Outokumpu is one of the world’s leading stainless-steel companies. Our vision is to be the undisputed number-one in stainless steel products, with success based on operational excellence. Customers in a wide range of industries across the globe – from catering and appliances to building and construction, transportation and chemical, petrochemical and energy industries, as well as the process and resources industries – all use our stainless-steel products and services.
Employing some 7,500 employees, Outokumpu has several production facilities, a comprehensive network of service centres as well as extensive sales and support operations worldwide.
Stainless-steel construction materials
When designing and building any structure there are a many factors to consider including safety, cost, strength, maintenance and durability, to name just a few. Materials must also be sustainable and environmentally friendly. Stainless Steel is 100% recyclable, corrosion-resistant and hygienic, and the environmental impacts from its use are negligible. Outokumpu seek to minimise the impact of our operations on the environment as much as economically and technologically possible while achieving continual improvements in overall performance.
Stainless steel for bridge construction
Durability, strength and low maintenance costs are just some of the reasons that make stainless steel an ideal material for use in bridge construction and are particularly ideal for concrete reinforcement applications in environments subject to chloride ingress or carbonation.
Stainless-steel surface finishes
With a multitude of surface finishes available including patterned and textured, wet or dry polishes, dull and bright, stainless steel with its excellent aesthetic appeal is the ideal candidate for interior and exterior panelling and cladding.
Outokumpu’s world-renowned technical and R&D support is ready to help you chose the correct grade of stainless steel for each application, location and project, which can result in the most cost effective solutions for today’s architecture, building and construction requirements. All these attributes come with Outokumpu’s vast knowledge and experience, in supplying to numerous prestigious projects worldwide. Recent projects that have used our stainless steel include the Marina Bay Bridge, Singapore, and the Buddhist Temple at Chounbri, Thailand.
Stainless-steel walkway
Marina Bay Bridge is the world’s first double-helix pedestrian bridge, consisting of two helixes, built from stainless steel pipes which spiral around each other to form the core of the 280m long structure, inspired by the structure of DNA.
Duplex grade 2205 (EN1.4462) was selected for the double helix and support structures, because of the hot, humid and maritime climate of Singapore. The high strength of duplex 2205 enabled the designers to develop a light-weight and sustainable steel structure, with a minimum life span of 100 years.
Outokumpu was awarded the duplex contract, comprising structural pipes for the double helix and heavy plates for the girders, with one of the key factors being the Group’s ability to supply the complete range of pipe and plate products for the project.
Stainless-steel reinforcing bars
The Chounbri Bhuddhist Temple project’s construction consultant advised the committee to use stainless steel reinforcing bars in the most critical concrete structures – most particularly in the groundwork and the shear key (the section where the body of the building is anchored) of the building.
The engineering team tested LDX 2101® rebar samples provided by Outokumpu and were convinced of the superior properties of duplex LDX 2101®, especially in the areas of thermal expansion and corrosion resistance. In April 2010, groundwork commenced at the temple site with Outokumpu’s LDX 2101® rebar. The construction is estimated for completion in two to three years.
