Paul Brettnacher, CMO Automotive, packaging and electrical steels, ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products (left) and Radek Jedlicka (Executive Vice President Global Procurement, BENTELER Automotive), during the signing ceremony
ArcelorMittal and the BENTELER Group’s Automotive Division, a development partner for the world´s leading automobile manufacturers, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support BENTELER in further expanding its CO2-reduced product portfolio. The two companies already have a longstanding partnership. They will now work together on several sustainability projects to reduce CO2 emissions and use XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel, ArcelorMittal’s low-carbon-emissions steel.
BENTELER is committed to help its customers achieve their own climate targets by supplying them with CO2-reduced products. The company has therefore set itself ambitious sustainability targets with the aim of decarbonising the company and achieving net zero by 2050. The BENTELER Group aims to halve production-related Scope 1 and 2 emissions compared with 2019 as soon as 2030. In addition, upstream emissions (Scope 3) are also to be reduced by 30%.
Radek Jedlicka, Executive Vice President Global Procurement at BENTELER Automotive, emphasised the importance of the cooperation: “Sustainability is an issue that an industrial company cannot address alone. It takes the entire supply chain to transform the metal processing industry in a sustainable way. We are therefore delighted to be working with ArcelorMittal. Together, we will make mobility even more environmentally friendly.”
The new agreement will help to achieve this goal. In recognition of the potential of using low-carbon-emissions steel in components produced by BENTELER Automotive, the two companies are testing the use of XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel. On a lifecycle basis this product has a CO2 footprint which is up to 70% lower, compared with the same product made using the conventional blast furnace process.
As a hot-forming specialist, BENTELER is already familiar with the benefits of Usibor® steel. This material has become key to achieving the highest safety standards while reducing weight thanks to decreased material thickness used in the body-in-white stage. This partnership will now enable BENTELER to use this material, as part of the decarbonisation process.
“It has been a pleasure to work with our longstanding customer, the BENTELER Group’s Automotive Division, on this project to test the use of our hot rolled and press hardening steel, made using XCarb® recycled and renewably produced, in automotive parts. Steel will play a huge role in reducing CO2 emissions in the automotive supply chain and we would like to thank BENTELER for their partnership on our respective decarbonisation journeys”, said Paul Brettnacher, CMO Automotive, Packaging, Electrical Steels and Tailored Blanks, ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products.
ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products began manufacturing XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel at its Sestao plant in Spain more than 18 months ago, marking the beginning of a new era for the production of flat steel for the automotive sector. XCarb® recycled and renewably produced is manufactured using a high proportion of recycled scrap steel and 100% renewable electricity in an electric arc furnace (EAF).
ArcelorMittal Europe has a target to reduce CO₂ emissions by 35% by 2030, and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
BENTELER is a global company serving customers in automotive technology, the energy sector and mechanical engineering. As metal processing specialists, they develop, produce and distribute safety-related products, systems and services worldwide.
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XCarb® recycled and renewably produced
