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EU Commission strengthens Duisburg as a steel location

EU Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné came to Duisburg to find out about the future of the steel industry. At the invitation of the General Works Council of thyssenkrupp Steel, IG Metall and CEO Dennis Grimm, the meeting took place at the site of the new direct reduction plant (DRI).

With 13 million tons of crude steel per year, Duisburg is Europe's largest steel location and essential for the automotive, mechanical engineering and defense industries. In its action plan, the European Commission emphasizes the strategic importance of the industry, but high energy costs, global competitive pressure and the financing of decarbonization pose challenges.

Duisburg is committed to climate-friendly steel production, which requires a fair industrial electricity price, effective trade protection and investment in green lead markets. The DBI steel paper sets out concrete measures to secure the location in the long term. DBI Managing Director Rasmus C. Beck: "The EU Commissioner's visit underlines the fact that steel is now also getting the importance it deserves in Europe: for our industry and safety!"

Crisis communication: preparing for an emergency

‘Image is everything? How to protect your reputation and manage crises’ Insights into success factors and stumbling blocks were provided by Marten Nickoleit, Executive Expert for Crisis Communication and Reputation Management at the REVOLVERMÄNNER agency, at the latest edition of “Business beim Brötchen”.
The important lessons: a crisis communication plan and manual, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, training and tests to raise awareness of the topic, and simulation exercises to provide important insights are all part of preparing for an emergency.
With over 70 participants, Business beim Burger was a complete success! The series of DBI and Wirtschaft für Duisburg has once again shown how important it is to exchange ideas on current economic topics.

Pittsburgh: A role model for Duisburg's transformation

In its transformation, Pittsburgh is so close to Duisburg's development. A city that once lived from steel, had to face up to structural change and today shines as a state-of-the-art business location. A role model for Duisburg's future?

In the early 1980s, the collapse of the steel industry hit Pittsburgh with full force. Almost one in five people lost their jobs and 300,000 people left the city. But Pittsburgh has reinvented itself - and that is precisely why a Duisburg delegation from politics, administration and business is on site: to learn how an industrial metropolis can be successfully transformed.

The first insight: transformation is teamwork. Pittsburgh is an impressive example of how politics, business, universities and foundations have worked together to set the course for the future. For example, former industrial areas have been revitalized, old warehouses have been transformed into lively urban entertainment hotspots and a diverse economic structure has been established. Today, the focus in Pittsburgh is on artificial intelligence, healthcare, logistics, fintech and cybersecurity.

"Go further, go faster!" - this spirit drives Pittsburgh's success. And this is exactly where we in Duisburg come in. Our goal is to develop new economic clusters, promote green technologies and at the same time preserve our industrial heart.

MIPIM 2025 - A strong signal for our city!

MIPIM in Cannes has shown once again: International presence is crucial, especially in challenging market phases. While some cities are withdrawing, we are focusing on visibility - because GEBAG's major projects are coming and we need investors and strong partners for them.

• There is interest - funds, family offices and institutional investors have specifically asked about redevelopment opportunities.
• Cooperation counts - The exchange with our partner cities is essential for economic transformation.
• Impetus for the future - city center and district development benefit from international knowledge transfer.

Steel production in Germany - an integral part of our public services

Cross-party initiative calls for a clear course to safeguard the steel industry

The steel industry in Duisburg is of essential importance for the industrial value chains and the economic resilience of Germany and Europe. This is underlined by the newly presented strategy paper "Steel production in Germany - an integral part of our public services".

Click here for the steel paper