Sustainability

Sustainability set in steel – a responsible decision.

All companies, and in particular those in the steel sector, face huge challenges with enormous responsibilities in today’s world of constantly growing developments and changes to our environment and habitats. Guaranteeing the sustainable development of planet Earth and supporting future growth through environmentally friendly steel production while providing our customers with economic benefits in the face of these challenges is extremely close to our hearts at SSW.

Steel is an entirely natural material that offers many ecological and economic benefits as a material used both in construction and in various facets of industry. It can be used and recycled time and again without any loss of quality, which results in an enormous reduction in CO2 emissions as a consequence. Compared to concrete, for instance, steel is very easy to erect and far more flexible in the range of possible applications. Thanks to its mechanical characteristics and its excellent weight to strength ratio alone, it offers innovative and, above all, sustainable ways to protect our natural resources.

Platzhalter
Platzhalter

Steel recycling loop

STEEL RECYCLING LOOP
STEEL RECYCLING LOOP

As we specialise in organically coated steel, the subject of the paints and coating systems we use has increasingly seen the focus placed on the sustainability of our products. Construction and other industries often make use of paints and coating systems that contain substances which are not biodegradable and can even be extremely damaging to health. At SSW, we pay very close attention to the adherence to applicable regulations when selecting the manufacturers of our products (ArcelorMittal, Salzgitter AG and ThyssenKrupp etc.) and to the development of new, innovative and, above all, environment-friendly paints and coating systems. Our goal is to protect humanity and sustainably preserve our environment while offering our customers economic benefits with a pure ecological conscience at the same time. 

Today, the majority of the world’s largest steel producers have already committed themselves to following the REACH Directive of the European Union. This regulates the registration, evaluation, approval and limitation of chemicals in the European Union. This severely restricts and even forbids the use of dangerous substances in Europe, thus strengthening environmental protection. With many organically coated steels imported into Europe, however, this is not the case by far. They can often be of shockingly bad quality and give rise to serious grounds for concern in many cases, because they contain substances that are strictly forbidden due to the many regulations and exemplary development in the area of sustainability of steel in Europe. 

Our selected West European producers, above all ArcelorMittal with their ‘Nature collection’ introduced in 2012, solely use paints and coatings that are free of hexavalent chromium, lead and other heavy metals. They are guaranteed for up to 30 years, are resistant to extreme weather and corrosive conditions, and help to prevent buildings and structures from heating up thanks to their partly reflecting properties. 

We are more than happy to discuss this topic with you at any time. We are always ready and willing to offer further support, information or certificates and attestations.