Official inauguration restarted galvanizing line Galva in Flémalle (Liège)

ArcelorMittal Belgium has officially inaugurated Galva 5 at its Flémalle site, in the presence of policymakers, customers, suppliers, partners and employees. The ceremony marked the return to operation of the hot dip galvanising line after a four years of inactivity. 

Following the acquisition of the line in July 2025, ArcelorMittal launched a major renovation and modernization program for the entire line. The work included, among other things, the renovation of the pickling section and the zinc bath, as well as a complete overhaul of the systems for feeding and unwinding the steel coils. At the same time, the site’s digital infrastructure was also modernized to meet the latest industry standards. 

The restart of Galva 5 strengthens ArcelorMittal Belgium’s industrial presence and expands its range of metal-coated steel products, particularly for thicker-gauge products intended for European customers. 

Safety and people are the heart of the project 

The restart of Galva 5 is primarily due to the dedication of all the employees who breathed new life into the line. Today, nearly 70 employees are responsible for operating the line. Many of them already have extensive experience gained at Galva 5 when the line was part of ArcelorMittal Belgium until 2019, or at other group sites in Liège. 

This experienced team combines technical expertise with high-quality standards and a strong culture of solidarity. 

Safety was an absolute priority throughout the entire project. Specific training programs, combined with strict supervision, made it possible to ensure optimal working conditions from the start-up phase onward. 

A strategic asset for Belgium and ArcelorMittal Europe 

With the restart of Galva 5, ArcelorMittal Belgium once again has the production capacity to supply metal-coated steel in thicker gauges. The facility complements the group’s European portfolio of metal-coated steel products. 

The line is fully integrated into ArcelorMittal Belgium’s supply chain: it processes hot-rolled coils produced in Ghent and supplies high-value-added galvanized products to key industrial markets. 

Galva 5 products are designed for demanding applications, including those in the fields of traffic safety, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), as well as various industrial and automotive applications. 

Thanks to its ideal location in the heart of Europe, the Flémalle site offers quick access to key industrial customer regions. This ensures both reliable delivery times and a high degree of flexibility in service delivery. 

Technical profile of Galva 5 

Galva 5 is a flexible, high-performance hot dip galvanizing line. The line can process hot-rolled steel grades up to 6.35 mm thick and 1,880 mm wide. 

Thanks to its integrated pickling process, Galva 5 enables a highly efficient production process. At the same time, the line is suitable for the production of high-strength steels and a wide range of metallic coatings. In this way, Galva 5 contributes to the development of low-carbon steel solutions that ArcelorMittal offers to its customers. 

Frederik Van De Velde, CEO of ArcelorMittal Belgium: “Today , we are proud to celebrate the official inauguration of Galva 5 together with all our valued stakeholders. What seemed like an ambitious challenge just a year ago has become a reality thanks to the dedication, expertise, and determination of our teams. Galva 5 is now fully operational and produces high-quality metal-coated steel, backed by the highest safety standards and a fully integrated logistics chain in Belgium. This achievement demonstrates what we can accomplish when technical excellence, teamwork, and a shared ambition come together to build a stronger future for our customers and our industry.” 

Adrien Dolimont, Minister-President of Wallonia: “The relaunch of Galva 5 demonstrates what we can achieve by reinvesting in our industrial sites and in the expertise that still exists here. From Ghent to Flémalle and on to European markets, this initiative illustrates that Wallonia occupies a full-fledged place in the production chains that matter on a European scale. It is now up to us to create the conditions so that other industrial projects can also be realized here. That is the core of our ambition to activate or reactivate 1,500 hectares of economic space during this legislative term, giving priority to already developed industrial sites and ensuring the necessary energy supplies, infrastructure, and connections.” 

Pierre-Yves Jeholet, Vice-President of the Walloon Government and Walloon Minister of Economy, Industry, Employment, Training, Research, and Digitalization: “ The restart of Galva 5 sends a clear message: industry has a future in Wallonia. This investment makes it possible to preserve a strategic facility, further strengthen our expertise, and support employment. In a challenging economic climate, we must continue to work toward creating the right conditions so that our companies can invest, innovate, and produce here.”