was the first time that iron and steel were produced in the area of Riesa.
the brothers Heinrich and Alexander Schönberg received permission to construct an iron and steel plant in Riesa. Following English standards, ore and coal were smelted into raw iron in puddling furnaces, using steam hammers. The construction of a rolling mill secured the further processing of the iron.
the duke of Einsiedel purchased the steel plant.
the importance of railroads and engineering increased, furthering the fields of use for iron. Axles and connection plates were important products of the steel plant in Riesa. Patented welding was used for pipes from the additionally constructed pipe plant. Due to its prime position along the river routes of the Elbe and the railroad between Dresden and Leipzig, Riesa was able to achieve a leading position in the heavy industries.
the first European 11kV overland line between Lauchhammer and Riesa was constructed, further bettering the production conditions in the plant.
different steel components were continuously produced. During World War I and II it was mainly military equipment.
complete deconstruction of the steel plant, in order to pay reparations towards the Sovjet Union.
after the rebuilding the first iron is cast in the new plant in Riesa.
Riesa's steel production was roped into the planned economy of the GDR. The plant became one of the flagship producers, caring for its associates with its own clinic, leisure center, sports complexes and holiday homes.
founding year of Feralpi Siderurgica in Lonato (IT).
with the German reunification the “Stahl- und Walzwerk Riesa AG” was founded as a corporation, in order to save the existing jobs. Due to the technologically obsolete equipment as well as the collapse of the traditional markets in Eastern Europe, the undertaking of this proved futile.
the italian steel producer Feralpi Siderurgica purchases 230.000m² of property, to construct a modern steel plant. In preparation almost all of the existing plant is disassembled.
with the foundation of Elbe-Stahlwerke Feralpi GmbH (ESF) on historical grounds in Riesa, a new 75t electric arc furnace, ladle furnace, strand furnace with 4 lines and the rolling mill for reinforcing steel were installed. All in all one of the most modern plants in Europe was constructed with different instruments to fulfill all internal and external environmental requirements.
after major remodeling of the plant the first steel casting took place.
was the opening of the new rolling mill. An annual 500.000 tons of steel are being produced at the plant.
foundation of Elbe-Schrott-Recycling and construction of the new shredder plant. This makes for efficient and low-cost scrap metal supply.
a total of 600.000 tons of steel and 470.000 tons of wire rod are produced. This productivity enables the employment of a total of 370 associates.
the wire plant started with the production of bearing and list mats. In the steel plant parts of electrical energy are replaced by a oxygen-gas-mixture. For this an air separation unit by “Air Liquide” is installed on the grounds, eliminating the dangerous transportation of liquid oxygen in tank wagons.
unification of Elbe-Schrott-Recycling and Elbe-Stahlwerke Feralpi GmbH.
foundation of Feralpi Holding S.p.A. in Italy, which takes over the management and administration of all businesses in and outside of Italy.
the new active-coal-injection dust-extracting-plant was installed and spacers become part of the product portfolio.
the Feralpi Group is celebrating its 40th anniversary. In Riesa, the milestone of one million tonnes of steel per year has been reached, with around 600 employees.
the air pollution control technology will be registered with the Federal Ministry for the Environment as the best available technique, and initial certification to ISO 14001 (environmental management) will be carried out.
dioxin measurements reach their lowest level so far in the history of the plant.
the first independent, certified sustainability report is published for the company’s site in Riesa and the two overseas wire processing plants in Kralupy, Czech Republic, and Csepel, Hungary. The scrap hall is enclosed over a length of 150 m to reduce dust and noise emissions. The handling of the light fraction from the shredder takes place in a closed container system, thereby reducing dust emissions.
this is followed by the granting of an amendment permit under Section 16 of the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) for energy generation from waste heat from steel production (steam production (30 t/h), with 20 t/h of steam used for electricity generation in an ORC turbine (2.57 MW) in conjunction with the construction of a steam pipeline to supply external customers (approx. 10 t steam/h). In the same year, more powerful watering vehicles for trackways and transhipment areas, as well as new sweepers, are put into operation. The first environmental statement is validated in accordance with EC Regulation No. 1221/2009 (EMAS III) and all Riesa-based companies are registered in the European EMAS register. In the same year, FERALPI STAHL celebrates its 20th anniversary.
recipient of the Saxon Environmental Award for the new steam and energy production plant. To work more closely with the public, different informative campaigns, talks with citizens and round tables are implemented.
FERALPI STAHL will then undergo initial certification in accordance with the DIN EN ISO 50001 standard (energy management), as well as the granting of the amendment approval pursuant to Section 16 of the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) for the capacity expansion of the steelworks to 1,400,000 t/a and the rolling mill to 1,200,000 t/a, in conjunction with far-reaching environmental and process engineering modernisation measures, in particular for the acoustic and ventilation optimisation of ESF production.
communication and transparency are improved by regularly publishing official emission measurement reports on the company website.
the “Bella Gröba” family festival is being held for the first time in the castle grounds of the Gröba district. With an Italian atmosphere, food stalls and a wide range of games and entertainment, FERALPI STAHL is thanking local residents for their good neighbourliness. “Bella Gröba” is being established as an annual district festival in August to strengthen regional ties in the long term.
FERALPI STAHL is included in the intersectoral excellency initiative for climate protection as the first Saxon company for its outstanding achievements concerning climate and environmental protection and as a pioneer in the conservation of energy.
the first consolidated non-financial declaration was published in accordance with transparency and reporting.
the symbolic ground-breaking ceremony for the new Spooler rolling mill marks the start of a new chapter in green steel production. The Feralpi Group is investing over €220 million of its own funds in the Riesa site by 2026. The key investment projects include the new rolling mill, a modern scrap processing facility, a dedicated substation and optimised plant logistics.
to mark the company’s 30th anniversary, a film is being released that traces its history from the past to the present day.
the Financial Times has named the Feralpi Group “Europe’s Climate Leader” for the second year running. As the only Italian steelmaker in the ranking, the company has impressed with a reduction in core emissions of almost 23 per cent. This strategy is being consistently pursued at the Riesa site through investments of over 220 million euros in zero-emission technologies and green steel.
at the Riesa site, phase 1 of a state-of-the-art scrap processing facility is being inaugurated, with the aim of boosting production efficiency through optimised raw material processing. The enclosure of the plant also improves noise and emission control. This investment in the circular economy enables more resource-efficient steel production in the electric arc furnace and represents a significant step towards decarbonisation.
the ceremonial laying of a stumbling stone by the artist Gunter Demnig creates a lasting memorial on the factory grounds in Riesa. In doing so, FERALPI STAHL commemorates the fate of the thousands of forced labourers and prisoners of war who suffered under inhumane conditions at the former steelworks during the Second World War. With this commitment to historical responsibility, the company is sending a clear signal against forgetting and in favour of social responsibility.
with the commissioning of its second rolling mill, FERALPI STAHL is setting new standards at its Riesa site: the new rolling mill, which is Scope 1 emission-free, expands the product range to include hot-spooled coils weighing between 3 and 8 tonnes, thereby also establishing the FERGreen brand for the Feralpi Group’s sustainable structural steel products.
In addition, a new, more powerful substation will meet future rising energy demands – equipped with state-of-the-art technology such as an environmentally friendly, SF₆-free blue GIS system. In doing so, FERALPI STAHL is strengthening its future-proof energy infrastructure and creating capacity reserves for further investment.