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ArcelorMittal strives to make steel production more sustainable and to minimise its environmental impact. As a leader in steel manufacturing, we are committed to making steel production more sustainable at every stage. In addition, 95% of our steel industrial operations now have ISO 14001 certification, an international standard for environmental management systems.
- Granite® is certified as a product not containing hexavalent chromium or heavy metals.
- R2P - Ready to Paint coating on thin gauge, the cold rolled product, is an efficient solution to reduce environmental impact at customer plants; for example, for door production.
- Insulated sandwich panels are contributing to energy efficiency in the most demanding buildings such as cold rooms for the food industry and supermarkets.
“Safe Sustainable Steel” makes up the core values of ArcelorMittal. As such, our innovative products and solutions for construction are continuously contributing to the reduction of environmental impacts on buildings throughout their life.
Environmental impacts
In 2012, the EU-28’s construction sector accounted for:
- 40% of the total final energy consumption
- 40% of CO2 Emission
- 30% of consumption of natural resources
- 30% of waste generation
- 20% of water consumption
Consequently, the EU commission has started to adapt the EU directive regarding environmental assessment - the EIA Directive.
Useful information
MoreAccording to the European Commission, "The newly amended Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive (2014/52/EU) entered into force on 15 May 2014 to simplify the rules for assessing the potential effects of projects on the environment. Member States have to apply these rules as from 16 May 2017 at the latest." (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eia/review.htm)
The Holistic Environmental Impact assessment for buildings is defined by European Standard EN 15978 in the scope of CEN TC 350 work programme. It takes into account the full life cycle of the building, including end of life, recycling after demolition, and energy production at the building level.
Related news & technical articles
Magnelis® makes solar energy generation durable
21 September 2023The longevity of solar installations is directly dependent on the quality of the materials used to build them. Today, renewable energy producers expect their solar investments to have a productive lifetime of 25 years or longer. When it comes to selecting materials for the support structures for PV panels, factors such as low maintenance costs and ensuring the structural stability of the installation drive material choices. For the past ten years there has been a standout choice: Magnelis® from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products.
Product newsArcelorMittal launches low carbon emissions steel plate for the civil engineering sector
13 September 2023ArcelorMittal, the world’s leading steel and mining company, is now producing low carbon emissions steel plate of up to 18 tonnes. ArcelorMittal is the first producer in Europe able to manufacture low carbon emissions steel plate in these dimensions. XCarb® recycled and renewably produced Heavy plates are manufactured using slabs from ArcelorMittal Industeel and are produced in an electric arc furnace using almost 100% scrap steel and 100% renewable electricity. These slabs are then transformed in ArcelorMittal’s heavy plate mill in Asturias, Spain resulting in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions - approximately 60% lower compared with steel plate made via the conventional steelmaking route (blast furnace).
Product newsA successful sustainability chain from XCarb® recycled and renewably produced to solar panel screws
29 August 2023It is obvious that ambitious climate targets can only be achieved by working together. The cooperation between ArcelorMittal, Finkernagel, and EJOT is a good example of collaboration between manufacturer, processor, and end-product producer to reduce environmental impact.
Corporate newsReducing the environmental impact of the Seine-Nord Europe Canal with EcoSheetPile™ Plus
1 August 2023The Seine-North Europe Canal is a central link in the Seine-Escaut waterway system. It will enable wide-gauge barges to travel between France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, reaching an annual transport volume of 15 million tonnes of goods. The Société du Canal Seine-Nord-Europe asserts that its ambition is to make this canal a flagship project for environmentally sustainable transport and the energy transition, which is also in tune with local issues. By replacing a million lorry journeys a year, it will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.Two public transhipment platforms are currently under construction at Pimprez and Ribécourt-Dreslincourt. Eventually, they will be linked to the local road network and then to the rail network.
Project news
Magnelis® makes solar energy generation durable
The longevity of solar installations is directly dependent on the quality of the materials used to build them. Today, renewable energy producers expect their solar investments to have a productive lifetime of 25 years or longer. When it comes to selecting materials for the support structures for PV panels, factors such as low maintenance costs and ensuring the structural stability of the installation drive material choices. For the past ten years there has been a standout choice: Magnelis® from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products.
Magnelis®: third-party verified
This unique coating has been widely adopted and proven in the field. Today, Magnelis® also comes with a variety of third-party certifications. France’s Scientific and Technical Centre for Building (CSTB) has recently renewed its certification.
