The installation of more than 27 000 solar panels on the roof of ArcelorMittal in Ghent has been completed, resulting in the largest solar roof in Belgium. Installed by Eneco, this is their largest project to date making ArcelorMittal Belgium even more sustainable. The power generated will be used internally by ArcelorMittal in Ghent. The panels are fixed on a framework made of steel coated with Magnelis®. The Magnelis® steel, produced at our production site in Liège among others, is a strong illustration of sustainability.

The largest solar roof in Belgium

Eneco - the largest solar energy producer in Belgium - installed this 7.5 million Euro solar roof. The park consists of 27 104 solar panels for which 157.2 t of steel was used. The total weight of the installation amounts to 1.5 million kilos. This means that ArcelorMittal now owns the fourth largest solar park in Belgium and the largest solar roof in Belgium.

Supporting the move to clean energy

ArcelorMittal supports the move to clean energy generation by offering high-performance steels, advanced metallic coatings, and structural solutions for PV and solar thermal installations. We also offer tailormade services such as co-engineering and full project handling.

Reinforcing the sustainability strategy

The new solar panels at ArcelorMittal in Ghent will produce 10 000 MWh annually, equal to the energy consumption of 2900 households. The solar panels, together with the site’s current 10 wind turbines and the two additionally planned wind turbines, will soon provide approximately 50 MW of renewable power to the Ghent site. The sustainable energy that is generated is used entirely internally to feed the production of ArcelorMittal in Ghent.

Today, ArcelorMittal Belgium is a world-leader in energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions. With this investment, the company reinforces the implementation of its sustainability strategy. ArcelorMittal Belgium follows the climate agreement of Paris. The site’s emissions are already 25% lower than in 1990, which is 20% better than what the Paris climate agreement demands. By 2027, ArcelorMittal Belgium aims to produce 43% fewer emissions, with the ambition of being carbon neutral by 2050.

Manfred Van Vlierberghe, CEO of ArcelorMittal Belgium, states that: “The renewable energy generated by these 27 104 solar panels supports us in achieving our ambition to be climate-neutral by 2050. We’re fully committed to this ambition and excited to launch Belgium’s largest solar roof. Alongside our soon to be installed additional wind-turbines, we’re again taking steps in the right direction. In addition, the new solar panels are also a good example of the importance of steel in our daily lives.”

Fast growing energy vision within Ghent industry

The initiative of ArcelorMittal Belgium and Eneco is in line with the Flemish Government’s Energy Vision for 2021 – 2030. This Energy Vision states that energy consumption must be significantly reduced and that the industry must be 10% more energy efficient by 2030.

“Large renewable energy projects such as those at ArcelorMittal Belgium are necessary in order to put in place a real energy transition. It makes a big difference to a company’s energy bill, but also to the achievement of the renewable energy targets in Flanders. Many companies in the Ghent port area realise that this change of our mindsets is crucial, and we are therefore pleased to see that the concrete implementation of the Energy Vision is being taken seriously.” ~Lydia Peeters, Flemish Deputy Prime Minister and Flemish Minister of Finance, Budget, Energy, & Culture

“I am pleased that ArcelorMittal continues to focus on the reduction of CO2 reduction and energy efficiency. The investment in this new solar park is one of their projects to achieve the ultimate goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050. In this way, our industry is working towards a sustainable and climate-neutral society.” ~Koen van den Heuvel, Flemish Minister of the Environment, Nature, and Agriculture

“The city of Ghent and the North Sea Port are committed to renewable energy, CO2 reduction, and reuse. By installing solar panels and solar parks in the cross-border port area, like at ArcelorMittal in Ghent, the port companies are generating renewable energy, which is injected into the electricity grid accounting for the equivalent of more than 31 000 households. In this way, our port is increasingly becoming a sustainable energy port, and together with all port companies, we are building a climate-neutral city by 2050.” ~Mathias De Clercq, mayor of the city of Ghent

ArcelorMittal Belgium continues to work on similar projects at its sites in Liège, Genk, and Geel.

About Eneco

Eneco Belgium is a sustainable energy company that focuses on the production and supply of gas and electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind. Eneco is a leading player in the supply and production of renewable energy and one of the largest players in the wind sector with more than 1000 MW of renewable production capacity in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Eneco has been active on the Belgian consumer market since 2011 and has the ambition to supply 100% renewable energy generated on Belgian soil through 96 wind turbines and, currently, 295 000 solar panels. The company also focusses on energy efficiency through insulation projects, solar panels, energy storage, electric charging stations, and other innovative products and services.

More info here: Eneco

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications, ArcelorMittal Corporate Communications, Constructalia

Photos: ArcelorMittal Europe

Videos: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications, ArcelorMittal, Eneco

Nowadays we personalise everything… Our cars, our furniture, so why not the roof over our head? Steel roofing solutions are growing in popularity as architects, designers, and homeowners seek out modern alternatives to traditional materials.

