SSAB appoints GRK for next phase of Lulea steelworks project

SSAB has appointed Finnish construction company GRK for an upcoming work package at its new steelworks project in Lulea, Sweden, covering concrete work and foundations for the facility.

The steelmaker said it is dividing the construction project into separate work packages and has selected GRK for the next phase. Swedish construction company NCC will continue work on the packages already awarded to it and is expected to complete its current work at the site by mid-2027.

Local media reports said workplace health incidents at the construction site may have contributed to NCC winding down its involvement in the project. However, neither NCC nor SSAB confirmed a link between the reported incidents and the change in contractors.

The construction site has faced several disruptions this year following reports of workers experiencing health symptoms. SSAB previously said its investigation identified exposure to fine dust particles as the primary factor, together with low humidity and seasonal respiratory viruses. Parts of the site were also temporarily closed following a gas alarm in October.

SSAB said the construction project will continue as planned, with GRK taking over the upcoming foundation and concrete work package.

The Lulea project is a key part of SSAB's transition to fossil-free steel production, replacing the existing blast furnace with an electric arc furnace-based steelmaking process to significantly reduce carbon emissions.

SSAB is a producer of advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) and quenched and tempered (Q&T) steel products, with an annual crude steel production capacity of approximately 8.8 mln tons across operations in Sweden, Finland, and the United States.