SSAB and KIRCHHOFF Automotive collaborate on fossil-free steel

Through the collaboration, KIRCHHOFF Automotive, manufacturer of structural components for the international automotive industry, hopes to reduce its CO₂ footprint by 40%. The company will purchase SSAB’S Fossil-free Steel^TM, a steel recently developed by SSAB to supply the market need for sustainable steel.

“KIRCHHOFF Automotive are taking the reduction of carbon emissions seriously and the partnership with SSAB allows us to further accelerate our efforts in bringing CO₂-reduced solutions to our customers and on the road. In addition it will contribute to the achievement of KIRCHHOFF Automotive’s sustainability targets”, said Michael Rank, global executive vice president, procurement, KIRCHHOFF Automotive.

KIRCHOFF Automotive’s crash boxes, lower beams and closure plates are manufactured using the cold forming process, and the individual parts weigh between 300 grams and 1.3 kg. By using the SSAB Fossil-free SteelTM, KIRCHHOFF Automotive says it will save almost 40% in emissions in the production of a front bumper.

"We at SSAB are striving for a close partnership with KIRCHHOFF Automotive in order to jointly take a leading role in the development and use of CO₂-reduced or CO₂-free steel grades in the automotive sector in the coming years”, commented Roman Kaiser, sales director, SSAB Europe.

SSAB's Fossil-free Steel^TM uses DRI and is produced with biogas and fossil-free electricity, as opposed to fossil fuels.