes a more sustainable value chain. Aluminium's infinite recyclability not only preserves the metal's properties but also offers a dramatic 95 percent reduction in energy consumption compared to virgin aluminium production.
Sustainable ways to manufacture metals
What does the journey to fossil-free steel look like?
Watch our webinar where SSAB, the Association for Iron & Steel Technology and ABB explore the challenges and opportunities in the steel industry's transition to fossil-free production.
Digital integration for leaner operations
A modular and scalable digitalization approach including AI integration allows for agile customization, predictive analysis, cost and energy optimization and increased productivity. Here are some exciting ABB digital solutions for the metal industry:
ABB Ability™ Smart Melt Shop
An industry-first smart factory solution for steel melt shops is a unique application, facilitating the move towards a fully connected and autonomous melt shop.
ABB Ability™ Genix Industrial Analytics and AI Suite
A cloud based platform can accurately predict the temperature of the steel melt within an electric arc furnace (EAF) continuously from the rise in the cooling water.
Scalable digital platforms
The ABB Ability Data Analytics Platform integrating advanced control systems and big data analytics help customers achieve process control, optimization, and remote diagnostics in metals manufacturing.
ABB Collaborative Operations Center
For round-the-clock predictive maintenance this solution enables customers to connect their operations, engineering and business management with ABB’s internet-of-things applications and expertise.
Advanced Process Control solution
Using Model Predictive Control (MPC) to create digital twins of steel production processes, ABB’s Advanced Process Control technology processes data to predict behavior over time, which reduces the need for operators to monitor and modify processes around the clock.
Key case studies around the world
USA
Supporting sustainable manufacturing at GNA alutech
ABB has won an order for four electromagnetic stirrers (AL-EMS) from world-leading aluminium furnace builder GNA alutech, an Ebner® Group member. The new melting and casting complex in U.S. is set to become a beacon for reshoring, recycling and sustainable practices and will benefit from our technology which will increase productivity, lower energy consumption and help reduce operating costs.
India
Powering sustainable steel manufacturing
Real Ispat and Power Ltd. (RIPL) partnered with ABB to implement energy-efficient solutions in their steel manufacturing plant. This collaboration resulted in a more sustainable operation, characterized by reduced energy costs, lower emissions, and enhanced operational reliability.
UK
Tata Steel orders pickle line scope from Clecim and ABB
ABB has won a Tata Steel order as part of a consortium with steel processing lines and rolling mills supplier Clecim, to provide automation, electrification and digital technology on the new advanced pickle line at Port Talbot Steelworks in the UK. The pickle line will form a major part of the green steelmaking facility supplying downstream businesses and customers with high-quality, low CO₂ steel products. ABB will be responsible for automation, leveraging the Roll@xA digital solution and ABB Ability System 800xA distributed control system with specific libraries for processing lines.
Türkiye
Enhancing efficiency and sustainability at Çolakoğlu Metalurji A.Ş.
ABB now supports Çolakoğlu Metalurji A.Ş. in advancing their steelmaking operations with the ArcSave® electromagnetic stirrer (EMS), to be installed on one of the world’s largest electric arc furnaces. This collaboration marks a significant step in driving greater efficiency, sustainability, and safety in Türkiye’s steel industry.
Bulgaria
High efficiency motors and drives save 25 GWh of electricity per year for Aurubis
Aurubis, Europe’s leading copper producer, implemented a major upgrade at its copper plant in Bulgaria, replacing older, motors with high-efficiency motors and drives from ABB. This upgrade resulted in significant energy savings, reduced carbon emissions, and improved process flexibility.
South Korea
Roller table motors and drives enhance reliability and reduce costs at POSCO
Leading steelmaker POSCO upgraded its hot strip mill in South Korea by replacing legacy DC roller table motors with state-of-the-art AC motor and drive packages from ABB. The solution resulted in reduced maintenance requirements- including costs and increased reliability.
Egypt
Balancing metal component manufacturing and stable water resources
ABB is taking on the challenge of design, engineering, supply and integration of an automation and electrical system for water management for a global metal customer in Egypt. Our distributed control system (DCS) ABB Ability™ System 800xA® will play a crucial role in integrating the various components and expanding the platform to control an existing station while the latest drive system ACS880 will optimize power savings.
France
ArcelorMittal Construction orders digital and control system technology for steel mill
ArcelorMittal Construction has awarded ABB a contract to deploy solutions specifically designed for metals processing at its cold rolling mill in Contrisson, France, as part of a modernization project. The solutions, which include ABB Ability™ Manufacturing Operations Management for metals (MOM4Metals), Roll-Gap (RGC) and Automatic Gauge Control (AGC), will help the world’s largest steel producer to bring productivity to a new level, improve quality and performance.
These comprehensive solutions help manufacturers optimize production processes, utilizing less raw material and energy, while maximizing output. ABB works as a collaborative partner, developing process-specific solutions that enable metals producers to scale operations effectively and proactively address challenges in unpredictable environments, ensuring their long-term success and sustainability in a rapidly evolving industry landscape.
Source:
1. McKinsey & Company: Global Materials Perspective 2024
2. Metals & Mining Global Industry Guide 2019-2028
3. Global Energy Monitor - Oct 2024
4. United States EPA
5. International Energy Association
6. Global Materials Perspective 2024