A new video

ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products has a new video on our latest innovation for roofing applications: Granite® Ultramat. It is a robust and long-lasting pre-painted steel which is flexible at low temperatures and offers a much wider range of aesthetics than traditional ceramic or zinc roofs. Moreover, it was just awarded a Golden Medal at the Budma fair in Poland.

Low maintenace, lower costs

Roofs made with Granite® Ultramat require low maintenance, which reduces the cost - an important asset for young families building a new home.

This is just a glimpse of the advantages... Check out this video showing the possibilities of a steel roof.

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe - Commercial communications, Constructalia
Photos: Nicolas Fussler, Marcin Przeor / Communication ArcelorMittal Poland
Video: ArcelorMittal

Blachdom Plus, a producer of steel roofing solutions in Poland, has tested Granite® Ultramat from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products. This is not the first time the company has run real-life production tests on new products from ArcelorMittal. For Blachdom Plus, trials such as this give them early access to solutions that will be attractive to their customers and a competitive advantage when it comes to understanding the technical performance of the material.

A natural fit

Matt coatings are very popular with Blachdom Plus customers making Granite® Ultramat a natural fit for their product portfolio. But it is the variety of solutions that makes the Granite® range so interesting for the company as Dariusz Ceglarz, Commercial Director for Blachdom Plus, explains: “Each of the products that ArcelorMittal provides for us is characterised by a different surface appearance: glossy, matt, mineral… And each has different technical parameters such as coating thickness or type. That gives us solutions for specific parts of the building’s exterior.”

Visual and production tests carried out

The first tests on Granite® Ultramat were carried out by Blachdom Plus in October 2018 though preparations had begun months before. The test coil was produced at ArcelorMittal Eisenhüttenstadt, Germany and shipped to Poland. Piotr Szafarczyk, the ArcelorMittal client technical support manager for Blachdom Plus, travelled to the customer to observe the trial.

“After unpacking, the first step was visual and comparative assessment against a sample of Granite® Deep Mat we had in stock,” says Dariusz Ceglarz. “The Granite® Ultramat coils were then processed into four of our roofing tile products: Amalfi, Beskid, Bona, and Perła. These particular sheet tiles have two of the most demanding processing steps: profiling on rolls and drawing.”

Blachdom Plus also carried out bending tests on equipment used to produce flashings and on production lines for trapezoidal sheets and ridge tiles for roofing applications.

Results prove promising

The first results were promising says Dariusz Ceglarz: “The visual test showed that Granite® Ultramat is characterised by a large grain. The coating is rough and expressive to the touch, which translates into a good, homogenous, visual aspect. The production line tests also passed without problems. Granite® Ultramat maintained its continuity and adhesion throughout.”

R&D tests to check performance

Samples of the material Blachdom Plus processed were sent to the ArcelorMittal Global R&D team so several scientific tests could be performed.

Granite® Ultramat’s resistance to corrosion is RC4, while its resistance to UV light is RUV4.

Will Blachdom Plus take part in future trials of ArcelorMittal solutions? “These are not the first tests we have done with ArcelorMittal,” says Dariusz Ceglarz. “A few years ago we tested Granite® Quartz which is now part of our regular offer. We can see effects of these trials and the benefits they bring for both sides – it is worth the effort. And of course, we are open to new testing challenges.”

About Blachdom Plus

Blachdom Plus is a producer of coated sheet products for roofing and facades. Formed in 2006, the company is based in the province of Silesia in southern Poland and employs around 120 people. Blachdom Plus has two production plants in Poland in Rybarzowice and Wrocław. The two plants include seven lines for roof tile profiling, six lines which profile trapezoidal sheets, and two lines to produce standing seam roofs. While Poland is the main market for Blachdom Plus, the company also exports to the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and other countries. Blachdom Plus also operates 22 sales branches and has an extensive network of independent distributors in Poland and abroad.

The company now offers five Granite® finishes including Deep Mat, HDX, Quartz, Standard, and Storm.

More info on Blachdom Plus: www.blachdomplus.pl

Granite® Ultramat: safe for 20 years and more

Granite® Ultramat is the latest addition to ArcelorMittal’s Granite® range of organic coated steels for outdoor building applications.
•    Designed specifically for roofing.
•    Advantages over standard Granite® Deep Mat and competing products thanks to the high quality and flexibility of the paint system used.
•    Wrinkled finish, available in 11 colours.
•    Good formability at low temperature and after cold storage.
•    Improved scratch resistance.
•    ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products is expected to offer guarantees of up to 20 years on non-perforation and up to 15 years for non-delamination. Granite® Ultramat’s aesthetic properties are expected to be guaranteed for up to 10 years.

