Düsseldorf, Germany – November 2026 – Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe, one of the world’s largest steel producers, has announced a 15% reduction in energy consumption and 22% lower CO₂ emissions at its Düsseldorf blast furnace complex after deploying the ABB 3BHE039426R0101 industrial control module. The upgrade, completed in Q4 2026, addressed energy inefficiencies in the plant’s hot rolling mill—where legacy control systems failed to optimize motor speed and process temperatures, costing the company €3.4 million annually in excess energy bills.
The Challenge: Energy Waste in Steel Hot Rolling
Prior to adopting the ABB 3BHE039426R0101, Thyssenkrupp’s Düsseldorf plant faced four critical operational pain points:
- Inefficient Motor Control: Legacy modules ran rolling mill motors at fixed speeds, even during low-production periods, wasting 18% of electrical energy—equivalent to 45GWh annually.
- Temperature Variability: Inconsistent control of furnace temperatures (±5°C deviation) led to 8% of steel coils being reworked, requiring additional heating and energy use.
- Slow Process Adaptation: The old system took 200ms to adjust to changes in steel thickness, causing production bottlenecks and 6% lower throughput.
- High Emissions: Excess energy use translated to 12,000 tons of additional CO₂ annually, putting the plant at risk of missing Germany’s industrial emissions targets.
“Steel production is energy-intensive—our legacy controls were leaving money and carbon on the table,” said Matthias Becker, Thyssenkrupp’s Plant Operations Director. “We needed a control module that could optimize every kilowatt of energy while maintaining the precision our processes demand.”
ABB 3BHE039426R0101: Industrial Control for High-Efficiency Steel Making
After evaluating competitors from Siemens and Rockwell Automation, Thyssenkrupp selected the ABB 3BHE039426R0101 for its process optimization capabilities, rugged design, and compatibility with the plant’s ABB AC 800M DCS:
- Adaptive Motor Control: Variable frequency drive (VFD) integration adjusts motor speed in real time based on production demand, cutting idle energy use by 40%.
- Precision Temperature Regulation: 24-bit analog input processing and PID tuning deliver ±0.5°C temperature accuracy, eliminating rework from temperature deviations.
- Fast Response Time: 50ms signal processing latency adapts instantly to steel thickness changes, increasing mill throughput by 8%.
- Energy Monitoring & Reporting: Built-in energy tracking logs consumption by process, identifying optimization opportunities and supporting EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) compliance.
- Harsh Environment Durability: Dust-resistant IP65 housing, vibration tolerance (up to 5g), and resistance to industrial oils and chemicals ensure reliability in steel plant conditions.
Results: Energy Savings and Emissions Reduction
Six months post-deployment, Thyssenkrupp’s Düsseldorf plant achieved measurable improvements:
| Metric |
Before ABB 3BHE039426R0101 |
After ABB 3BHE039426R0101 |
Improvement |
| Energy Consumption |
300GWh/Year |
255GWh/Year |
15% Reduction |
| CO₂ Emissions |
82,000 Tons/Year |
63,960 Tons/Year |
22% Reduction |
| Steel Rework Rate |
8% |
2.4% |
70% Reduction |
| Mill Throughput |
1,200 Tons/Day |
1,296 Tons/Day |
8% Increase |
| Annual Cost Savings |
— |
€2.89M |
Direct ROI |
“The 3BHE039426R0101 isn’t just a control module—it’s an energy optimization tool,” Becker said. “We’re saving millions on electricity while reducing our carbon footprint, which is a win-win for our business and the environment. The precision temperature control has also cut rework costs dramatically.”
Stefanie Müller, ABB’s Global Product Manager for Industrial Process Controls, highlighted the module’s industrial focus: “Steel plants operate in some of the harshest environments, with zero room for error. The 3BHE039426R0101 is engineered to deliver both efficiency and precision, helping heavy industry meet sustainability goals without sacrificing productivity.”
Thyssenkrupp plans to deploy the ABB 3BHE039426R0101 across 3 more European steel plants by 2029, targeting a group-wide 12% reduction in energy use and 18% lower CO₂ emissions.
