Built by First Solar, a leading provider of comprehensive photovoltaic energy solutions, the California Flats Solar Project in the Golden State of California in the United States is equipped with 874 trackers and 16 760 Exotrack® HZ V2 structures produced by ArcelorMittal Projects Exosun with about 30% of the components manufactured by Alliance Metal Changzhou, part of ArcelorMittal Projects.

Exotrack® HZ V2

Thanks to its balanced design and structural stiffness, our Exotrack® HZ V2 offers greater reliability and limited operating expense. It is a centralised tracker with only four motors per MWp, with high flexibility on uneven ground and unrivalled simplicity resulting in a smooth and fast installation.

ArcelorMittal Projects Exosun’s largest North American project

Commissioned in May 2019, this project is ArcelorMittal Projects Exosun’s largest project to date in North America. It is also the first one featuring First Solar’s Series 6 modules.

The solar plant will:

• generate enough solar energy to power about 116 000 homes per year
• generate clean and renewable energy and protect air quality in the region
• allow a reduction of 109 000 tonnes of CO2 annually - the equivalent of taking about 22 000 cars off the road
• allow a reduction of 152 000 tonnes of water consumption annually based on the average California grid
• support job creation

The California Flats Solar Project began construction in June 2016 and was completed in May 2019.

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Images: ArcelorMittal Projects Exosun

With a length of 560 km, the Moselle is a major European waterway, crossing France, Luxembourg, and Germany. Next April, a brand-new steel-concrete composite bridge will rise on the French bank of the river. It is currently being built with beams from ArcelorMittal Europe – Long Products assembled in box girders entirely prefabricated by Steligence® Fabrication Centre in Luxembourg. About 200 km from there, on the German bank of the Moselle, new locks are being installed thanks to ArcelorMittal Sheet Piling.

Safer and more efficient access on the river

Built in 1942, the old bridge located in Tonnoy, France was deteriorating and was no longer in line with the latest standards regarding mobility. With this new 92-metre bridge, user safety will increase thanks to a new footbridge dedicated exclusively to pedestrians and cyclists and a wider road for vehicles traffic. The bridge will also limit the impacts on the Moselle riverbed and ensure better hydraulic flow thanks to the presence of three pillars instead of four.

As for the locks in Germany, the existing ones are no longer up to date in their dimensions, causing waiting times at the lock passages. This is a major issue, especially when freight transport has to share the route with the abundant tourist excursion boats. As a solution, the locks will be equipped with a second lock chamber, in larger dimensions (210 m x 12.5 m). Thanks to the second lock chambers, waterways as ecological and economic modes of transport will become even more attractive, which will also strengthen the reputation of this economic area.

S460M: the key advantage to winning this bridge project

In early September, construction of the Tonnoy bridge took a huge step: the delivery on site and the installation of the box girders. The girders, fabricated and painted by Steligence® Fabrication Centre, are composed of 24 beams in grade S460M produced in ArcelorMittal Europe – Long Products’ mill in Differdange. They measure between 30.5 m and 35.4 m and weigh a total of 187 tonnes.

The use of S460M structural steel grade allowed for weight reduction, which was a competitive advantage in this project that was initially supposed to be completely built with concrete. Thanks to ArcelorMittal steel, construction time and costs were considerably reduced as there was no need for formwork, sanding, welding, or confinement.

For the installation of the 12 girders (eight 29.85-m girders of 2 beams and four 35-m girders of 2 beams), a 220-tonne lifting crane was used. Transportation was organised by the Steligence® Fabrication Centre with the help of MKTS transport company. This special transport had to be regulated by pilot cars and Luxembourgish and French law enforcement.

Improving waterway transport

Out of the ten locks that require work, the Zeltingen and Fankel locks are already extended and in operation. For the Trier lock, the overall construction comprises the extension of the upper and lower outer harbour to a length of 225 m, the relocation of the Trier water gauge, the construction of a new control centre for the locks of Zeltingen, Wintrich, Detzem, and Trier, as well as an ecological compensation measure at the Monaise sports boat harbour.

The upper outer harbour, the central piers in the upper and lower water, will be built using steel sheet piling from ArcelorMittal Europe – Long Products, produced in the Belva milll. A single anchored PU® 22 sheet pile wall will be used for the upper outer harbour and an approach dolphin in the lower water will be constructed as a circular cell from AS® 500 profiles – filled with sand or other material – that will be dismantled at the end of the new lock construction.

Works for the bridge are still ongoing on the banks of the Moselle with completion foreseen in April 2020. As for the Trier lock, completion should take place before the end of 2019.

