New factory Van Merksteijn International in Eemshaven provides hundreds of jobs!!
Van Merksteijn International B.V. has serious plans for the construction of a wire rod production factory at Eemshaven (North Groningen). The company is headquartered in Almelo (Overijssel) and is considering producing its raw material (wire rod) itself instead of outsourcing it. This will require a location measuring approximately 28 hectares that is close to the water. Van Merksteijn International B.V. has now started its preparations and is holding talks with various stakeholders in the province of Groningen. The plan is to take the factory into use in 2020. The agreements on the land positions were signed on Friday 22 December, marking the first step towards the factory.
In the current situation the company buys wire rod produced from the primary raw material iron ore, which entails very long transport distances. At the new factory in Eemshaven Van Merksteijn International will be producing its own wire rod from the secondary raw material cleaned scrap steel for the existing factory in Almelo. That means that no furnace plant will be built in Eemshaven. In Almelo, the wire rod is processed into reinforcing steel for construction, for the production of various types of fencing and for making galvanised wire. The projected factory at Eemshaven will involve an investment of approximately 250 million euros and will yield about 275 direct jobs in the metal sector, a significant proportion of which at senior secondary vocational education level.
Van Merksteijn International is one of the world’s biggest producers of reinforcement products and fencing panels. The company takes the environment and sustainability seriously and will be taking this a step further by contributing with this new investment to the transition to a Circular Economy in a way that is as environmentally-friendly and innovative as possible. The project has therefore been given the name “Green Steel Mill”.
The arrival of Van Merksteijn International B.V. fits in well with the green Seaport vision that Groningen Seaports works towards. One of the spearheads of this vision is the achievement of a fully circular industry. Groningen Seaports has supported this project, which has considerable added value for creating jobs at Eemshaven, together with the Province of Groningen, the municipality of Eemsmond and Eemsdelta EZ.
The location of the wire rod production factory of Van Merksteijn International at Eemshaven