After 15 years of constant operation, SSAB’s Luleå blast furnace has undergone complete modernization and is set to continue production for another 20 years. After complete modernisation, the furnace now produces premium quality crude iron. In addition to replacing the hearth carbon refractories and furnace cooling staves, a new casthouse dedusting filter was also fitted. This is beneficial for the environment as there will be less dust emission, less noise and a better workplace environment. The maintenance work and investments in Luleå involved more than 600 people from companies across Europe who worked together with SSAB’s employees. The blast furnaces in Raahe and Oxelösund supplied the company’s rolling mills during the modernization process at Luleå. SSAB’s five blast furnaces in the Nordic region have a total capacity of around 6.4 million tonnes.