Cooperation, training support and advancement opportunities: state-of-the-art employee development is made up of many tools. voestalpine Roll Forming Corporation (RFC) in Kentucky bundles these tools into an extraordinary opportunity—for skilled workers and companies alike.

Education binds

“RFC trains motivated and talented employees in close partnership with the Jefferson Community and Technical College (JCTC). Training occurs during working hours and RFC pays the full tuition costs,” comments Patty Sweasy, RFC Safety Manager/Training Coordinator, on the cornerstones of the training program. Rickie Jeffries, Tool Room Supervisor, adds, “RFC invests in this program to retain skilled toolmakers for years to come. RFC has been involved with this program since 2005.” The statistics confirm the success of this strategy: 100% of all employees who have graduated from the program since 2005 are still with the company, and some have even become engineers. Currently, several Tool Design and Build employees, including former graduates, mentor students and lecture at JCTC as well.

Identification with the company

If you ask program graduates like tool designer Travis Cabell what they think about the program, they speak with pride: “I moved into the design department and I am now able to put my own and others ideas into improving the tools and processes. I am proud that I am still able to have the partnership with our toolmakers to help our company grow with first class tooling.”

Patty Sweasy points out that this identification with the company improves its reputation as an employer in the long term and makes it more attractive for future employees. Not only RFC and its employees, but also the region benefits from the program. A fact that is also confirmed by Greg Phillips, Assistant Professor/Program Coordinator at the JCTC. The cooperation makes this training possible in the first place and also helps determine its direction. A training program with so many winners deserves a long future.

RFC Tool Design and Build Department.

This is what you should know about both teams and drivers after the long summer break: Who’s driving where? Who’s powering whom?

ABT Audi Sport Schaeffler (11 Lucas di Grassi, 66 Daniel Abt)

This must be unique in modern motorsports: Audi has been fielding the same pair of drivers since the series’ inaugural race; drivers and team will stick it out together yet again in Season Six. The company’s e-tron FE06 has been refined. It was seen in public for the first time at the Red Bull Ring.

BMW i Andretti Motorsport (28 Maximillian Günther, 27 Alexander Sims)

Maxi Günther (as he’s known), whose mother is Austrian, has managed the leap into an auto brand’s coveted cockpit. Henceforth this former GEOX DRAGON driver will drive for the Bavarian works team. He is living proof of the fact that the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, unlike most racing series, enables drivers to make their mark through excellent performances even in smaller teams. It is the balanced nature of the starting field that makes it possible. The second spot goes to Alexander Sims, as before, whose contract was renewed thanks to his strong performance at the end of the last season after a mind-boggling streak of bad luck.

DS TECHEETAH (13 Antonio Felix da Costa, 25 Jean-Eric Vergne)

Last season, this French-Chinese team won both the driver championship and the voestalpine European Races (through Jean-Eric Vergne) as well as the team ranking. But the legendary team of drivers known as “Jeandre”—which consisted of Vergne and his close friend, Andre Lotterer—has split up. The German driver has returned to Porsche and even took his racing engineer with him. DS TECHEETAH has replaced him with another one of Vergne’s friends: Antonio Felix da Costa, who has joined the team from BMW; before that, he and “JEV” were part of the Austrian Red Bull Junior Team.

Envision Virgin (2 Sam Bird, 4 Robin Frinjs)

The English team is banking on consistency: both the driver pairing and the powertrain partner (Audi) remain unchanged.

GEOX DRAGON Racing (7 Nico Müller, 6 Brendon Hartley)

The Americans are fielding a new and most attractive pair of drivers: DTM runner-up Nico Müller—who’s garnered attention in the Formula E for years thanks to amazing test run times will be joined by former Formula 1 driver and Le Mans winner, Brendon Hartley who was supporting Porsche with their set-up ahead of their debut season.

Mahindra Racing (64 Jerome D’Ambrosio, 94 Pascal Wehrlein)

The Indians, who started really well last season but then had to contend with bad form, will rely on their existing, strong driver duo – with Belgian D’Ambrosio partnering Pascal Wehrlein for a second season.

Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team (5 Stoffel Vandoorne, 17 Nyck de Vries)

Mercedes-Benz “first glimpse” into Formula E came under the name, HWA RACELAB, is now long and forgotten. Going forward, Mercedes will field an official works team in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. Belgian driver, Stoffel Vandoorne, who came in third at the inaugural voestalpine European Races in Rome, Italy, will be the driver. And Toto Wolff, the company’s head of motorsport, has signed a young wild one to be his partner: Nyck de Vries is fresh from winning the FIA Formula 2 championship. That such an amazing talent is making the conscious decision to bank his future on the Formula E shows how coveted the cockpits in this electric car racing series already are.

NIO Formula E Team (both drivers still TBD)

The Chinese works team, which had no luck in season five and has been taken over by new owners as has rebranded as the NIO 333 FE Team. For testing, they will run team stalwart Oliver Turvey, with the return of Ma Qinghua to Formula E, after last appearing in season four.

Nissan e.dams (22 Oliver Rowland, 23 Sebastien Buemi)

In its second year as a factory entrant, Nissan is relying on the same combination of drivers. As regards the powertrain, however, the company had to start from scratch, because the innovative yet disputed double-engine solution is now prohibited. This season will be a special one for the team: They will be driving for the man who shaped the works team: DAMS founder, Jean-Paul Driot, who passed away over the summer – with his sons – Gregory and Olivier – taking over as joint team principals.

Panasonic Jaguar Racing (20 Mitch Evans, 51 James Calado)

Mitch Evans, who drove Jaguar to its inaugural Formula E win at the inaugural voestalpine European Races in Rome, remains on board as the “captain.” After Nelson Piquet Jr. and Alex Lynn, he will now get the third new teammate within a single year: James Calado is the new driver. He comes from the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), where he drove for Ferrari and was one of the most implacable rivals of Richard Lietz, the driver from Lower Austria.

TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team (36 Andre Lotterer, 18 Neel Jani)

Alejandro Agag, the founder of this racing series, spoke of a “milestone” when he succeeded within a mere days to get German motorsport giants, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, to participate in his new series. The time has come. In contrast to Mercedes (HWA RACELAB 2018/19), Porsche is jumping right in without running a “trial season” first and is building almost all components itself. Two old friends make up the driver duo: Andre Lotterer (previously with DS TECHETAAH) and Neel Jani; both delivered great performances in the WEC. The test drivers are exciting too: the Swiss driver, Simona de Silvestro, and Thomas Preining, who hails from Linz, Austria, and is the very first Formula E driver to drive for Austria also.

Venturi Racing (19 Felipe Massa, 48 Edo Mortara)

The winners of the Hong Kong race are banking on the Mortara/Massa driver team this season too. But the powertrain partner is new. Starting immediately, the Monaco-based outfit will be collaborating closely with Mercedes.
The ABB FIA Formula E Championship begins in November in Saudi Arabia. Five of the 14 races in the new season are considered part of the voestalpine European Races. These are the races in Rome (April 4, 2020); Paris (April 18, 2020); Berlin (June 21, 2020); and London (July 25 and 26, 2020).

As a respected global supplier of specialty materials, voestalpine Böhler Edelstahl, based in Kapfenberg, Styria, has been a trusted partner to all prestigious premium watchmakers for many years.

Just recently, the new Alpine Eagle watch collection from Chopard, crafted using the newly developed voestalpine Böhler Edelstahl steel grade BÖHLER A223, was officially presented in Vienna. As a member of the global Responsible Steel initiative, voestalpine promotes sustainable steel production, making it the ideal partner for Chopard. Since 2012, this Swiss manufacturer of luxury watches has been actively improving its production chain through the use of sustainable materials.

Luxury watches made from recycled steel

Using the new steel grade Chopard Lucent Stahl A223, the product of four years of intensive research, voestalpine Böhler Edelstahl has now succeeded in creating a steel alloy with completely new material properties. Its hypoallergenic composition gives the material the same properties as surgical steel, while being simultaneously around 50 percent more abrasion-resistant than conventional steel. The alloy’s golden shine is the product of the material’s exceptional purity.

Part of the High Performance Metals Division of the voestalpine Group, voestalpine Böhler Edelstahl is one of the most respected suppliers of tool steels, high-speed steels, and specialty materials. The company has a product portfolio of around 250 different steel grades. Its high performance materials are primarily used in toolmaking, aircraft, turbines for power generation, and oil & gas extraction. With a workforce of around 2,500 employees, Böhler Edelstahl GmbH & Co KG generated revenue of EUR 840 million during the business year 2018/19.

