Tenova, a leading developer and provider of sustainable solutions for the metals and mining industries, has been selected by NEMO Industries as technology provider for a new Direct Reduction (DR) ENERGIRON plant in Louisiana, anchoring the company’s new direct reduction to electric smelting pig iron project (“Ironworks I”).
The plant will be based on the ENERGIRON DRI technology, jointly developed by Tenova and Danieli. ENERGIRON plants are at the forefront of steel innovation, meeting the highest global environmental standards, and are noted for their versatility, which ensures cost-effective, efficient production. The Ironworks I plant will utilize the ENERGIRON Zero Reformer configuration to produce 2.5 million tonnes per year of hot and cold DRI. Tenova will start developing the front-end engineering design (FEED) as the project advances toward the Final Investment Decision, expected in December 2027.
Once operational, the plant will produce high-carbon Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) to feed NEMO Industries’ pig iron production, supplying U.S. and global markets. The plant will feature the HYTEMP hot DRI transport system and will be prepared for the future integration of carbon capture solutions. The facility’s design incorporates pathways for future hydrogen use, bolstering Ironworks’ feedstock flexibility as hydrogen infrastructure matures on the Gulf Coast.
“For Tenova, this agreement offers another proof point that Tenova’s technology represents the vanguard of future global iron production”,
Stefano Maggiolino, Tenova HYL President & CEO.
“It gives NEMO Industries the technical foundation in terms of capital and operating expenditures, carbon content, and sustainability to prove its DRI-based pig iron model.”
“Our partnership with Tenova marks a major milestone in NEMO Industries’ mission to rebuild a secure, cost-competitive, and low-emission American pig iron supply chain,”
said Michael DuBose, NEMO Industries Co-Founder and President.
“Recent market disruptions including war, tariffs, and weather have reinforced the national security case for a resilient American pig iron supply. ENERGIRON DRI technology positions us to develop a pig iron facility that will strengthen the American steel supply chain and reduce our reliance on imported steel inputs.”
