Italy and Croatia: EIB provides €350 million to finance Danieli Group’s innovation strategy

• The EIB resources will help to promote the development of innovative technologies for the production of recycled steel.
• 65% of the EIB funds will be allocated to Danieli Group’s Italian plants, while the remaining 35% will go to its Croatian supply chain.
• This is the fifth in a series of operations signed by the EIB and Danieli in the last 25 years totalling €580 million.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is granting a €350 million loan to Danieli, a global leader in steel plant production based in Italy. The EU bank loan will help to promote the circular economy through the production of recycled steel at the plants of Acciaierie Bertoli Safau S.p.A. in Cargnacco, Udine, Italy, and of Acciaierie Bertoli Safau Sisak d.o.o. in Croatia. This is the fifth operation signed by the EIB and Danieli in the last 25 years, totalling €580 million.

The EIB financing will help Danieli Group achieve climate neutrality by 2050, contributing to the development of innovative technologies for producing steel using electric arc furnaces (EAFs) and minimills. The project also aims to foster the transition to a circular economy by reusing by-products and increasing the recovery of other metals from scrap. In concrete terms, the EIB resources will go towards the design and creation of green plants with three major positive effects:

1.     Reducing specific energy use via plant efficiency, making it possible to cut CO₂ emissions per tonne of steel produced.

2.     Driving the circular economy via the recycling of scrap to produce steel, promoting the responsible management of this type of material and limiting greenhouse gas emissions. The local reuse of scrap prevents it from being exported from Europe to other countries across the world, only for new material to be extracted.

3.     Creating new, stable jobs, as well as improving STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills.

In total, 65% of the EIB funds (€227.5 million) will be allocated to Danieli’s Italian plants in Udine province, while the remaining 35% (€122.5 million) will go to the plants in Sisak, Croatia.

In addition, EIB estimates indicate that the development of innovative and advanced manufacturing technologies (AMT), and the reuse of by-products and other metals will help Danieli to reduce its environmental impact considerably and create new jobs in both Italy and Croatia. The EU bank estimates that 250 jobs will be created during the implementation of the project. 

“The steel industry alone is responsible for 10% of global CO₂ emissions. This operation shows the commitment of the EIB (as the EU climate bank) and Danieli to developing more sustainable and innovative alternatives like recycled steel production, helping to reduce environmental impact and safeguard jobs in both Italy and Croatia,” said EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti.

“Ongoing investment in green, innovative technology to help combat climate change is a top priority for Danieli. This commitment was recently recognised by the Carbon Disclosure Project non-governmental organisation, which confirmed our status as a climate change leader in plant equipment for the second year running,” said Acciaierie Bertoli Safau S.p.A. Chairwoman and Danieli & C. S.p.A. Vice Chairwoman Camilla Benedetti. “In this transition plan, the EIB is an important ally and stakeholder in the pursuit of the European Green Deal as it acts as a driving force towards climate neutrality, making it a key institution on the path to growth and sustainability.”

Background information

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It provides long-term financing for sound investments that contribute to EU policy. The Bank finances projects in four priority areas: infrastructure, innovation, climate and environment, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Between 2019 and 2021, the EIB Group provided more than €36 billion in financing for projects in Italy.

Danieli Group is listed on the Milan Stock Exchange and has its headquarters in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. It employs around 9 000 people in more than 50 companies worldwide and manufactures and installs innovative machines and plants for the steel industry, the non-ferrous metals sector and for energy production. The company’s reliability is based on the research, expertise and experience that enabled it to become a market leader in steel mills and rolling plants using electric arc furnaces combined with direct mineral reduction plants that, in addition to being competitive on a capital and operational expenditure level, are also environmentally friendly when compared to plants with blast furnaces and using coal-based coke.