SSAB, a steel company in the Nordic and US regions, has partnered with construction equipment manufacturer Putzmeister to provide fossil-free steel for its products, including concrete pump trucks and mixers.
The agreement builds on the companies’ longstanding relationship, with Putzmeister utilising SSAB’s Strenx structural steel and Hardox wear plates to create lightweight truck chassis, pump crane booms, and concrete mixer drums.
The latest agreement focuses on incorporating HYBRIT-based steel, a pioneering production method developed by SSAB alongside mining company LKAB and energy company Vattenfall.
HYBRIT technology utilises green hydrogen and fossil-free electricity instead of coking coal, which is the traditional method used for steel production. As a result, water is the primary byproduct rather than carbon dioxide (CO₂).
Globally, the production of traditional steel reportedly accounts for approximately 7% of CO₂ emissions.
SSAB says it aims to produce steel with minimal fossil carbon emissions, regardless of the raw material used.
To support this goal, the company has introduced SSAB Zero, a product made from recycled steel using fossil-free electricity and biogas, commercially available since 2023.
SSAB sustainable business vice-president Thomas Hörnfeldt said: “We are delighted to welcome Putzmeister as a new global partner. By choosing steel produced with HYBRIT technology, Putzmeister is demonstrating that it is possible to reduce the carbon footprint of construction equipment while keeping the same high quality of steel.”
Putzmeister group GRC and sustainability head Alexander Diez added: “As a leading manufacturer in the construction equipment sector, we are aware of our impact and responsibility for the environment. Reducing the carbon footprint of our construction equipment is one of Putzmeister’s key priorities for the future.
“By partnering with SSAB, we will be able to offer construction equipment with a significantly lower carbon footprint and set a new standard for efficient and sustainable construction.”
In October 2024, SSAB and Finnish builder Parmaco collaborated to construct a concept building made entirely of fossil-free steel.
