SKF Backs Startup Anferra to Turn Toxic Grinding Sludge Into Resource
Every year, the global steel industry generates 12 million tonnes of hazardous grinding sludge—a toxic mix of metal, abrasives, and oils typically destined for landfills. Now, industrial giant SKF is betting on Swedish startup Anferra to convert this persistent waste stream into high-value chemical agents and green hydrogen.
The investment marks the debut of SKF Ventures, a new initiative designed to scout and scale circular industrial technologies. Alongside partners Stephen Industries and Chalmers Ventures, SKF aims to bypass traditional incineration methods by utilizing Anferra’s proprietary process. This technology extracts ferric chloride, a staple in water treatment, while capturing hydrogen gas as an energy byproduct.
By reclaiming up to 90% of the iron content, the process offers a net climate benefit of 470 kg of CO₂-equivalents per tonne of sludge. According to Mikael Krook, director of SKF Ventures, the partnership serves as a strategic move to address one of the most difficult recycling hurdles in the bearing and steel sectors. Anferra CEO Ebba Adolfsson noted that the collaboration will accelerate the startup's transition toward global industrial implementation, helping to align hazardous waste management with tightening European secondary raw material regulations.
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