In the decade since Magnelis® was introduced, there have been significant improvements to the range. These include heavier coatings which are extending the geographic range of solar projects to more aggressive environments while offering longer lifetimes. The heavier coatings are also allowing Magnelis® to be used for foundation poles which are rammed into the soil, replacing post-galvanised material.
“Magnelis® is a pre-coated steel solution which has significant advantages over galvanised and post-galvanised material,” explains Jérôme Guth, Solar Segment Manager for ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products. “The coating process is controlled online and is fully traceable. Magnelis® can be formed, perforated, and assembled using standard tools. Magnelis® avoids post-galvanising operations and reduces raw material and energy use, labour, and storage and transportation costs. Magnelis® also exhibits a self-healing effect when exposed to the atmosphere,” bringing cut edge protection to a new level. “The corrosion protection products in Magnelis® progressively migrate to the edges of holes or scratches to maintain corrosion protection,” notes Jérôme Guth.
Magnelis® is applied to a wide range of steel substrates, including ArcelorMittal’s S550GD-HyPer® steel grade. This grade is increasingly used by structural engineers to optimise the design of solar structures and increase the loads they can bear.
XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel: a lower carbon footprint for solar structures
Solar mounting structures can now have a lower carbon footprint when using steel substrates produced via the XCarb® recycled and renewably produced route. Once the substrate is produced, it is coated with Magnelis®.
XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steels are created in an electric arc furnace (EAF) using a minimum of 75% of scrap and 100% renewable electricity, resulting in a product with 70% less carbon than steel produced using conventional blast furnace technology. This is a major saving and enhances the credentials of renewable energy.
Alusín Solar, a Spanish company which supplies structures for solar panels, recently signed an agreement to purchase ArcelorMittal’s XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel with Magnelis® coating. A key factor in Alusín Solar’s decision to purchase Magnelis® has been the development of a tailored made 15-year ArcelorMittal guarantee for foundation poles in soil.
Coating weights and feasibility extended
From September 2023, ArcelorMittal’s plant in Aviles, Spain will be able to produce Magnelis® in thicknesses of up to 3.5 mm on its recently revamped galvanising line 1. This will increase the availability of Magnelis® in the south of Europe and brings the total number of lines producing Magnelis® across Europe to five.
Magnelis® in heavier coating weights can be used in soils and concrete. Magnelis® ZM620 (indicative coating thickness of 50 μm per side) is already available in thicknesses up to 4.0 mm. “Magnelis® ZM800 (indicative coating thickness of 65 μm per side) is also available for testing in thicknesses up to 3.0 mm,” notes Jérôme Guth. “We are actively looking for partners who would like to implement our thicker coatings, up to ZM800 on request, in their future solar projects. You will achieve longer lifetimes for your solar installations, backed by an ArcelorMittal guarantee. Get in touch with your regular ArcelorMittal contact person to take part.”
Text:
ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Images:
Profil du Futur
Maxshot.PL/Shutterstock.com
ArcelorMittal
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ArcelorMittal launches low carbon emissions steel plate for the civil engineering sector
ArcelorMittal, the world’s leading steel and mining company, is now producing low carbon emissions steel plate of up to 18 tonnes. ArcelorMittal is the first producer in Europe able to manufacture low carbon emissions steel plate in these dimensions.
XCarb® recycled and renewably produced Heavy plates are manufactured using slabs from ArcelorMittal Industeel and are produced in an electric arc furnace using almost 100% scrap steel and 100% renewable electricity. These slabs are then transformed in ArcelorMittal’s heavy plate mill in Asturias, Spain resulting in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions - approximately 60% lower compared with steel plate made via the conventional steelmaking route (blast furnace).
A lower carbon footprint for infrastructure projects
Eighteen-tonne heavy plate steel is typically used in major infrastructure projects - for example, in the welded sections and box girders for road and rail bridges. Using XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel plate in civil engineering projects allows ArcelorMittal’s customers to demonstrably reduce their scope 3 emissions (supply chain emissions) and contribute to a lower carbon footprint for infrastructure projects.
Speaking about the launch of the new XCarb® solution, Denis Parein, Commercial Head Heavy Plate Europe at ArcelorMittal, said: “We are immensely proud to now be able to offer heavy plate to our customers with a CO2 footprint reduction of around 60% compared with the same product made using the conventional primary steelmaking route. Our teams have worked very hard to bring this product to market, which we know meets a growing customer need for low carbon emissions steel to reduce the carbon footprint of complex civil engineering projects. An EPD (Environmental Product Declaration), verified by a third party according to the EN 15804 European Standard, will be available for XCarb® recycled and renewably produced Heavy plates by the end of the year.”
