The Salzgitter Group's green steel products

Leading the
transformation
with SALCOS®
SALCOS - Cleaner Than Ever

OUR VISION

A REAL
CONTRIBUTION TO
DECARBONISATION

SALCOS® is the strong result of our vision to significantly drive forward the sustainable transformation in our customers' industries through the use of green steel and to help shape it in partnership. SALCOS® green steel products are physically CO2-reduced and transparently certified. They therefore provide effective support in the decarbonisation of your value chains and the achievement of your sustainability goals.

Rely on SALCOS® green steel products of the Salzgitter Group and become a pioneer in the green transformation together with us.

OUR PRODUCT PROMISE

With SALCOS® we are setting standards for high-quality green steel products. With maximum transparency and a clear product promise, SALCOS® green steel products make a significant contribution to reducing your Scope 3 emissions. Green steel from the Salzgitter Group means to you:

SALCOS Steel Hintergrundgrafik
PHYSICAL
CO2-REDUCTION

Physical CO2-reduction
CO2 emissions are recorded and certified in both production routes. There is no balance sheet emission reduction in the production process.

SALCOS Steel Hintergrundgrafik
CLASSIFICATION
ACCORDING TO LESS

Classification according to LESS
SALCOS® products comply with at least category C of the voluntary and recognised Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS) of the German Steel Association.

SALCOS Steel Hintergrundgrafik
PRODUCT CARBON
FOOTPRINT

Product Carbon Footprint
Every SALCOS® product is given a product carbon footprint, which is calculated according to established standards.

SALCOS Steel Hintergrundgrafik
INDEPENDENT CERTIFICATION

Independent Certification
The classification, the proportion of scrap used and the product carbon footprint are certified and reported by independent inspection bodies.

SALCOS® FOR YOUR INDUSTRY

As a pioneer and partner in transformation, we support you with a deep understanding of your goals and challenges.

We can already offer you pioneering green steel products from the electric arc furnace route of  Peiner Träger with 100% scrap recycling and green electricity.

We would be happy to advise you personally on your individual concerns:

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Energy- industry

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Transport & logistics

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Plant & mechanical engineering

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White goods

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Construction

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Automotive

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SALCOS® Structural Steel

OUR PIONEERING GREEN STEEL PRODUCT

BEAMS AND SECTIONS MADE OF SALCOS® STRUCTURAL STEEL

Sustainable construction with steel - our green steel product SALCOS® Structural Steel from the electric arc furnace route makes it possible.

Thanks to the use of green electricity from wind power and 100% scrap recycling, the beams and profiles made from SALCOS® Structural Steel achieve a CO2 value of just 366 kg CO2e/t. Certification in accordance with the Low Emission Steel Standard is currently being sought. We already provide you with transparent information on the environmental impact of SALCOS® Structural Steel via an EPD.

Read more: SALCOS® Structural Steel

FAQ

The most important questions and answers

Which steel products belong to the SALCOS® brand?

Under our SALCOS® brand, we offer green steel products from the Group's own production with the usual technological properties and high quality that fulfil the following criteria:

  • SALCOS® products are physically CO2-reduced. CO2 emissions are recorded and certified in both production routes. There is no balance sheet emission reduction.
  • SALCOS® products comply with at least category C of the green steel classification of the voluntary and recognized Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS) labelling system of the German Steel Association.
  • In accordance with LESS, SALCOS® products receive independently verified labelling on the green steel classification as well as the proportion of scrap used and a product carbon footprint (PCF).

We already offer SALCOS® products, which will be the first to be labeled in accordance with LESS as soon as certification is possible via the relevant testing bodies.

What is the Low Emission Steel Standard and how does it relate to SALCOS® products?

The Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS for short) is a voluntary labelling system of the German Steel Association, which was developed from a comprehensive stakeholder process in cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. The standard classifies steel products up to the hot-rolled product as "low emission" or "near zero" steel. The classification is based on the proportion of scrap used in the manufacturing process and the CO2 intensity of the tonne of hot-rolled steel produced.

The sliding scale creates threshold values according to which the hot-rolled steel product can be classified into different emission categories. Category C is only possible by switching to sustainable production technologies such as DRI, EAF and the use of renewable energies.

The categories indicate the transformation ambition in the production process. Conventional steel production in an integrated steel mill is generally in category D or E. SALCOS® products are at least in category C or better.

The vertical axis indicates the CO2 emissions up to the hot-rolled product of a reference production. With the help of adjustment rules, the emissions of the SALCOS® hot-rolled strip are converted to this reference and enable classification. The result should not be confused with the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF).

The horizontal axis shows the proportion of scrap used in the production of the steel product. The reason for this is that the use of scrap on the one hand significantly reduces CO2 emissions, but on the other hand there are restrictions on the availability of scrap, for example. By categorising them depending on the scrap content, the different steel production routes can be compared in their transformation ambition.

Which production routes are covered by the Low Emission Steel Standard?

The Low Emission Steel Standard takes into account both production routes for steel: both the conventional blast furnace route in the transition to low-CO2 hydrogen-based production processes (primary route) and the already low-CO2 scrap-based electric arc furnace route (secondary route). The labelling system makes it possible to compare the decarbonization efforts of both production routes.

How is SALCOS® green steel produced?

SALCOS® green steel is produced via two production routes. Under the transformation programme of the same name, a new production route, the so-called DRI-EAF route, is currently being built on the Salzgitter Flachstahl site. By 2033, conventional steel production using coal in traditional blast furnaces is to be replaced by direct reduction using hydrogen (DRI) with subsequent melting in an electric arc furnace (EAF). The first DRI plant will go into operation as early as 2026. You can already obtain physically CO2-reduced steel today via the already established and low-emission electric arc furnace (EAF) route at Peiner Träger. This is guaranteed by the 100% use of scrap recycling and green electricity. Certification in accordance with LESS will take place as soon as testing by independent bodies is possible.

What is physically CO2-reduced steel?

In both the existing EAF route and the currently being developed DRI-EAF route CO2 emissions are recorded for the whole production process and certified by an independent inspection body. This gives SALCOS® products a real, physically CO2-reduced footprint, especially in comparison to traditional production using blast furnaces and coal.

What is the product carbon footprint and how is it calculated for SALCOS® green steel?

The Product Carbon Footprint (PCF for short) shows the CO2 emissions generated throughout the entire production of the steel product itself. It also includes all emissions from the upstream chain, such as ore mining and transport to the plant or the generation of electricity. It is a component of the LESS labelling. Depending on the customer sector, different standards are available for the calculation (e.g. Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, ISO 14064/14067, PAS 2050 or EPD in accordance with ISO 14025 and EN15804). In addition to the PCF itself, the product labelling also includes details of the standard applied and the corresponding certificate number.

When will it be possible to purchase SALCOS® brand green steel products?

We already offer you pioneering products made of steel from the Group's own electric arc furnace route with 100% scrap recycling and green electricity. For example, crude steel produced on this route can be rolled and refined in Salzgitter at the customer's request. We will offer corresponding certification for these products based on the Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS) as soon as possible. From 2026, we will also offer steel products from the DRI-EAF route (direct reduction and electric arc furnace) of our transformation programme of the same name under the brand.

How do I benefit from SALCOS® green steel as a customer?

SALCOS® green steel products effectively support you in achieving your sustainability goals. As a customer, you benefit in particular from the reduction of your Scope 3 emissions. In addition, the Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS) provides you with a green steel product with transparent and independently certified labelling of the transformation ambition. This makes it easier to compare products and different production routes.

CONVINCED?

Let us advise you on the possibilities for using
SALCOS® in your individual case.

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