SSAB EcoUpgraded concept benefits ILAB Container – 36 tonnes of CO2 saved per container

ILAB is a long-standing customer of SSAB and has been applying SSAB EcoUpgraded to their containers for several years now. ILAB designs and sells containers mainly for the Nordic markets. The containers are produced by the Polish company JK Kiedrowski.

What is SSAB EcoUpgraded?

The SSAB EcoUpgraded concept allows customers to upgrade to high-strength steel and reduce the weight of their equipment, improve fuel economy and extend product lifetime – all factors that have a major impact on reducing their carbon footprint. The SSAB EcoUpgraded concept saves CO₂ both in steel production and throughout the lifetime of the end product.

SSAB looks at each specific application and compares the potential CO₂ savings in the use phase to the CO₂ emitted during production. This way, we identify products that would benefit the most from an upgrade to high-strength Strenx® and/or Hardox® steel. Once the CO₂ payback time is reached, the vehicle will continue to deliver CO₂ savings far in excess of the original CO₂ debt.

Savings and higher capacity in operation – higher revenue

Let’s assume, for example, that the same total load is transported over the vehicle lifetime. Use of high-strength steels means that this can be done with fewer trips, since the vehicle can carry more load on each trip. This means lower fuel consumption, less need for maintenance and lower operating costs.

Assume instead, that we continue to run the vehicles the same amount of trips with the extra load capacity. This means that for the same time period more cargo will be transported.

“The benefits of the SSAB EcoUpgraded concept can be seen from both the sustainability and financial aspects, which are in fact two sides of the same coin. Emissions reductions and savings go hand in hand,” says Thomas Hörnfeldt at SSAB.

EcoUpgraded app is a useful tool to show the customer the actual benefits

With the SSAB EcoUpgraded app, you enter the machine type and operational parameters. The app then presents a visual report on your estimated fuel savings, CO₂ savings over the equipment lifetime and the CO₂ payback time that can be achieved when upgrading to high-strength steels.

“We place a lot of emphasis on both the details and the wider picture in our own customer relations. Our customers highly value sustainability but when they save fuel, they naturally also save money. So with the SSAB EcoUpgraded concept and app, we can show hands-on how choosing our containers and SSAB high-strength steels affects the customer’s own business in terms of sustainability, costs savings and ultimately profitability,” says Jim Isaksson, Managing Director at ILAB.

“When we say that we deliver ILAB containers, in practice we prefer to think that we are pointing the recycling branch towards new, easier ways to handle waste – and SSAB EcoUpgraded fits into this picture very well,” continues Isaksson.

In the ILAB case, the total of 36 tonnes of CO₂ saved per container comes from less steel used (1 tonne), lower weight (12 tonnes) and higher capacity (23 tonnes). So the CO₂ payback time is 10 months. The payload increase is 520 kg and fuel savings for the end-user will exceed EUR 18,000 (vehicle used for 8 years à 120,000 km per year).

“We have sold now over 10 000 of these containers, so everybody can calculate the total benefits,” concludes Isaksson.

Advantages of SSAB EcoUpgraded

“Good environmental stewardship also drives good business. When customers upgrade from standard steel to high-strength steel, they can reduce the weight of the end product while maintaining the same strength and increasing durability and productivity. From a lifecycle perspective, this is crucial because most of the negative environmental impact comes from a product’s use phase,” says Joachim Eresjö at SSAB Shape.

Because high-strength steel is stronger than conventional mild steel, less steel is needed to manufacture the product. This also reduces CO₂ emissions. An SSAB EcoUpgraded product will generate CO₂ savings that exceed the CO₂ emitted during the production of the upgraded part. The amount of the savings varies depending on the design and whether or not it is weight-critical.

READ MORE
https://www.ssab.com/company/sustainability/sustainable-offering/ecoupgraded
https://www.ssab.com/support/calculators-and-tools/ssab-ecoupgraded-app

Here’s how SSAB high-strength steels benefit both the environment and our customers’ businesses.

• Thinner dimensions of steel can be used without compromising on strength
• Fewer resources used in the manufacture of components and vehicles
• Less fuel needed for the same work – haul the same load in a fewer number of trips
• Lower carbon dioxide/ CO₂ emissions over entire lifecycle
• Meet and stay ahead of tougher environmental requirements and legislation
• OEMs can enhance their environmental profile and gain a competitive edge