ArcelorMittal Europe has a target to reduce CO2 emissions by 35% by 2030 and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
Text:
ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Image:
ArcelorMittal Europe
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A successful sustainability chain from XCarb® recycled and renewably produced to solar panel screws
It is obvious that ambitious climate targets can only be achieved by working together. The cooperation between ArcelorMittal, Finkernagel, and EJOT is a good example of collaboration between manufacturer, processor, and end-product producer to reduce environmental impact.
Three companies cooperate for low carbon emissions steel products
ArcelorMittal Hamburg produces XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel, which has a CO2 footprint significantly lower than conventionally produced steel. The wire-drawing company Finkernagel further processes this steel, and EJOT then produces cold-formed screws from the drawn wire that are ultimately used for electric car batteries or for solar panel structures.
By using XCarb® recycled and renewably produced, the CO2 savings total 80% compared with conventionally produced steel, and the low carbon emissions steel ultimately benefits the energy transition thanks to its use in solar modules and electric cars.
Dr. Uwe Braun, CEO of ArcelorMittal Hamburg: "Thanks to this cooperation, we are creating a special value chain that contributes to the climate goals of the companies involved. Once again, we see that low carbon emissions steel is vital for building the infrastructure we need for the transition to carbon neutrality. After all, solar modules, efficient electric cars, or wind turbines cannot be made without steel. We are already able to produce very low-carbon and, in a few years, climate-neutral steel. For us, it's about doing our homework and continuously working on such promising projects in cooperation with our customers.”
Timo Finkernagel, Managing Director of Finkernagel: "Through our trials, we know that the XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel can be processed excellently and has no quality disadvantages compared to conventional steel. The fact that the material properties are also identical in a direct comparison is particularly pleasing. We are proud to be able to offer XCarb® recycled and renewably produced to our customers and are confident that it will be well received in the market."
Markus Rathmann, Chief Supply Chain Officer of the EJOT Group: "The entry into the processing of CO2-reduced steel marks an important step for the EJOT Group on the way to climate neutrality, especially since the largest part of the CO2emissions is in our preliminary products (Scope 3). We will successively expand the use of CO2-reduced steel."
XCarb® recycled and renewably produced aims to reduce the carbon footprint of their customers
Since 2021, ArcelorMittal has been bundling all efforts towards climate-neutral steel production within the umbrella brand XCarb® by investing in technologies and start-ups, by awarding certificates for CO2 savings in steel production, and especially by low-carbon manufacturing variants. The XCarb® steel made from recycled and renewable material is produced in an electric arc furnace using 100% renewable electricity and up to 100% scrap depending on the steel grade. For these steel products, emissions can be as low as 333 kilograms of CO₂ eq. per tonne of end product.
The XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel used by Finkernagel and EJOT significantly reduces the Scope 3 emissions of both companies respectively.
The EJOT Group aims to reduce its CO2 emissions from the current level of approximately 190 000 tonnes per year to zero by 2035.
In addition to a variety of its own measures to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, Finkernagel is primarily focussing on the use of a low-CO2 steel input material.
According to its decarbonisation strategy, ArcelorMittal aims to achieve net zero emissions worldwide by 2050.
About Finkernagel
The Fritz Finkernagel Drahtwerk GmbH & Co. KG from Altena in Germany supplies suppliers from the automotive, construction, electrical, and mechanical engineering industries with cold heading wire and forming tools for the most demanding requirements.
The company is a leading supplier in its market segment thanks to state-of-the-art equipment as well as surface testing by means of eddy current and consistent individual ring tracking.
Finkernagel employs 90 people. Around 3000 tonnes of wire and 850 tools are processed per month on a production area of 25 000 m².
More information: Finkernagel
About EJOT
EJOT, based in Bad Berleburg, Germany, is a medium-sized group of companies in the metalworking industry and a European market leader in fastening technology.
The company offers a wide range of innovative fasteners, especially thread forming screws for plastics and metals, technically formed parts made of plastic and metal, as well as a complete programme for fastening the outer shell of buildings.
EJOT customers come from the automotive and supplier industry, telecommunications and consumer electronics, or the construction industry. EJOT employs about 4000 people worldwide.
