Low-carbon steel platform Metal Logic says it plans to expand Australian manufacturing capability after agreeing to acquire about 1,000 hectares of tenements in Western Australia’s Pilbara region for the deployment of its modular clean steel smelting technology.
In a news release, the Melbourne-based company said the site, located within 20 kilometres of rail corridors operated by BHP, Roy Hill, and Fortescue, will support the first industrial-scale deployment of its modular smelting system with an initial capacity of one million tonnes per annum.
Metal Logic Managing Director Joel Nicholls said the acquisition marks a step toward moving the company’s technology from development to industrial production while strengthening domestic manufacturing.
“This agreement marks a critical milestone in our journey from technology development to industrial deployment,” Nicholls said.
“We have secured a strategic piece of land in the heart of the Pilbara to build Australia’s first modular clean steel smelting hub.”
Under the plan, modular smelting units manufactured at the company’s Victorian facility would be shipped to the Pilbara site and installed progressively, enabling the project to scale as additional units are added.
Metal Logic said the first modules are expected to be ready for site deployment toward the end of the first half of calendar year 2026.
Nicholls said the platform is designed to manufacture modular smelting units domestically and deploy them near iron ore resources, creating local manufacturing jobs while expanding value-added processing in Australia.
“Metal Logic is moving to industrial scale with a modular platform that can be manufactured in Australia and deployed anywhere iron ore is located,” he said. “Every module we ship creates Australian manufacturing jobs and retains value onshore that has historically been exported as raw ore.”
The company said its technology focuses on thermal efficiency in the smelting process, aiming to deliver both lower production costs and lower emissions compared with conventional steelmaking.
“Our focus on thermal efficiency has delivered what many thought impossible—a smelting process that is simultaneously lower-cost and lower-emission than conventional steelmaking,” Nicholls said.
According to the company, the technology is designed to process iron ore without relying on specific grades, which it says could make lower-grade ores economically viable and potentially extend the life of existing mines.
Metal Logic said the acquisition also supports the establishment of an integrated processing hub capable of turning iron ore into finished steel products domestically rather than exporting raw materials.
The company added that the project aligns with the Western Australian Government’s push to encourage locally manufactured green steel under initiatives such as the WA Industry Participation Strategy and related procurement frameworks.
Nicholls said the company intends to supply steel products, including reinforcing bar for the construction sector, with traceable carbon footprints that meet evolving sustainability standards.
“The Western Australian Government has opened the door for locally manufactured clean steel, and we intend to walk through it,” he said.
“el vision calls for—steel that is made in Australia, creates jobs for Australians, and provides end customers with a lower-cost, lower-emission product.”
Metal Logic said the development could generate employment during both the construction and operational phases, while supporting additional manufacturing activity in Western Australia and Victoria.
The transaction was advised by Hall & Wilcox, with Sevan Gore and Chris Wright acting as legal advisors to Metal Logic.
