An ironworks was established on the site in 1911 as Norddeutsche Hütte - much of the works was destroyed or dismantled during and immediately after the end of the Second World War.

The blast furnaces were demolished in 1949, whilst the coking plant was retained, due to its necessity in supplying Bremen with gas.

[5] The first stage of redevelopment was completed in 1957 at a cost of c. 400 million Deutschmarks, giving a capacity of c. 600,000 tons steel pa. Facilities included three open hearth steelmaking furnaces, a hot rolling mill for coil and sheets, and a tinplate plant.

[9] A galvanising line called BREGAL (Bremer Galvanisierungs GmbH) was authorised in 1991, as a joint venture between Klöckner, Ägäis Stahlhandel and Rautaruukki.

In late 1993 a consortium comprising Klöckner (33.35%) and mainly public funding from the Hanseatische Industrie Beteiligungen GmbH (HIBEG) (31.99%) and Stadtwerke Bremen AG (SW) (13.33%) proposed re-capitalising the business (c. 250 million Deutschmarks, plus loans), as Klöckner Stahl GmbH, after acquiring the business for a nominal sum; due to the largely public nature of the shareholders the proposal was investigated by the European Union under its state aid rules.

[12] In July 1994, an altered consortium incorporating private steel firm Sidmar (25% stake) was given permission by the European Commission to acquire the business.

[13] Blast furnace 3 was permanently closed in 1994, reducing production capacity by 500,000 tons pa.[14] In 1994 Sidmar acquired a controlling stake (51%) in the company.

[17] In 2008 a subsidiary at Muuga Harbour in Estonia, formerly Galvex (established in 1997), renamed ArcelorMittal Tallinn, was acquired and added an additional galvanising line.