More information: EJOT
Text:
ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Constructalia
Images:
ArcelorMittal Europe
Finkernagel
EJOT
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Reducing the environmental impact of the Seine-Nord Europe Canal with EcoSheetPile™ Plus
The Seine-North Europe Canal is a central link in the Seine-Escaut waterway system. It will enable wide-gauge barges to travel between France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, reaching an annual transport volume of 15 million tonnes of goods. The Société du Canal Seine-Nord-Europe asserts that its ambition is to make this canal a flagship project for environmentally sustainable transport and the energy transition, which is also in tune with local issues. By replacing a million lorry journeys a year, it will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Two public transhipment platforms are currently under construction at Pimprez and Ribécourt-Dreslincourt. Eventually, they will be linked to the local road network and then to the rail network.
EcoSheetPile™ Plus sheet piles for the Ribécourt and Pimprez quay walls: almost 4000 tonnes of CO2-eq saved
EcoSheetPile™ Plus low carbon emissions steel sheet piles were selected for these projects. They are produced in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg from 100% recycled steel using the electric arc furnace process in ArcelorMittal's steelworks and rolling mills powered exclusively by electricity generated from renewable wind or solar sources. This product range benefits from an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) issued by the Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V. (IBU) in Germany and is based on a life cycle analysis carried out in accordance with standard NF EN 15804. The EcoSheetPile™ Plus range is part of the ArcelorMittal Group's XCarb® brand, which brings together all its low-carbon steel products and activities.
A life cycle assessment (LCA) [1] for sheet piles at the Pimprez and Ribécourt-Dreslincourt quay walls has been carried out to calculate greenhouse gas emissions during their manufacturing. It was carried out on the basis of three official EPDs: (1) EcoSheetPile™ Plus made through the electrical route with renewable electricity, (2) EcoSheetPile™ made through the electrical route with a standard energy mix, and (3) products from steel made through the primary route from coal and iron ore.
It was calculated that these nearly 2000 tonnes of low carbon emissions sheet piling prevented the emission of around 4000 tonnes of CO2-eq. compared with sheet piles that would have been produced by the primary route using iron ore and coal (716 tonnes of CO2-eq. compared with 4724 tonnes of CO2-eq. for the primary route). The exclusive use of electricity from renewable sources reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 29% compared with the standard energy mix for the electric furnace process in Luxembourg (716 tonnes of CO2-eq. compared with 1007 tonnes).
François Fohl, environmental specialist at ArcelorMittal Sheet Piling, confirms the value of life cycle analyses (LCA): "Our interactions with project owners, designers, and contractors have convinced us of the need to better assess the contribution of our products to the environmental impact of each project. We developed a very practical LCA tool for our steel sheet piles, based on the emissions values published in their official Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). We are now able to provide a detailed and accurate assessment of the global warming potential of the steel sheet piles we supply to each project, from the production of steel to the end-of-life of the infrastructure. With our support, project stakeholders now have all the data they need to optimise the design and reduce the environmental impact of their projects."
The Ribécourt-Dreslincourt quay
The Ribécourt-Dreslincourt quay consists of a double wall of sheet piles over a length of 150 m. The platform is approximately 20 m wide.
921 tonnes of EcoSheetPile™ Plus sheet piles in XCarb® recycled and renewably produced will be delivered for this part of the project.
Double wall dock: 965 t of steel, including
- 160 m of AZ 13-770 main wall: 205 t
- 160 m of AZ 12-770 anchor wall: 70 t
- 320 m of UPN double U-channels: 30 t
- Tie rods and accessories: 25 t
- 235 m of a combined wall HZ 880M A and AZ 24-700: 646 t
The Pimprez quay
Similar in design to the Ribécourt-Dreslincourt quay, the Pimprez quay is 50 m longer and its eastern connection is 30 m longer. It also features a combined wall of 1015 tonnes of EcoSheetPile™ Plus type HZ-M / AZ sheet piles from the XCarb® recycled and renewably produced range.
Double wall dock: 1080 t of steel, including
- 215 m of AZ 13-770 main wall: 250 t
- 215 m of AZ 12-770 anchor wall: 75 t
- 320 m of UPN double U-channels: 35 t
- Tie rods and accessories: 30 t
- 235 m of a combined wall HZ 880 M A and AZ 13-770: 690 t
Text:
ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Constructalia
Images:
© NGE Fondations
© ArcelorMittal Europe
[1] Modules A1-A3 according to EN 15804: raw materials supply, transport, manufacturing
Full article: Marc Gratier de Saint Louis, sales engineer, ArcelorMittal Sheet Piling, for SolscopeMag June 2023
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