OUR STORY
Building the future of iron and steel on half a century of success
Midrex Technologies, Inc. is a pioneer in sustainable ironmaking solutions and the world leader in direct reduction technology.
For more than five decades, Midrex has helped shape how iron is produced.
Today, Midrex is leading innovation in green steel technology, enabling the transition to hydrogen-ready, low-CO₂ ironmaking. This allows steel producers to cut emissions while maintaining performance and reliability.
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, with offices in the United Kingdom, China, India and the UAE
Since 1969, around 100 MIDREX™ Shaft Furnace Direct Reduction modules have been built worldwide. Collectively they account for more than half of the global Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) and nearly 90 percent of the world’s Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI).
Ore-based metallics DRI and HBI complement ferrous scrap as raw materials in the production of iron and steel. As scrap availability reaches structural limits, DRI has become essential to sustaining steel production at scale.
Our success today is built on a story that spans generations and is grounded in engineering excellence, practical advancement, and a culture that empowers teammates to directly shape the future of steel and ironmaking.
Midrex history:
innovation through the decades…
1960s
The idea that changed ironmaking
The Midrex story begins in the 1960s, when Donald Beggs conceived the idea that would become the MIDREX™ Process: a new approach to producing iron that challenged the dominance of traditional blast furnaces (BFs).
Key milestones during this decade:
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His vision became reality with the start-up of the first MIDREX™ Plant at Oregon Steel Mills in Portland, Oregon, United States.
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The project demonstrated that direct reduction could operate at a commercial scale and laid the foundation for a new ironmaking pathway.
1970s
From concept to global adoption
In the 1970s, the Korf Group acquired the MIDREX Process and established Midrex Corporation in Charlotte, North Carolina. This accelerated the global deployment of the technology. Direct reduction had moved from innovation to a global standard.
Key milestones during this decade:
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The Korf Group acquired the MIDREX Process and established Midrex Corporation in Charlotte, North Carolina
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Start-up of Hamburger Stahlwerke, now ArcelorMittal Hamburg, the world’s oldest operating MIDREX Plant
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Furnace capacity increased to 750,000 tons per year
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Development of flowsheets for coal and coke oven gas, as well as high-sulfur ores
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MIDREX Plants produced more than 50 percent of the world’s DRI
1980s
Leading the DRI Market
In the 1980s, Kobe Steel, Ltd. acquired the assets of Midrex Corporation, strengthening engineering capability, global reach and long-term investment in technology development. Midrex had become the worldwide reference technology for direct reduction.
Key milestones during this decade:
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Kobe Steel, Ltd. acquired the assets of Midrex Corporation
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The hot discharge furnace was introduced
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The first MIDREX Plant producing Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) started up at Sabah Gas Industries, now Antara Steel
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Furnace capacity increased to 1 million tons per year
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MIDREX Plants produced more than 60 percent of the world’s DRI
1990s
Expanding capability and flexibility
The 1990s marked continued growth and technical advancement.
Key milestones during this decade:
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MIDREX Plants reached 10 million, then 20 million tons of annual DRI production
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First hot transport and hot charging of DRI at Essar Steel in India
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First oxygen injection plant at Acindar in Argentina
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First use of coal synthesis gas at Saldanha Steel, now ArcelorMittal South Africa
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Start-up of the first MIDREX MEGAMOD™ plant with a capacity of 1 million tons per year at JSW Dolvi Works in India
2000s
Setting world records
In the 2000s, Midrex Technologies continued to push performance boundaries.
Key milestones during this decade:
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First hot conveyor for transporting and charging hot DRI (HDRI) directly into an electric arc furnace (EAF) at Hadeed E, in Saudi Arabia
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MIDREX Plants produce 30 million tons of DRI in a single year
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Start-up of the first MIDREX Combination Plants, offering HDRI, HBI and cold DRI (CDRI) on demand
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MIDREX Plants exceeding 500 million tons of cumulative DRI production
2010s
Non-stop innovation
The pace of innovation accelerated further. As the urgency of tackling climate change emerges, Midrex’s greener ironmaking technologies take centre stage in the discussion around sustainable steelmaking.
Key milestones during this decade:
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Start-up of the first HOTLINK™ plant for direct charging of HDRI into an electric arc furnace at Jindal Shadeed in Oman
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MIDREX Plants surpassing 1 billion tons of cumulative DRI production
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Start-up of the first MIDREX MxCol™ plant using coal gasification technology at Jindal Steel and Power in India
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Commissioning of the world’s largest HBI plant at voestalpine Texas in Corpus Christi, Texas
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Start-up of the world’s largest single-module DRI plant, rated at 2.5 million tons per year, at Tosyali Algérie
2020s
Enabling the next generation of steelmaking
In this decade, Midrex continues to shape the future of iron and steel with revolutionary projects and major partnerships that lead the way in green iron and steelmaking.
Key milestones during this decade:
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The first commercial-scale MIDREX Plant at ArcelorMittal Hamburg is marking 50 years of operation
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MIDREX H2™ technology is selected for the pioneering Stegra zero-carbon steel project in Boden, Sweden
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MIDREX Flex™ is chosen by thyssenkrupp Steel Europe and Dillinger
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Vale and Midrex collaborate on the use of iron ore briquettes in DR plants to cut CO₂ emissions
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Advances in digitalization and automation enable plants to operate closer to their ideal performance