Currently, over 300 people from around 15 external specialist companies are working under the guidance of the project team to erect the steel structures for the halls, and install the power pipelines, piping system, and much more.

Impressive dimensions

The bays of the new special steel plant are now clearly visible on the site which corresponds to the size of six football pitches (around 50,000 m²). The professionals work at a height of over 45 meters, assembling the steel girders, piece by piece. The hall construction is due for completion during the first quarter of 2020.

Consequently, construction work is on schedule for this major project which represents an investment volume of up to EUR 350 million. The three-year construction phase will itself create up to 1,000 temporary jobs at the site.

Investment in the future

The new high-tech special steel plant which, once operative, is intended to replace the existing plant at the site, will supply premium quality pre-materials for

• aircraft components,
• tools for the automotive and consumer goods industry,
• equipment for oil & gas extraction, and for the
• 3D printing of highly complex metal parts.

This investment provides voestalpine with a global technological lead and cost advantage in manufacturing high-performance steels, and will also allow the Group to remain globally competitive over the long term using this form of production.

From 2021 onwards, the fully-digitalized plant will produce around 205,000 tons of sophisticated high-performance steels annually, primarily for the international aerospace and automotive industries, as well as the oil and natural gas sector, and will secure more than 3,000 highly skilled jobs at the site.

Today voestalpine is a world market leader for quality and technology in many industries and regions. The Group continues to stay “one step ahead” thanks to innovative technologies and sustainable products.

“Turning passion into technology.”

The goal of the campaign is to show what is behind the voestalpine technology group and to offer a view of employees in action, showing what they are accomplishing day after day. In addition to inspiring public interest, the commercials are intended to draw the attention of decision-makers, potential shareholders or investors, to interest potential future employees, and to build trust.

The 80-second long version of the “technology” image film shows the technologies voestalpine uses and how they improve people’s everyday lives. Get a first impression:

Campaign composition as a ringtone

If you like the campaign, you can immediately download the ringtone to your mobile phone: simply download the desired file on the Corporate Website and then save and activate it on your mobile phone.

How did the tests in Valencia go?

Maximilian Günther

Very well. In contrast to last year, there was no torrential rain to disrupt, or even stop, the teams’ running. The racing teams, now 12 in total, were able to focus on testing their updates – and as there were few technical problems, the fully-electric cars proved very reliable. It was only the artificial chicane at the end of the pit-straight which caused problems for several contenders – Alexander Sims, Nyck de Vries, and Neel Jani were just some of the drivers damaging their cars at this spot.

Who made a particularly good impression?

Everyone involved agrees that, in terms of lap times, the race track in Valencia has only limited value as an indicator of performance on the actual city circuits driven during the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. The fact is, however, that the current titleholder DS TECHEETAH has managed to maintain its good form over the summer, and that, similar to 2018, BMW i Andretti Motorsport felt right at home at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo: it was Maximilian Günther from Allgäu, who moved over from GEOX Dragon to race for the Bavarian team, who completed the fastest lap. And with Pascal Wehrlein and Nico Müller, it was another two German-speaking drivers who joined Günther on the virtual “podium” following this test. However, durability is an equally important factor for BMW. With 401 completed laps, Günther and BMW team colleague Alexander Sims achieved significantly more laps than the other teams, by a long way. In comparison: Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler – 303, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team – 302, Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team – 259.

Can we expect the Championship to be as closely run as in 2018/19?

At the end of the test, only 1 second separated 22 (!) of the 24 cars. It was only the newly formed NIO 333 FE Team which visibly lagged, but they’re likely to catch up once the many team changes come into effect. Seven different teams were among the top-10.

How did the new teams perform?

The two new “star” teams – the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team and Mercedes-Benz EQ – both had a few problems so that, in the end, they were “only” placed 19/22, and 20/21. However, during this phase the real priority lies in clocking up kilometers. Porsche, which in contrast to Mercedes-Benz (who ran last season using affiliate HWA RACELAB) is a completely new entrant, managed 302 laps during its first official test. Mercedes-Benz achieved 259, placing it second-to-last in the laps table. Formula 2 champion Nyck de Vries had technical problems and a collision, while Stoffel Vandoorne’s first test run was notably positive.

