The 7th European Steel Technology and Application Days (ESTAD 2025) took place from 7th to 9th of October 2025 in Verona, Italy. ESTAD brought together experts and researchers from academia and industry to discuss the latest research findings and innovations in the fields of Ironmaking, (Hydrogen-based) Steelmaking, Continuous Casting, Rolling, Steel Applications, and Digital Transformation.
Prof. Christian Bernhard from the Chair of Ferrous Metallurgy (Technical University of Leoben) was invited as Conference Chairman, contributing to the scientific organization of the event with over 400 presentations and posters, and more than 800 attendees from around the world. Researchers and PhD students of the Chair of Ferrous Metallurgy presented and co-authored several high-quality contributions:
- Peter Presoly (Keynote Presentation): “High temperature oxidation in steel processing under different process conditions, atmospheres and rising levels of tramp elements”
- Georg Gaiser: “The Impact of Cu, Sn, and Ni on Surface Cracking in Continuous Casting”
- Robert Littringer: “Influence of the cooling strategy on the intergranular crack formation during continuous casting of TRIP steels produced from low-grade scrap”
- Bernhard Sammer: “Evolution of non-metallic inclusions in non-oriented electrical steel: Industrial observations and laboratory test results”
- Nikolaus Preisser: “Comparison of methods for modification of oxidic non-metallic inclusions using alkali elements on a laboratory scale”
- Sergej Nesterov: “Investigation of the reoxidation behaviour of HBI samples produced on a laboratory scale”
- Eleonora Shpilevaia: “Comparative Analysis of CO and H2 Reduction Mechanisms in Electric Arc Furnace Dust”
- Monika Seidl (K1-MET GmbH): “Hybrid solution for local heat transfer coefficients in a transient solidification model for continuous casting”
- Johann Winkler (K1-MET GmbH): “Reaction behaviour of different carbon sources in FeO containing slags for electric smelting furnaces”
- Mohammad Jafarzadeh (K1-MET GmbH): “Hydrogen plasma smelting reduction of Cr2O3/Chromite: the first step to direct and sustainable production of stainless steel”
- Bernhard Adami (K1-MET GmbH): “Advancing hydrogen plasma smelting reduction: Experimental insights from a pilot plant”
ESTAD 2025 provided an excellent platform for discussing current challenges and future trends in the steel industry. Congratulations on the organization team for this perfectly organized conference!
Picture Credit: Associazione Italiana di Metallurgia
