According to U.S. Steel, its new VerdeX line of steel is produced more sustainably and contains 90 percent recycled steel.
United States Steel Corp. will supply General Motors (GM) with its verdeX advanced and sustainable steel solution.
U.S. Steel says VerdeX steel is manufactured with up to 75 percent fewer emissions compared to traditional blast furnace production, is made with up to 90 percent recycled content and is endlessly recyclable without degradation.
The company has based these numbers on comparing Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2e intensities for raw steel production at U. S. Steel integrated blast furnace – basic oxygen furnace facilities and the Big River Steel Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) facility, as reported in its 2021 Sustainability Report.
The steel will be manufactured at Big River Steel, a LEED Certified facility in Osceola, Ark., which U.S. Steel acquired in early 2021 for $774 million. Verdex production is also planned for a new advanced technology steel mill under construction in Osceola.
When complete, U. S. Steel’s $3 billion facility currently under construction in Osceola will use advanced technology to expand production of sustainable, advanced high-strength and electrical steels, making verdeX steel more widely available to manufacturers.
“We are pleased to join GM in its mission to promote a world with zero emissions by providing such an advanced and sustainable steel product,” said U. S. Steel senior vice-president and chief commercial officer Ken Jaycox. “We are committed to helping our customers reduce their carbon footprint by providing American-made advanced steel products that are manufactured with fewer emissions and can be recycled repeatedly.”
U. S. Steel was the first American steelmaker to announce a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal by 2050 and the first North American steel company to join ResponsibleSteel, a global not-for-profit working to make steel more sustainable.
VerdeX is billed as a stronger, lighter-weight steel with a lower carbon footprint. Melted and rolled at ISO:14001:2015 certified facilities using significantly less water than traditional steels, it was designed to reduce production CO2 emissions by as much as 75 percent and can be customized to customer specifications.
U.S. Steel says its Big River facility is the world’s first Flex Mill, built from the ground up to merge the flexibility and technological advancements of a mini mill with the wide product mix and superior grades of an integrated mill. Big River is also one of the world’s first LEED certified steel mills, reflecting compliance with U.S. EPA and stricter European environmental standards.
“This agreement is an example of how we are innovating with our suppliers to create lower-emission products for our customers,” said Jeff Morrison, GM’s vice president of Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. “It also highlights how strong supplier relationships can help build a better future.”
The steel produced at the Big River Steel facility will begin shipping to GM manufacturing facilities starting this year.