How did the new drivers perform?

Brendon Hartley and Nico Müller, who have already notched up successes in the FIA WEC and DTM respectively, put in an excellent performance in the GEOX Dragon cars.

Which rule changes will have a significant impact on the races?

The biggest change for this season will see ATTACK MODE power rise from 25kW to 35kW, taking the maximum power to 235kW. There will also be an added element of strategy as during the safety car and full course yellow phases, each minute will be counted and 1kW will be subtracted from the total energy available during the restart.
That means if the safety car is on the circuit for 6 minutes, all cars will have 6 kW of remaining energy deducted once the race restarts. This places a greater focus on the original concept of energy management, so that it no longer makes sense for drivers to risk everything by consuming more energy than planned during the starting phase – hoping for a safety car phase later on in the race.

Austrian test driver Preining with the voestalpine helmet

From now on, the fastest driver from all qualifying groups will be awarded a championship point, with the pole setter getting their usual 3 points, and with another going to the driver who completes the fastest lap in the race.

The ABB FIA Formula E Championship gets off to a start in Saudi Arabia on November 22 and 23. Five of the 14 races in the new season will constitute the voestalpine European Races. These are the races in Rome (April 4, 2020), Paris (April 18, 2020), Berlin (June 21, 2020), and London (July 25 & 26, 2020).

Australia – both a country and a continent. Its strategic development offers good business prospects for voestalpine High Performance Metals (Australia). In its World Range Outlook 2019 for Australia, Worldsteel association forecasts that investment projects to develop and mine iron ore and other mineral resources from 2020 onwards will further boost economic development.

Concentration on mining segment

The increasing economic development and manufacturing activities in China or India, for example, increases the interest in Australian resources. For the Australian distribution organization of the High Performance Metals Division, the mining sector is therefore customer number one.

In the past five years, total sales volumes of tool, engineering and high speed steels increased by more than 50%. In the financial year 2018/19, voestalpine High Performance Metals (Australia) supplied approx. 26,000 tonnes of steels (compared to 17,000 tonnes in 2013/14), including:

• 450 t high speed steel;
• 1,000 t of tool steel and
• 24,000 t of engineering steel.

Digitization of logistics

Since 1^st June, 2019, the voestalpine company has put its new warehouse in Orchard Hills, 50 km west of Sydney, into full operation. Here with CNC-controlled or high-speed saws also requests for very small quantities, e.g. for spare parts, can be met with precise cuts.

Parallel to the optimization of the new warehouse, work is ongoing on the complete digitization of the order and handling systems. “This,” says Managing Director Matko Bozanic, “will enable us to become even more efficient and realize the benefits of the new delivery logistics more effectively for our customers.” Deliveries in the mining sector are already covered by a 24-hour delivery service. The close proximity to the customer and its immediate delivery are covered by nine nationally distributed branches. 155 employees ensure that even in the country with an area of approx. 7.7 million square kilometers all deliveries reach the customer on time.

Advantage with Additive Manufacturing

voestalpine High Performance Metals (Australia) not only takes leading position in the supply of high-quality steel grades down under. The new Orchard Hill headquarters will also become the Group’s hub for Additive Manufacturing on the continent. Matko Bozanic builds on the benefits of 3D printing with metals:

To stay in the forefront of developing and leveraging new technologies, a technology and innovation roadmap has been designed for the next five years. To drive those projects, the function of an innovation manager has been established. He is responsible for the promotion of and the enforcement of further automation and digitization, e.g. applications of Artificial Intelligence etc.

Sustainable energy and junior staff for the future

Like many sister companies on other continents, voestalpine High Performance Metals (Australia) relies on the use of sustainable energy sources. The Perth branch already has a photovoltaic (PV) system on factory roofs with a capacity of 80 kW. In the near future, the Melbourne and Brisbane sites will also be equipped with PV systems.

Sustainable land use at voestalpine High Performance Metals (Australia), Perth branch.

The company also directs a look into the future towards future employees. Australia does not have the dual training system of apprenticeship and vocational school that is common in German-speaking countries. “By leveraging and communicating our good image and development programs for young people, we are starting early to recruit talents for our Australian locations,” said MD Bozanic.

