José Noldin appointed CEO of GravitHy: a global leader to accelerate steel decarbonization

Pioneering company in sustainable iron production, GravitHy announces the appointment of José Noldin as its new Chief Executive Officer. With over 20 years of experience in industrial innovation and decarbonization, he will lead a strategic initiative for the European industry.

International expertise driving an ambitious project

José Noldin began his career at Tecnored, a subsidiary of mining giant Vale, before joining Lhoist in Belgium and later Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional in Brazil, where he led technology strategy and decarbonization efforts. Holding a PhD in metallurgy, he brings valuable expertise to GravitHy to meet the growing demand for low-carbon steel.

Based in France, he will oversee all aspects of the project: engineering, construction, industrial commissioning, investment mobilization, and commercial development.

First Plant to Be Built in Fos-sur-Mer

GravitHy’s first plant, planned for Fos-sur-Mer, represents an investment of €2.2 billion and is expected to create over 3,000 direct and indirect jobs. The plant is scheduled to be operational by 2027, with construction starting in 2024, pending regulatory approvals.

The goal is to produce 2 million tonnes of Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) annually using low-carbon hydrogen, to be used in green steel production or sold globally as Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI).

Addressing Climate Challenges

As part of the European “Fit for 55” package, GravitHy is fully aligned with the strategy to decarbonize hard-to-abate industries. As José Noldin states:

It is a privilege to lead such a significant development in the industry. Achieving the French government’s target of a 35% reduction in CO₂ emissions by 2030 for integrated steelmaking requires a rapid scale-up of innovative low-emission solutions. GravitHy will play a central role in this transition.

A Consortium of World-Class Partners

GravitHy was founded by a cross-sector consortium of leading partners: EIT InnoEnergy (supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology), Engie New Ventures, Plug, FORVIA, IDEC Group via IDEC Invest Inovation, and Primetals Technologies.

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