The company said the new equipment will replace its existing copper staves. Cast iron staves are used in the upper furnace areas for furnace cooling, protecting the blast furnace shell against thermal loads and upgraded production efficiency. 

“Moving predominantly to cast iron staves is a pragmatic decision to balance life cycle needs and budgetary constraints. Our team is focused on delivering the agreed scope on schedule and supporting a smooth installation during the planned summer 2026 shutdown,” said Lutwin Franziskus, SMS project manager.

Dillinger said they chose to use cast iron staves due to capital expenditure and system service life. The original cast iron staves had a service life of 16 years. 

“SMS group has once again proven to be a reliable partner for Dillingen. Their quicker response and ability to meet our requirements on schedule were key factors in our decision,” said Jürgen Hochhaus, blast furnace operations manager at Dillinger.