Nervacero

What Nervacero does

Nervacero S.A. is a Spanish electric-arc-furnace (EAF) steel manufacturer founded in 1966 by Tomás Arbulu in Portugalete and headquartered in Valle de Trapaga (Trapagarán), Bizkaia, in the Basque Country. The company operates a single integrated plant that has run at the same site since 1971, with an annual production capacity of one million tonnes of liquid steel and current production of approximately 328 kton of billets (palanquilla) and 309 kton of corrugated steel. Nervous-cero has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Celsa Group since 1988, an acquisition that made Celsa the Spanish market leader in corrugated rebar (redondo corrugado). The company employs 310 people directly and reported €203 million in annual revenue.

Nervacero's product portfolio is concentrated on three formats of reinforcement steel for concrete construction: (1) corrugated steel bars in diameters of 8-40 mm and lengths of 6-18 m, designed as high-ductility steels for seismic and dynamically loaded structures; (2) corrugated steel coils (spooler) of 3-4 tonnes in diameters of 8-25 mm, produced on Spain's first spooler rolling line, installed in 2004; and (3) semi-finished steel billets (palanquilla) for downstream sale. The underlying technology is an electric arc furnace fed by recycled ferrous scrap (365 kton processed annually), giving a route that generates approximately 9x fewer CO2 emissions than integrated blast-furnace steelmaking. Nervacero holds an extensive certification stack relevant to construction-grade rebar — CE marking, AENOR N Sostenible, CARES ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001/14001/45001/50001, four EPDs (RBM REN/STD, BILLET REN/STD), Susteel, and MARCA ARCER — and is participating in two strategic R&D ecosystems: the H-ACERO hydrogen-steelmaking consortium and the BH2C Basque Hydrogen Corridor.

Nervacero generates revenue through direct B2B sales of steel products to construction companies, civil engineering firms, concrete prefabrication plants, and building material distributors in Spain and across Europe, with pricing negotiated bilaterally through a dedicated commercial team against prevailing steel market indices. Distribution leverages Celsa Group's integrated European network alongside direct sales channels from the Trapagarán plant. The company is positioning for longer-term differentiation through circular-economy inputs (93% recycled materials, 100% recyclable output, >90% waste valorization) and a stated climate strategy targeting 50% Scope 1 and 2 emissions reduction by 2030 and Net Positive status by 2050. In 2023, Nervacero replaced its 1998-vintage shaft furnace with scrap pre-heating (Spain's first) with a conventional electric arc furnace as part of ongoing facility modernization.

Name

Nervacero

Legal name

NERVACERO, S.A.

Website

https://nervacero.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Nervacero S.A. is a Spanish electric-arc-furnace steel manufacturer in the Basque Country producing corrugated reinforcement rebar (bars, coiled spooler, and billets) for the construction sector across Spain and Europe, with €203M annual revenue and 310 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Steel Reinforcement Products

SIC

Fabricated Structural Metal Products (3440)

akta.pro primary industry

Rebar Fabrication & Reinforcing Products (IMADACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Steel Casting (Continuous Casting, Ingots, Semi-Finished Slabs/Billets/Blooms) (IMAKABAD), Structural Steel Fabrication (IMADACAA)

Keywords

• Corrugated steel rebar
• Steel billet production
• Electric arc furnace
• Construction reinforcement steel
• Scrap metal recycling

Headquarters

HQ city

Bilbao

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Steel Products Manufacturing and Sales: Nervacero generates revenue by manufacturing and selling corrugated reinforcement steel (rebar in bar and coil formats) and steel billets (palanquilla). Products are sold primarily to the construction sector in Spain and internationally through the Celsa Group commercial network. Revenue is driven by production volume and steel market pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Nervacero manufactures corrugated reinforcement steel (rebar) for reinforced concrete, in straight bar, coil (spooler), and billet (palanquilla) formats. Production is based on scrap-metal melting in an Electric Arc Furnace followed by ladle refining and continuous casting, then rolling into finished products. With one million tonnes per year of liquid steel capacity, Nervacero supplies construction companies, civil engineering firms, concrete prefabrication plants, and building materials distributors primarily in Spain and Europe.