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products
Photos: Piotr Szafarczyk (ArcelorMittal) and Blachdom Plus

Granite® Ultramat is the latest addition to ArcelorMittal’s Granite® range of pre-painted steels for outdoor building applications. It has an ultra-modern organic coating and allows for the formation of the most difficult shapes of roofing products, even at low temperatures. Manufactured in the Polish ArcelorMittal steelworks of Swietochlowice as well as in Eisehüttenstadt, Germany, it has recently been awarded an MTP Gold Medal, one of the most recognisable awards on the Polish market.

Convincing the jury

Granite® Ultramat is designed specifically for roofing, and its many advantages over competing products convinced the competition jury:

• Flexible at low temperature: Granite® Ultramat withstands cold storage during winter while keeping its flexibility. Profiling in cold conditions has been drastically improved.

• Surface robustness: the scratch and fretting performance of Granite® Ultramat has been drastically improved compared with previous generations.

• Sustainable: as part of ArcelorMittal’s Nature range, Granite® Ultramat does not contain any harmful substances and is fully compliant with Europe’s REACH regulations. Furthermore, at the end of its lifecycle, Granite® Ultramat is 100% recyclable, just like all other steel products.

Tomasz Plaskura, Chief Marketing Officer for Eastern Europe at ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products, comments: "The high quality and flexible paint system of Granite® Ultramat outperforms classic roofing products in corrosion and UV resistance. Offered guarantees are of up to 20 years on non-perforation, and up to 15 years for non-delamination. This makes Granite® Ultramat not only an aesthetic, but also cost-effective and sustainable steel solution for roofs".

About the MTP Gold Medal

The MTP Gold Medal is one of the most recognisable awards on the Polish market. It is granted after a thorough assessment by experts in innovative products of the highest quality applying a number of criteria based on state-of-the art technologies.

This year, from among many submitted applications, the competition jury, chaired by Prof. Dr Hab. Eng. Józef Jasiczak - director of the Institute of Building Structures, the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering at Poznan University of Technology - honoured 37 products submitted for the BUDMA Gold Medal competition. All awarded MTP Gold Medals are equivalent prizes.

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe, Constructalia

Photos: Piotr Szafarczyk (ArcelorMittal),
Marcin Przeor (Communication ArcelorMittal Poland)

Today, organic coated steel offers exceptional economic and technological advantages, explaining its extraordinary success story in construction.

The main advantage of organic coated steel is its consistent quality: paint film thickness, corrosion resistance, and durability in addition to colour matching and surface appearance being reproducible with narrow tolerances from batch to batch.

The flexibility of the coil coating process allows us to produce a range of different surface finishes such as smooth, orange peel, grained, textured, or embossed, all of which are available in a wide choice of colours (solid, metallic, pearlescent, etc.) and the required degree of gloss: anything from matt to high gloss.

The pre-painted steel range of ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products offers architects, designers, and investors in building a unique range able to satisfy the most stringent criteria required by the construction industry in terms of aesthetics, durability performance, and sustainability.

AESTHETICS

The richest colours available on the market with surface textures of high aesthetic appeal such as matt satin, smooth, grainy, or impression finishes can give a unique identity to each building.

DURABILITY PERFORMANCE

Our guaranteed pre-painted steel is able to withstand the most extreme conditions in terms of temperature and weathering.

It is suitable for marine environments and other corrosive environments, offering scratch-resistance and colour brilliance with a minimal amount of maintenance.

ArcelorMittal has many years of experience in delivering high-quality organic coated products. Thanks to our know-how and skills acquired, we are able to offer long-term warranties on our steels for external applications with a validity of up to 30 years.

Our steels are subjected to comprehensive tests by our expert R&D team under extreme conditions of corrosion and weathering, both in the laboratory and on external sites.

After running our internal testing, we turn to independent institutes and laboratories that conduct a wide variety of tests in order to obtain external certification by bodies such as the CSTB in France, the BBA in the United Kingdom, the DIBt in Germany, and many more. So, our products can be chosen safely.

SUSTAINABILITY

The Nature collection includes the full range of ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Product’s organic coated steels that are in compliance with both present and future REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) regulations from the European Union.
For example, the Nature collection is already 100% free of hexavalent chromium and heavy metals.

In addition, we are assessing the environmental impacts of our organic coated product range in accordance with the European Standard EN15804, and we offer EPD (Environmental Product Declarations) certified by third parties. These EPDs are increasingly relevant for the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) of buildings and related building scheme regulation and certification.

DIGITALISATION

The use of digital tools is growing rapidly in the construction market.

Building Information Modelling, known as BIM, enables collaborative work between all construction project stakeholders, from the design stage to the in-use stage.

Among other digitalisation initiatives, ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products is now providing designers, investors, and contractors a full set of BIM objects dedicated to our organic coated product range. These provide the full set of product information, 3D rendering views, and they are compatible with most popular BIM software on the market.

Detailed product information, EPDs, and BIM objects are all available right here on our information platform dedicated to construction:
https://constructalia.arcelormittal.com

Text: Constructalia

Photos: Adam Pejcha/ArcelorMittal Europe - Flat Products, Jeroen Op de Beeck