A new steel plant in Waikato has been approved to produce around 200,000 tonnes/year of recycled structural steel using electric arc furnace technology. It will help cut carbon emissions and support New Zealand’s infrastructure development, Kallanish notes.
National Green Steel lodged its proposal in July 2025 to build the facility at Hampton Downs. Approval came after roughly five months.
The plant is expected to reduce reliance on imported steel and keep scrap metal in the country rather than exporting it. Green Steel already operates collection yards in Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, Putāruru, and Christchurch, recovering metals from end-of-life vehicles, sheet metal, and beams.
“New Zealand does not currently re-use steel – most of our scrap metal is exported. This new plant will mean we can recycle and manufacture structural steel right here in New Zealand, using material sourced from across the country,” says its resources minister Shane Jones.
The EAF facility will produce high-quality structural steel with a lower carbon footprint than conventional methods, he notes, adding the proposal shows the sector is willing to invest in electrification.
Green Steel’s plant is the 13th project approved under the Fast-track initiative and the first infrastructure project to feature steel manufacturing.