Page 8 - Steel Metallurgy eMagazine Volume September 2026

FACE TO FACE

FORGING A GREENER FUTURE:
AUSTRALIA’S FIRST CMT 365 MILL REDEFINES
®
SUSTAINABLE REBAR PRODUCTION

“

We identified a clear
opportunity to strengthen
Queensland’s circular
economy by processing
the state’s abundant scrap
metal locally “

— Rohan Richardson,
CEO, Future Forgeworks
Bernhard Steenken Rohan Richardson
CSO, Region APAC & MEA CEO
SMS group Future Forgeworks
Future Forgeworks, based in Brisbane, Australia, has commissioned SMS group to supply the country’s first Continuous Mill
Technology (CMT® 365). Located in Swanbank (Queensland), this new greenfield project is set to begin operations in 2028 and
will focus on a low-emissions production of rebar steel with SMS group as the single-source supplier from steelmaking to caster and
rolling mill. Future Forgeworks Chief Executive Officer Rohan Richardson and SMS group’s CSO India & Asia Pacific, Bernhard
Steenken, CSO, Region APAC & MEA, SMS group, share insights into Australia’s pioneering initiative in rebar steel production.

NM : With its new CMT® 365 mill by year. Its compact footprint is well suited RR : We evaluated several leading
SMS group, Future Forgeworks will to our Swanbank site in Ipswich, which steel equipment manufacturers but
focus on the sustainable production is the heart of South-East Queensland’s ultimately selected SMS group. Their
of rebar steel. What motivated you to main construction corridor. From 2028, 150 years of steelmaking expertise gives
invest in rebar steel production, and the Swanbank Steel Mill is expected us confidence in their ability to deliver
how will the mill support Australia’s to supply approximately 75% of the a high-qualitymill, both on time and on
growing construction industry? Queensland and Northern New South budget, demonstrating excellence across
Wales rebar market and 27% of the total construction and delivery. During our
RR : In 2024, we identified a clear Australian rebar market, supporting start-up phase, the SMS team has shown
opportunity to strengthen Queensland’s critical infrastructure projects across a strong understanding of our business
circular economy by processing the state’s health, mining, energy, transport and model and provided transparent,
abundant scrap metal locally, rather residential development, as well as business-case-driven solutions
than exporting it for conversion and re- venuesfor the Brisbane 2032 Olympic that balance capital and operating
importing the finished rebar product. and Paralympic Games. expenditure. Most importantly, their
SMS group’s CMT® 365 mill provided the state-of-the-art technologies have been
most advanced technology to make this NM : Future Forgeworks has chosen tailored to the specific requirements of
opportunity into a commercial reality; SMS group for its groundbreaking our Swanbank site.
offering a low-emissions, low-OPEX, steel mill project. What specific factors
end-to-end process that will convert influenced your decision to select SMS SMS group’s commitment to operational
400,000 tonnes of scrap metal into group for this innovative steelmaking readiness was another decisive factor.
365,000 tonnes of reinforcing bar each process? Building Queensland’s first steel mill

6 STEEL & METALLURGY SEPTEMBER 2026