[ PRODUCTION ] materials. This circular approach fully aligns with the priorities of Europe’ s green economy.
Digitalization: From day one
Hydnum Steel will be a digital plant from its first day of operation. This is not a secondary feature, but a core principle of our operational design. By leveraging digital twins, advanced analytics, machine learning, and robotics, we will be able to optimize our processes in real time, reduce errors, improve energy efficiency, and maximize product quality.
Siemens’ digital-twin technology will allow us to simulate and fine-tune our processes virtually before going live, anticipating potential deviations and calibrating critical parameters. Our systems will be monitored around the clock, with predictive maintenance tools to prevent unplanned downtime, algorithms to optimize material and energy consumption, and automated control mechanisms that minimize production variability.
Moreover, automation will significantly enhance workplace safety by limiting worker exposure to high-risk environments and freeing up time for higher-value tasks. This transition does not eliminate jobs; it transforms them, making them more skilled, safer, and technology oriented.
A purpose-driven project designed to make an impact
The choice of Puertollano as the plant’ s site is no accident. The city offers a prime logistical setting, with excellent rail and road connections, direct access to renewable energy, and a skilled, committed workforce. We are working closely with educational institutions such as the University of Castilla-La Mancha and vocational training centers to implement upskilling and retraining programs that prepare workers for the industrial jobs of the future.
Moreover, we are part of the Castilla-La Mancha Hydrogen Valley, in cooperation with the National Hydrogen Centre and other energy companies. This network of research, production, talent, and innovation is crucial to securing Europe’ s future hydrogen supply under the transnational H2med project, positioning the region as a strategic hub for the energy transition and clean-technology development.
A model for Europe’ s reindustrialization
Hydnum Steel is not an isolated initiative. It represents a new generation of European industry: clean, intelligent, and globally competitive. Europe faces the challenge of reindustrializing without repeating the mistakes of the past, committing to a decarbonized, resilient, and autonomous economy. Steel, as a fundamental material for infrastructure, transportation, renewable energy, and the green transition, must be at the heart of that strategy.
We are proving that decarbonization does not require sacrificing efficiency or profitability. On the contrary: clean, circular, and digitalized processes deliver greater resilience, improved performance, and a stronger competitive position in a world rapidly advancing toward ever more demanding standards.
A matter of strategic sovereignty
Finally, we must not forget that steel is a strategic resource. Its availability is crucial for the development of infrastructure, mobility, clean energy, and national defense. Increasing Europe’ s capacity to produce its own clean flat steel means reducing external dependence, ensuring supply stability and strengthening industrial sovereignty in an increasingly geopolitically uncertain world.
In this sense, Hydnum Steel is more than an environmental or industrial project. It is a strategic investment in the future of Spain and Europe, rooted in sustainability, driven by innovation, and committed to a lasting positive impact.
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