ABB Enhances Al Ezz Dekheila Steel’s Water Operations with Ability System 800xA

ABB has won an order from Al Ezz Dekheila Steel Co. (EZDK) to enhance the critical operations of three main central water treatment plants located at the Ezz Steel plant in Alexandria, Egypt. The site is a fully integrated steelmaking facility and incorporates three direct reduction plants for producing high-quality Direct Reduced Iron (DRI), with an annual production capacity of 3.1 million tons. EZDK is the leading steel importer and distributor in Egypt and, since it was established in 1985, has grown to become the largest independent steel producer in the Middle East and North Africa.

ABB will provide ABB Ability™ System 800xA^® distributed control system (DCS) to support improvements across eight key operational areas, including three central water treatment plants and the site’s auxiliary equipment operations. The system will help streamline control and monitoring, enabling more consistent performance and easier integration of processes across the facility. By supporting both new and existing infrastructure, the system will contribute to a more unified and responsive approach to plant operations.

Unlike traditional blast furnace methods reliant on coking coal, EZDK’s DRI production uses natural gas, offering a lower-emission pathway to steelmaking. Effective water management is essential in this process for cooling and treatments that enhance productivity and product performance, such as in the thermo-mechanical treatment (TMT) of reinforcement bars crucial for modern infrastructure. The operation of the DRI plants through ABB’s System 800xA underpins EZDK’s commitment to efficient, reliable and environmentally responsible steel production.



ABB Ability System 800xA distributed control system (DCS) architecture will integrate utilities into three control hubs, enabling centralized monitoring and management for better, faster decision making. [Image ABB]

ABB will manage the supply, engineering, commissioning, and startup of its System 800xA at EZDK’s water treatment facilities. The system architecture will integrate utilities into three control hubs, enabling centralized monitoring and management while maintaining the functionality of existing systems. By enhancing operator situational awareness and decision-making through high-performance visualization tools, the platform is expected to significantly improve response times during critical steelmaking processes.

Designed with flexibility and scalability in mind, the system allows for phased upgrades and future expansion, minimizing disruption while supporting long-term operational efficiency. Ultimately, the modernized system is expected to bolster the plant’s annual capacity of 3.1 million tons of high-quality steel by improving process reliability, optimizing resource usage, and contributing to more sustainable production outcomes.

The project will be led by experts from ABB’s Process Industries Metal Segment for water treatment plants, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, turnkey solution in alignment with ABB’s global standards. This order is the latest success story for the ABB and EZDK partnership, following the completion of a full ABB modernization at EZDK’s flagship wire rod manufacturing facility in Alexandria in 2020.

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