Product overview

Nervacero produces corrugated steel for concrete reinforcement in three distinct product formats: (1) Acero corrugado en barra - straight bars from 6m to 18m in lengths and 8-40mm diameters, designed as high-ductility steels for seismic and dynamic structures; (2) Acero corrugado en rollo (Spooler) - coils weighing 3-4 tonnes with diameters from 8-25mm, the first spooler rolling mill in Spain (2004); and (3) Palanquilla - semi-finished steel billets produced directly from scrap metal melting in Electric Arc Furnaces. All products are manufactured using the most sustainable steel production system (electric arc furnace generating 9 times less emissions than conventional blast furnaces) and are infinitely recyclable.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Acero corrugado en barra (Corrugated steel rebar in bar) Straight corrugated steel bars for reinforced concrete supplied in lengths of 6 to 18 metres and nominal diameters from 8 mm to 40 mm. High-ductility steel designed to prevent brittle fractures in concrete structures, including seismic, dynamic, or impact-loaded applications. Sold to construction companies, civil engineering firms, and concrete prefabrication plants.
• Acero corrugado en rollo / Spooler (Corrugated steel rebar in coil) Corrugated steel rebar supplied as coils weighing 3 to 4 tonnes with nominal diameters from 8 mm to 25 mm. Manufactured on Spain's first spooler rolling mill (installed 2004), with AENOR 'N' brand mark licence. Targets reinforcement applications where coiled format improves transport and handling.
• Palanquilla (Steel billet) Semi-finished steel billet produced at Nervacero's melt shop by melting scrap metal in an Electric Arc Furnace, refining the liquid steel in a ladle furnace, and solidifying/sizing via continuous casting. Sold as a semi-finished input to downstream rolling and steel product manufacturers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9x fewer CO2 emissions than conventional blast furnace steelmaking
• +5 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BH2C — Basque Hydrogen CorridorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNervacero participates in the BH2C (Basque Hydrogen Corridor) project, a coordinated industry ecosystem initiative to establish a hydrogen valley in the Basque Country. The project drives cross-industry collaboration on hydrogen infrastructure and applications for industrial decarbonisation, supporting Nervacero's transition away from fossil fuels.
• H-ACERO ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNervacero is a member of the H-ACERO consortium, a strategic R&D partnership focused on using hydrogen as an alternative energy source in steelmaking. The consortium develops advanced technologies and new materials compatible with steel production processes to achieve hydrogen-based sustainable steel production.
• Universidad de DeustominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for work experience and dual education programmes, offering paid internships for university degree and master's students.
• UPV/EHU (University of the Basque Country)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for dual education and internship programmes for engineering and science students.
• Mondragon UnibertsitateaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for dual education and graduate recruitment programmes.
• Cámara Bilbao (Chamber of Commerce of Bilbao)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Cámara Bilbao for internship and talent development programmes, connecting Nervacero with students and graduates.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SSAB AB: Swedish steelmaker leading the HYBRIT fossil-free steel initiative. Comparable as a European EAF-based producer with ambitious hydrogen decarbonization roadmap, though focused on premium specialty steel rather than rebar.
• Nucor Corporation: Largest US EAF steelmaker producing rebar, structural steel, and sheet products. Comparable in EAF technology leadership, scrap-based low-carbon production, and decarbonization ambitions, though operating at much larger scale and broader product mix.
• Gerdau S.A. Latin America's largest steelmaker and a major global EAF-based rebar producer. Comparable in EAF/scrap-based rebar production model, though serving primarily the Americas rather than the European market.
• Voestalpine AG: Austrian integrated steelmaker with significant special steel and rebar production. Comparable as a European steel producer with decarbonization initiatives (greentec steel), though with a broader product portfolio than Nervacero.
• ArcelorMittal: Global integrated and EAF steel leader with significant Spanish operations and a wide rebar portfolio. Competes with Nervacero in European rebar markets but operates at vastly greater scale and across flat/stainless products.

Regional players

• Acerinox S.A. Spanish stainless steel producer headquartered in Spain. Comparable as a Spanish-based EAF steel manufacturer facing similar EU regulatory and energy cost dynamics, though focused on stainless rather than carbon steel rebar.

Direct peers

• Commercial Metals Company (CMC): US-based EAF steelmaker and rebar fabricator with strong focus on construction reinforcement. Comparable in EAF technology, rebar-centric product mix, and downstream fabrication strategy, though serving the North American market.
• AFV Beltrame Group: Italian-headquartered European leader in rebar and wire rod production via EAF route. Highly comparable to Nervacero as a European EAF rebar specialist serving construction customers with similar product formats and certifications.
• Liberty Steel (GFG Alliance): European-focused EAF steel group with rebar and wire rod production across multiple countries. Directly comparable as a European EAF rebar competitor, though currently undergoing financial restructuring at the parent level.
• Riva Group: Italian family-owned steelmaker operating EAF steelworks producing rebar, wire rod, and billets for the European construction market. Directly comparable in product mix (rebar/billets), EAF technology, and European customer focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/celsa

Compliance15 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nervacero