The steels in the alform® series offer the perfect solution for every area of application:

• The steel grades in the alform® laser series offer the best cutability and narrowest flatness tolerances for laser cutting applications.
• The normalized-rolled grades in the N series, as well as the micro-alloyed grades in the M series, offer numerous advantages in a wide range of application areas, such as excellent weldability and narrow tolerances.
• The high strength and excellent processing properties of the x-treme series come into their own for sophisticated lightweight construction applications, ensuring the highest levels of component reliability.

What are the advantages of alform®?

The steels in the alform® series demonstrate their strengths according to the area of application. An overview of the key advantages:

• Cost reduction: costs can be significantly lowered by reductions in the quantities of steel and filler materials.
• Ideal for welding: as a result of its fine-grained microstructure (lower carbon content), the risk of cold cracking during welding is significantly reduced. The voestalpine Group’s alform® welding system is the world’s first coordinated system of steel and welding consumables for high-strength and ultra-high-strength welding constructions.
• Excellent cold forming properties: decisively improved forming behavior with more than twice the minimum yield strength compared to traditional construction steels.
• Excellent cutability: the low material thickness enables faster cutting rates. And due to minimal internal stresses, distortions during cutting are largely avoided.
• Perfect surface: thinner and more homogenous scale layer (oxide layer) compared to QT plates. This forms a “natural protective layer” against corrosion.
• Excellent toughness: the thermomechanical rolling combined with an accelerated cooling results in a fine-grained microstructure and very good toughness.
• Excellent flatness: precision rolling processes ensure excellent flatness behavior. Delivered free of internal stresses, the voestalpine material offers a significant advantage during cutting and subsequent processing. The result is optimum dimensional stability for every component.

Our alform steels are ideal for welding

What are alform® steels used for?

alform® steel is used where maximum strength combined with minimal weight are required:

• Mobile cranes
• Truck cranes
• Spreaders
• Concrete pumps
• Commercial vehicles
• Railcars
• Containers
• Agricultural and forestry machinery
• Tubes
• Sections
• etc.

In what form is it available?

High-strength and ultra-high-strength alform® steels are available as:

• Cut sheets of hot rolled steel strip
• Heavy plate
• Coil and
• Slit strip

Sustainable material for the machinery industry

The sustainable choice of raw material, constant enhancements to the production process, environmentally-friendly logistics, and comprehensive recycling are also a priority in the machinery industry. Lightweight and high-strength components from voestalpine make an important contribution to the safety and sustainability of modern machines and equipment. It is low weight combined with optimal stability in particular which enables machines to consume less energy during operation and thus reduce emissions. In addition, steel can be recycled with no loss of quality.

More information about alform®:

alform®-Website: https://www.voestalpine.com/alform/en

A total of 135 employees from six Group companies from all four divisions worked in front of the camera in the two spots – more than 100 employees from voestalpine Automotive Components Schwäbisch Gmünd alone took part in the big final scene. Far more were involved behind the camera and in preparations for the filming. “The truth is, a production like this image campaign would not have been possible without the energetic support of the people in the voestalpine companies over several months. I would like to thank all those who, as in previous years, have supported us with such enthusiasm and also helped out this year,” said Corporate Brand Manager Maria Reibenberger.

Impressions from the film shoot

All the effort behind it

An image film is not created overnight. It began about a year ago with the concept development for the films and the selection of the companies and locations. The six participating companies were selected by the Management Board – many more companies had originally agreed to participate.

In total, 20 shooting days were set for 8 locations, but solid planning and preparation were required to ensure that everything went as smoothly and quickly as possible: What innovative developments do the companies have to offer? When will the specific products be available and from which plant? What safety requirements have to be observed during filming? What approvals are required internally and from customers? Questions like these and many more had to be clarified in advance.

