SSAB and partners launch closed loop steel recycling initiative in the US

SSAB Americas, The Greenbrier Companies and Alter Trading are partnering on a circular economy project that demonstrates how recycled materials can be used to produce near zero emissions steel and returned to the supply chain for new steel making. The effort begins at SSAB’s Iowa operations where its near zero emissions steel, SSAB Zero, is produced from recycled metals and fossil free energy.

Greenbrier is currently using SSAB Zero steel to produce 50 gondola railcars, which will be delivered to Alter. Once delivered, recycled metals loaded on gondolas will be returned to SSAB and offloaded to produce new steel.

SSAB Zero is manufactured from recycled metals and fossil free energy with near zero fossil carbon emissions. The partnership highlights a sustainability story powered by collaboration in a closed loop value chain. 

‘This effort demonstrates the performance of near zero emissions steel in sophisticated industrial applications.’ said Tom Cox, president of SSAB Americas. ‘The circular economy works best with material supplied at scale, to valuable end use applications within an existing supply chain.’

This successful collaboration relies on documented production processes, physical logistics, and material traceability, without the use of offsets. Subsequent updates will document fabrication, operational use, and the return of recycled metals to steelmaking.