Polish Briefing: Abrams tanks will be serviced in Poznań I Hydrogen furnaces in Kraków

US tanks will be maintained in Poznań

Poland will create a Competence Center for Abrams tanks at the Military Automotive Plants in Poznań. The place will be used for maintenance and repairs.

“Today we are launching a new chapter in the history of the Military Automotive Plants and the Polish Armament Group. Our task is to provide service for every piece of equipment that goes to the Polish army. Now we need to create a Competence Center for these tanks. This centre will be built in Poznań,” said Sebastian Chwałek, president of PGZ.

In January, Poland signed a contract with the United States for the supply of 116 M1A1 Abrams tanks and related equipment, including 12 Hercules technical support vehicles, assault bridges and command vehicles. The value of the contract is about USD 1.4 billion, of which nearly USD 200 million is covered by the US side within the framework of assistance granted to Poland. The United States also agreed to sell Poland ammunition, including sub-caliber missiles with a core of depleted uranium.

Deliveries of tanks and other equipment are scheduled for 2023-24. The tanks, previously used by the U.S. Marine Corps, are undergoing a detailed review and will be delivered with zero mileage.

Polish Press Agency / Jędrzej Stachura

ArcelorMittal Poland to install hydrogen furnaces in Kraków for PLN 52 million

ArcelorMittal Poland will spend PLN 52 million to build nine hydrogen furnaces at the cold rolling mill in Kraków. The implementation of the project will improve the quality of products, but the environmental aspect of this investment is equally important. Ammonia will no longer be used in the sheet metal annealing process; the company will also significantly reduce utilities consumption.

Until recently, the annealing plant of the Kraków cold rolling mill used a bell-type furnace. It will eventually be replaced by nine hydrogen furnaces. “For cold rolling mills, the replacement of hub furnaces means a greater purity of the sheet, and therefore a better quality of the product. The project will also bring benefits to the environment,” comments Wojciech Koszuta, Managing Director of the Flat Products Division.

First, ammonia will no longer be used for annealing. Until now, the process was carried out in a hydrogen-nitrogen atmosphere, for which hydrogen was obtained by the decomposition of ammonia. Thanks to hydrogen furnaces, it will be possible to use hydrogen only. Secondly, the annealing time will be reduced by half, and this will translate into significantly lower consumption of energy.

“The use of pure hydrogen, as well as changes in the design of furnaces and auxiliary installations, will guarantee a reduction in the consumption of utilities – electricity and natural gas. This will allow us to reduce our CO₂ – directy and indirecty – by 50%,” explained Frederik Van De Velde, CEO of ArcelorMittal Poland. “We intend to complete the project in the first quarter of 2024,” he added.

“We continue to invest in the Kraków branch. We modernize our installations, including to reduce the impact of our business on the environment. Hydrogen furnaces will cost PLN 52 million, and at the end there are projects in the coking and etching plants, the total of which exceeds PLN 135 million. Thus, the value of the projects we are currently implementing in Kraków is almost PLN 200 million,” summed up Sanjay Samaddar, President of the Management Board of ArcelorMittal Poland.

ArcelorMittal / Jacek Perzyński