Software for AI-powered process optimization in the steel and chemical industries with explainable Machine Learning
Fero Labs Inc.
New York City, NY (USA)New on Amplifa
About Fero Labs
Fero Labs Inc. is a US software company headquartered in New York City that develops the Profitable Sustainability platform Fero Suite for industrial process optimization. The platform uses explainable (white-box) machine learning to support process engineers in diagnostics, root-cause analysis, setpoint simulation and live real-time optimization. The Fero Suite comprises the Diagnostics, Simulator, Production and Foundation modules as well as the Saw Optimizer for cut-sequence optimization at sawmills. Typical use cases include alloy optimization in melt shop operations, real-time prediction of mechanical properties, soft sensors for chemical processes and quality forecasting. Fero Labs is primarily active in the steel industry and additionally serves the chemical, oil & gas, cement, CPG and food industries. Reference customers include Gerdau, CELSA Nordic and SIJ Group; Tim Eschert, as Managing Director, is responsible for sales in the EMEA region.
- Site
- New York City, NY, USA
- Processes
- Fero Diagnostics - AI-powered process diagnostics and root-cause analysis, Fero Simulator - AI simulation for determining precise setpoints, Fero Production - Live AI-driven process optimization (24/7 in-spec), Fero Foundation - AI-powered data preparation and process mapping, Quality management software - real-time quality prediction, defect product forecasting, process, Saw Optimizer - real-time cut-sequence optimization at the sawmill (yield recovery), Alloy optimization (real-time alloy recommendation for melt shop operations, $3/ton savings), Real-time mechanical property prediction (tensile strength, DI hardenability)
- Materials
- Steel (SBQ steel grades, Green Steel), Alloying elements: manganese, carbon, niobium, vanadium, nitrogen, Glufosinate (broad-spectrum herbicide), Alloying elements (manganese, carbon, niobium, vanadium, nitrogen), Chemicals (including Glufosinate herbicide)
- Certificates
- Real-time quality prediction, White-box/explainable ML models, Automatic model retraining
- Industries
- Steel, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Cement, CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods), Food
- 01
Data preparation and process mapping (Fero Foundation)
- 02
Root-cause diagnostics (Fero Diagnostics)
- 03
Setpoint simulation (Fero Simulator)
- 04
Live real-time process optimization (Fero Production)
- 05
Scaling to additional plants and use cases
Processes & Applications
Steel (SBQ steel grades, Green Steel)
Primary application area: alloy optimization, mechanical property predictions and DI optimization per ASTM A255 in steel mills.
Alloying elements (manganese, carbon, niobium, vanadium, nitrogen)
Real-time alloy recommendations demonstrably reduce the use of these additives.
Chemicals (including Glufosinate herbicide)
Soft sensors and quality stabilization for chemical batch and continuous processes.
Locations
New York City, NY (USA)
USHeadquarters and software development
- Materials
- Software (Fero Suite)
- Fero Suite (Diagnostics, Simulator, Production, Foundation)
- Saw Optimizer
Platform Modules
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fero Diagnostics - AI-powered process diagnostics and root-cause analysisEngineering | – | – | – | – | Steel, Chemicals |
| Fero Simulator - AI simulation for determining precise setpointsEngineering | – | – | – | – | Steel, Chemicals |
| Fero Production - Live AI-driven process optimization (24/7 in-spec)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Steel, Chemicals |
| Fero Foundation - AI-powered data preparation and process mappingEngineering | – | – | – | – | Steel, Chemicals |
| Quality management software - real-time quality prediction, defect product forecasting, processInspection | – | – | – | – | Steel, Chemicals, Food |
| Saw Optimizer - real-time cut-sequence optimization at the sawmill (yield recovery)Machining | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| Alloy optimization (real-time alloy recommendation for melt shop operations, $3/ton savings)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| Real-time mechanical property prediction (tensile strength, DI hardenability)Inspection | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| Engineering | – | – | – | – | Chemicals |
| Catalyst lifetime prediction (refinery/chemicals)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Chemicals |
| Real-time viscosity prediction (refinery, cutter stock optimization)Inspection | – | – | – | – | Petroleum/Chemicals |
| Heat exchanger fouling diagnostics and degradation predictionEngineering | – | – | – | – | Chemicals |
| Caster breakout diagnostics (AI analysis of caster breakouts)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| DI (Ideal Diameter) chemistry optimization for SBQ steel grades (ASTM A255)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| Food quality ML (quality prediction, cycle time reduction, raw material variation)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Food |
1 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fero software platform (no physical machines, software company) | Fero Labs Fero Suite (Diagnostics, Simulator, Production, Foundation) | – | – | – | New York, NY, USA |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality & Reliability
The platform monitors quality in real time, predicts quality deviations hours in advance and recommends corrective actions before defective products are produced. Models are continuously retrained with current production data and safeguarded by built-in mechanisms against implausible values.
| Evidence | New York City, NY (USA) |
|---|---|
| Real-time quality prediction | |
| White-box/explainable ML models | |
| Automatic model retraining |
Company History
- 2022
Website relaunch; mention in the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence report on sustainability.
- 2023
Gerdau and Fero Labs received the AISTech Award for advances in steelmaking; documented savings of USD 3 per ton of steel at Gerdau.
- 2025
Named to Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies 2025 list; partnership with SIJ Group for green steelmaking and with Carnegie Mellon University (CISR).