Participating companies

1. voestalpine Wire Rod Austria GmbH
2. voestalpine BÖHLER Edelstahl GmbH
3. voestalpine BÖHLER Aerospace GmbH & Co. KG
4. voestalpine Automotive Components Schwäbisch Gmünd GmbH & Co. KG
5. voestalpine Additive Manufacturing Düsseldorf GmbH
6. voestalpine Stahl GmbH

In an era of increasing transport capacities, the need for greater safety and customer satisfaction demands economic and social responsibility. voestalpine Railway Systems is responding to this demand with optimized and sustainable railway technology solutions. In addition to product highlights including

• ultra-long 120-meter rails;
• high-speed turnouts for speeds of up to 380 km/h; and
• heavy-duty turnouts for axle loads of up to 40 tons,

340 Dobain® HSH® brings another pioneering premium product to the Railway Systems portfolio.

No head checks

While deformation and rolling contact fatigue leads to head checks (= fine surface cracks) in conventional rails, 340 Dobain® HSH® reduces surface deformation to a minimum. This is due to its unique microstructure which differs fundamentally from that of conventional rail steel: by deliberately altering the microstructure, voestalpine scientists have succeeded in developing a steel grade with unprecedented properties.

Milestone in rail technology

The unique microstructure, the result of innovative steel design by process and materials experts, makes this rail steel exceptionally resistant.

The process and materials experts took their inspiration from nature. By applying the Lotus leaf effect, 340 Dobain® HSH® is the first rail steel grade with microstructure polishing for optimized life cycle costs.

The new high-quality rail offers not only maximum safety levels, but also guarantees greater efficiency for rail network operators:

1. by significantly reducing maintenance requirements
2. by extending rail service life.

In practice, 340 Dobain® HSH® is the first head check-free steel grade for a wide spectrum of targeted applications.

340 Dobain® HSH®–the key benefits

• Head check-free rails
• Maximum safety
• Increased availability
• Optimized LCC (life cycle costs)
• Long rail service life
• Steel designed for ease of welding
• Significantly reduced maintenance costs
• Environmentally-friendly

The concept of sustainability is more than 300 years old. But its basic principle, namely, to act in ways that consider the potential depletion of natural resources in the long term, is becoming ever more significant. The newly developing synonym, so to speak, of sustainability—“think of your grandchildren”—has not yet become the go-to phrase, but it clearly expresses the goal of sustainable action. The “Report of the World Commission on the Environment and Development” also follows this logic.

Minimize Interventions in Nature

Initially, sustainability merely referred to a principle in forestry. Its core message: Never take more from nature than can grow back. We now know that it also is our responsibility to make adequate resources available for the generations coming after us—such as in the case of iron ore which, after all, is a raw material that does not “grow back.”

While iron ranks fourth on the list of the most widespread elements in the earth’s crust, mining it for economic purposes from workable deposits entails ever increasing expenditures: Cut away the overburden, separate ores with a low iron content and so-called wall rock and, frequently, endure long transportation routes to downstream processing sites. Additional resources are required for all of these steps. The smaller the quantity of “fresh” iron that must be produced to cover demand, the more sustainable our actions.

Lifelong Recycling

Steel’s status as a sustainable material benefits from its use in the closed materials cycle. For example, the World Steel Association (worldsteel) calculated that more than 25 billion tons of steel have been reused since 1900. This could help leave 35 billion tons of iron ore in the ground (a quantity that equates to the volume of ore mined in Brazil over a period of 80 years) at the level of 2017. Moreover, the recycling of steel has made it possible to not use 18 billion tons of coal for reducing the ore.

Hence recycling is one of the keys to the sustainable use of iron and steel, in turn confirming the life cycle assessment.

Sustainability in Numbers

• 37%: proportion of recycled steel contained in new steel products;
• 630 million tons: amount of annually recycled steel scrap; and
• 90%: average amount of steel used in cars that is recycled.

Worldwide, the steel industry converts one third of its base material into by-products for technological reasons. These, too, are sustainably recycled in a number of industries ranging from the construction to the electronics industry.

Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment

The complexity of our world no longer allows us to construe the concept of sustainability as referring only to the resource-efficient use of raw materials and energy. With the help of research and development, technologies and production facilities are continually optimized with respect to resource conservation, environmental compatibility, and efficiency.

voestalpine Conserves Resources

• 15%: This is the percentage by which voestalpine lowered the amount of energy it needs to produce one ton of crude raw steel between 1999 and 2015.
• 22%: This is the percentage by which the Group lowered the amount of technologically unavoidable CO₂ emissions in the past three decades.