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Images: ArcelorMittal Europe

A special jury prize was presented at the Équerre d'argent 2019 awards in Paris on 25 November. The prize was awarded for the Simonne-Mathieu tennis court designed by architect Marc Mimram in the Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. Gearing up for the 2020 French Open, works are being carried out at the Roland Garros Stadium, including a retractable roof built with ArcelorMittal crane rails.

The competition

It was a jury chaired by the architect Paul Chemetov and composed of previous winners of the awards that the nominees of the Équerre d'argent 2019 had to convince. Twenty achievements were in contention, and the selection was made by the editors of Moniteur and AMC from some 220 applications divided into four categories: Structures; Culture, Youth & Sport; Activities; and Habitat.

Winners

The Julia-Bartet Residence, a training centre for apprentices and the distribution centre for the ‘Restos du coeur’ in Paris, designed by the architect Charles-Henri Tachon, won the Équerre d'Argent 2019 prize. Four other projects have been awarded respectively in the categories mentioned above. The prize for the Première Œuvre (First work) 2019 was awarded to a glassware workshop in Brioude (Haute-Loire), designed by Antoine Dufour Architects.

Click here to see the winners in pictures!

Text: Constructalia
Image: Équerre d'argent

ArcelorMittal Europe - Flat Products has released a new version of our EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) for our organic coated steel ranges Granite® and Estetic®.

Certified by IBU (Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V.) according to standards EN 15804 and ISO 14025 and verified by ECO-Platform, the document is now available in IBU's EPD library for construction products.

You can also download this new EPD for our Granite® and Estetic® prepainted steels in our Document library.

ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products regularly joins forces with customers to create co-marketing opportunities. A recent event saw ArcelorMittal work together with Polish roofing specialist Regamet to promote organic coated steels to roofers. The goal was to increase sales. Results were very impressive with a 44 percent jump in sales of Regamet products made with Granite® steels.

Regamet and ArcelorMittal: partners for the long term

Regamet is a leading manufacturer of steel products for standing seam and traditional tiled roofs. The company buys many products in the Granite® range including HDX, Deep Mat, and Quartz. From August 2019, Regamet also started to use the latest member of the family – Granite® Ultramat.

“We purchase ArcelorMittal’s Granite® range to produce seven types of steel roof tiles,” notes Wacław Tryba, owner of Regamet. “We also offer trapezoidal sheets in seven different patterns and two types of roof panels. And then there are the accessories such as ridge tiles, water management parts such as gutters and downpipes, and fixing systems.”

ArcelorMittal provides graphics and assistance

When Regamet had the idea to undertake a major marketing campaign, they contacted ArcelorMittal for help. “ArcelorMittal shared graphics and helped us to fine-tune the messages for our network,” explains Mr Tryba.

That led to the development of posters and banners to promote the campaign at Regamet branches and other participating companies. Emails were sent to almost a thousand roofers.

ArcelorMittal helped Regamet to develop a range of co-branded helmets, caps, t-shirts, and thermal vests. Roofers could buy these promotional items, as well as a banner with their own contact details, for just 1 PLN (0,23 EUR) when they placed an order for more than 100 square metres of Granite® roofing products.

Photo competition adds new dimension to cooperation

The promotion also included a photo competition with prizes for images of the most interesting roofs made with Granite®.

At the end of the campaign, Regamet presented tools to the winners of the photography contest during the company’s annual training day for roofers in Kraków. “The results of the campaign were very satisfactory,” says Mr Tryba. “The roofers were eager to participate in the competition. 215 of them received clothes and gadgets or were awarded with tools. It has strengthened Regamet’s brand and increased awareness of ArcelorMittal’s roofing solutions amongst a key target group. The result? A 44 percent jump in orders for Granite® products.”

Would Regamet participate in a similar promotional event? “Absolutely,” says Mr Tryba. “Further activities are already scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2019 and beyond.”

About Regamet

Regamet is one of the leading manufacturers of metal roofing sheets and trapezoidal sheets in Poland. Their offer also includes a wide range of roof accessories and flashings made to individual customer orders. While Poland is the largest market for Regamet’s roofing solutions, the company’s products are also sold in Belarus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

More info: www.regamet.com.pl

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Photos: Regamet

ArcelorMittal’s breakthrough Jetskin® coating has an extremely homogeneous surface which offers excellent corrosion protection. Metal Union, a long-term ArcelorMittal customer based in Poland, has started testing Jetskin® in a window frame application. The resulting frames are very rigid and have better thermal performance than aluminium solutions. They are proving popular in trials with customers due to the aesthetic finish of Jetskin® and its excellent environmental credentials.

