The future begins with steel

    Climate protection, innovation and growth have, for years, characterised the steel industry in Germany. The German Steel Federation has, in conjunction with the 16 steel producers in Germany – among them ArcelorMittal – fathered a communications initiative.

    The goal of the campaign, “The future begins with steel,” is to ensure the competitiveness of the German steel industry over the long term.



    This will take you to the film, “The future begins with steel”

     

    Protecting the climate

    • Steel is needed to protect the climate. Wind turbines, high-performance turbines, and electric vehicles all help to reduce the impact on the climate. These products save, in their application, six times more CO2 than the manufacture of their steel components produces.
    • An offshore wind energy facility consists, on average, of 82% steel. In 2010 alone, the use of wind energy facilities in Germany saved around 40 million tonnes of CO2.
    • Steel can be recycled, completely and as often as one would like, without loss of quality. That saves on raw materials and energy. The average steel product consists of just under half recycled material.
    • Steel protects resources. In the past 50 years, it has been possible to reduce the usage of raw material per tonne of rolled steel by 40% and the consumption of fresh water in manufacturing it by 70%.

    Innovation

    • Steel is a versatile material. In Europe, there are approximately 2,500 marketable varieties of steel. Every year, another 25-to-30 more comes onto the scene.
    • Lighter vehicles save fuel. Modern steels and innovative production techniques have reduced the weight of car bodies by about a quarter.
    • High-performance steel increases the efficiency of fossil fuel plants. Between now and 2020, German power plants will save 37 million tonnes of CO2 , solely as a result of innovations in steel.

    Growth

    Steel is what makes the economy run. The German steel industry produces approximately 45 million tonnes of crude steel in Germany every year. In doing so, it serves the needs of the most important German industries such as automotive, machine-building and construction.

    • Around 90,000 people work in the steel industry in Germany. There are about 3.5 million additional jobs connected to the production of steel; these involve delivery and further processing.
    • Over 35% of total industrial value creation in Germany is based on steel.
    • The steel industry in Germany serves as an economic multiplier for suppliers and contractors because of its strong local interconnectedness. For every euro generated in the steel industry, an additional 1.73 euros accrue to its suppliers.
    • Steel is being used everywhere. The steel in every fifth exported vehicle and every sixth machine comes from Germany.

    Website: "The future begins with steel"