Tuesday, February 18th, 2025, marked the 15th time the ACT program had the privilege of visiting voestalpine, a leading steel and technology group. The day began with the five students who are collaborating with the company on a consulting project arriving to meet their project owner, Klaus Pammer, VP of Sustainability at the voestalpine Metal Forming Division and gain insights into their upcoming project. When the rest of the cohort arrived, they were warmly welcomed by Dr. Ernst Balla, HR Director of voestalpine’s Metal Forming Division. From the beginning, the students were encouraged to ask questions and actively participate in the presentation.
Mathias Farthofer, Head of Corporate Development, then shared insights about how the company operates in more than fifty countries worldwide, and discussed its four divisions: the Steel Division, the High-Performance Metals Division, the Metal Engineering Division, and the Metal Forming Division. As students showed particular interest in Voestalpine’s initiatives to combat climate change, Mathias Farthofer explained voestalpine’s goals, such as achieving net-zero emissions – CO2UNTDOWN TO ZERO – in greater detail. To reach this target, the company plans to reduce emissions by 30% by 2029 and by 50% by 2035.
Before lunch, the students also participated in a Q&A session led by Dr. Balla, where they explored voestalpine’s diversity strategy and career opportunities available to international candidates. Following an engaging and insightful session, the students enjoyed a variety of meal options at the company’s cafeteria.
The afternoon was dedicated to an exclusive tour of voestalpine’s production facilities. Guided by experienced employees, the cohort gained first-hand insights into the entire steel production process – from raw material preparation to the finished product. The absolute highlight of the tour was witnessing the biggest blast furnace on the premise, while one drilling site was sealed and the other one opened – the 90-minute circle of lava-like-iron entering steel production 24/7, uninterrupted for the past 15 years.
The visit provided students with valuable insights into voestalpine’s corporate strategy, sustainability initiatives, and real-time production processes. It was a day filled with learning, networking, and inspiration – further strengthening the two-decade-long-connection between the MGB program and voestalpine.
Written by student assistants Leah Welsh Rugh and Chiara Paprotny
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