A perfect blend

Metal Union developed their first Jetskin® window frame designs during 2018. “We used Jetskin® for the ‘inter-pane’ frame which separates the panes of glass in a typical double- or triple-glazed window,” explains Grzegorz Rudniak, product manager for Metal Union. “Jetskin® gives the inter-pane a homogeneous appearance which matches the colour of the overall window frame. Before Jetskin® we used galvanised steel, but this can reflect light and disrupts the visual appearance of the window. With Jetskin®, this does not occur.”

Better aesthetics, simpler production

The manufacturing process is also simpler, as Adam Satława, purchasing manager for Metal Union, explains: “The profile production process is much more efficient with Jetskin® compared to hot dip galvanised steel. For example, we use less energy and lubricants during the production process. Because we don’t need as much lubrication, we minimise the use of cleaning agents and preservatives for our profiling tools.”

Jetskin® improves the performance of the window as the steel has a similar linear expansion coefficient to the glass. “That eliminates stress on the edges of the insulating glass panels,” says Grzegorz Rudniak. “It also dramatically reduces the amount of water vapour that collects on the edge of the window, eliminating the formation of fungi and mould which can be harmful to people.”

An award-winning solution

Metal Union worked closely with ArcelorMittal to develop the new frame, as Adam Satława explains: “Both ArcelorMittal and Metal Union put great trust in the development of new technical solutions. For example, ArcelorMittal’s R&D team in Ghent developed a special passivation technique which provides good adhesion between the glass and the steel frame. We trialled Jetskin® in production and with customers to prove that it worked.”

The innovative nature of the new window frame design has already been recognised by industry bodies. In February 2019, Metal Union received the prestigious ‘VIP Stolarka’ award for innovation at the 24th VIP Window and Door Producers Meeting in Gniew, Poland.

About Metal Union

Metal Union is a modern profiling company with extensive production facilities. As well as window frames, Metal Union also produces thin-walled profiles made of steel strips. It offers services such as spatial bending of wire and cutting and taping of steel strips and profiles. The company employs over 170 people and exports around 65 percent of its products to European countries.

More info: Metal Union

About Jetskin®

ArcelorMittal steels coated with Jetskin® are produced in a process known as Jet Vapour Deposition (JVD). The unique production line uses a vacuum chamber to coat one or both sides of a steel substrate with a fine layer of zinc. The coating is extremely homogeneous, providing excellent protection against corrosion. The JVD process minimises the amount of zinc that is required and fully complies with the European Union RoHS directive which limits the use of hazardous substances.

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Images: Metal Union, ArcelorMittal and Ambiento, Zhu Difeng, Chonlawut / Shutterstock

ArcelorMittal Europe - Long Products has released an updated version of our composite bridge pre-design software: ACOBRI Version 5.06.

You can download the update for free on our software page:

https://constructalia.arcelormittal.com/en/tools/software

ArcelorMittal Europe - Long Products has released an updated version of our software for the pre-design of steel or composite cellular beams with circular openings in cold and fire conditions: ACB+ version 3.17.

You can download the update for free on our software page:

Tools - Software

For the third consecutive year, ArcelorMittal has won the Steelie Award for excellence in sustainability. Announced at the World Steel Association’s annual dinner in Monterrey, Mexico, the nod distinguishes the company’s industry leadership on sustainability amid the growing pressure steel companies are facing to outline their approach to reducing carbon emissions.

A commitment to reduce emissions

The award was given in recognition of the company’s publication of the steel sector’s first Climate Action report in May 2019. The report set out the three pathways the company believes can lead to deep decarbonisation of steelmaking, the various low-emissions technologies the company is trialling, and the public policy required to make low-emissions steel a reality. It also confirms ArcelorMittal’s commitments to the objectives of the Paris Agreement and outlines the company’s ambition to significantly reduce emissions across the group, including reaching carbon neutrality in Europe by 2050.

A unanimous win

Accepting the Steelie, Brian Aranha, executive vice president, head of strategy, CTO, R&D, CCM, global automotive, communications and corporate responsibility said:
 
“I am delighted to be able to collect this award for the third year in a row, particularly as I am told that the jury voted unanimously that ArcelorMittal should win it. We are immensely proud of the forward-thinking resource our people have put together to build stakeholder understanding of what a transition to a low-carbon steel industry means in practice. Although the report does not have all the answers, it is prompting some very important conversations with our stakeholders across the steel industry and beyond. Having these conversations will be essential to develop the collaborative approach the world needs to take if we are to unlock the full potential of the steel industry’s efforts to decarbonise. This includes working with governments around the world to develop consistent and supportive policy frameworks to enable our industry to succeed in meeting the objectives of the Paris Agreement.”

Text: ArcelorMittal Corporate Communications

Photo: ArcelorMittal