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[Translate to English:] © Christian Teichmann ​/​ sfs

RIVER - Resilient Intelligence for Versatile and Evolving Responses in the Steel Industry using AI

04/01/2026 - 09/30/2030

Research area Work and Participation in Europe and Regions | Dr. Michael Kohlgrüber | Dr. Karina Maldonado-Mariscal | Dr. Tobias Wienzek | Dr. Ann Christin Schulz | Mathias Cuypers

The project addresses the challenges faced by the steel industry, including decarbonization pressures, global overcapacity, rising energy costs, raw material price volatility, trade tensions, and supply chain disruptions. By leveraging AI-driven forecasting, optimization, and decision-making tools, RIVER seeks to improve production planning, resource utilization, and operational agility.

European Commission, Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS)

On the left flag of Europe. On the right in blue writing in English: Funded by the European Union

The RIVER project boosts the global competitiveness of European steelmaking by uniting sustainability with resilience in today’s volatile and complex world. For that, RIVER seeks to revolutionize the steel supply chain by integrating advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to achieve more sustainable, resilient, and efficient steel production. The project addresses the challenges faced by the steel industry, including decarbonization pressures, global overcapacity, rising energy costs, raw material price volatility, trade tensions, and supply chain disruptions. By leveraging AI-driven forecasting, optimization, and decision-making tools, RIVER seeks to improve production planning, resource utilization, and operational agility. The project is structured into 4 interdependent building blocks:

  1. Boosting monitoring and scheduling through real-time data and predictive analytics
  2. Forecasting market trends and resource costs to guide proactive planning,
  3. Integrating these tools into an AI-Powered Control Tower for dynamic supply chain orchestration
  4. Enabling workforce transformation through co-creation, adaptive learning, and GenAI support

RIVER will demonstrate its impact in two complementary use cases: construction and automotive sector. A scalability and replicability playbook will consolidate guidelines on how to replicate RIVER solution in different industrial settings, paving the way for EU-wide deployment.

A dedicated exploitation plan will outline the go-to-market strategy, ensuring long-term viability, adoption, and market penetration of the RIVER tools beyond the project’s lifetime, addressing technical, economic, environmental and social aspects of the solution.

CELSA OPCO, SA (Coordinator), COMPANIA ESPANOLA DE LAMINACION SL (BCN), European Supply Chain Services S.l., GLOBAL STEEL WIRE SA, IDC ITALIA SRL, TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITÄT DORTMUND, AQUILES SOLUTIONS SL, IRIS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, SOCIEDAD LIMITADA, RINA CONSULTING - CENTRO SVILUPPO MATERIALI SPA, CLOSER - CONSULTORIA, LDA, Capitole Consulting SL

  • Demonstration of an Integrated Modular Digital Strategy for Adaptive and Sustainable Steelmaking
  • Unlocking Prescriptive Planning through an Integrated AI-Powered Control Tower
  • Developing digital methodologies and standalone tools for monitoring, control and forecasting
  • Empowerment of the steel workforce to embrace RIVER’s Digital Transformation
  • Block 1: AI for Execution and Scheduling
  • Block 2: AI for Market Forecasting and Planning
  • Block 3: AI-powered supply Chain Control Tower
  • Block 4: Workforce Empowerment and Transformation