Hence the company’s consistent optimization of production plants and processes has reached the threshold of CO₂ emissions that is possible in both technological and practical terms. No further significant reduction will be feasible as long as carbon (which is generated by blast furnace coke) is used to reduce the number of iron compounds in the ore. As a result, voestalpine is conducting research on new processes that open up new ways of producing steel based on sustainably generated hydrogen.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) refers to the analysis of products over their useful life and is an unequivocal indicator of sustainable practices. Applied to a material, LCA considers the use of resources associated with the material’s production, processing as well as reuse and recycling. The result is unequivocal: Steel is the most sustainable material among all non-renewable structural materials.

In the coming weeks, our blog will introduce you to other aspects of sustainability and their application in voestalpine, the technology group.

Links:

• Product Sustainability at voestalpine
• World Steel Association: Sustainability
• H2FUTURE—Pointing the Way to “Green Steel”

At the 14th International Trade Fair for Sheet Metal Working, voestalpine subsidiaries at the exhibition offered a glimpse into the technology Group’s DNA. A “Way of Innovation” led trade fair visitors through the newly designed exhibition areas on the stand.

voestalpine offered insights into its corporate DNA under a new motto.

Joint trade fair stand stresses environmental considerations

voestalpine used the joint stand to demonstrate how coordinating both research and development as well as production processes along the corporate value chain are behind the Group’s power to innovate. The “Way of Innovation” also underscored voestalpine’s achievements in making available steel technologies for a greener environment. This basic idea was reflected in all the products and services offered by the voestalpine companies exhibiting at Blechexpo:

• voestalpine BÖHLER Edelstahl GmbH & Co. KG
• voestalpine Camtec GmbH
• voestalpine eifeler Coating GmbH
• voestalpine High Performance Metals Deutschland GmbH
• voestalpine Krems GmbH
• voestalpine Präzisionsprofil GmbH
• voestalpine Precision Strip GmbH
• voestalpine Sadef N.V.
• voestalpine Stahl GmbH
• voestalpine Steel & Service Center GmbH

As Blechexpo was also an opportunity to present voestalpine lightweight construction solutions, sustainability, and steel, the Stella Sustainable information platform was naturally another frequent topic of conversation (www.voestalpine.com/stella).

voestalpine innovation paves the way

The “Way of Innovation” presented the many visitors to the voestalpine stand with important sequences in the Group’s DNA, including sustainability, lightweight construction, precision, special sections, and high-strength steels. With products for automotive manufacturing, mechanical engineering, and a range of other industries, the new voestalpine trade show appearance focused on the Group companies’ proven performance and latest products:

• high-strength steels for lightweight construction;
• section solutions in steel and special steel for a diverse range of applications;
• slides and maintenance-free sliding components for punching and forming processes; and the
• welding calculator, for the simple planning and optimization of complex welding tasks.

In terms of precision, at Blechexpo voestalpine presented guaranteed thickness tolerances for high-precision hot-rolled strip which apply across the entire strip width and length for the first time.

World debut from Precision Strip

One section of the stand featured the six sample coils with which voestalpine Precision Strip presented its novel innovation–laser-welded special strips in an intelligent combination of steel and non-ferrous metals. “The precision welded strips for the electronics and automotive industries which we are presenting here in Stuttgart are a product that will certainly find its way into future generations of electronic components manufactured by leading global enterprises,” stressed Robert Gegenhuber, Innovation Manager at voestalpine Precision Strip, at the stand in Stuttgart. “We have stimulated a significant level of interest in this innovation amongst our partners and potential customers.”

Precision and innovation make up the DNA of this novel laser-welded special strip

Successful trade fair appearance

Wolf-Dieter Hohl, Strategic Market Development manager and CEO of voestalpine Eurostahl, sums up the four trade fair days favorably: “Blechexpo gives us the chance to present our strengths as a sustainable and innovative technology group during face-to-face discussions with long-term partners and potential customers. The young, engaged and experienced employees making up the voestalpine team inspired visitors to the stand with our high-quality products and outstanding problem-solving competences for challenges in a range of industrial segments.”

Sustainability is part of the voestalpine DNA, and more than simple an exhibition motto.

Communication is in our DNA

PV installations are the ideal, sustainable energy solution for voestalpine Automotive Components Bunschoten. To meet its electricity requirements while reducing its CO2 emissions, the company is turning to the largest supplier of energy—the sun.

There’s a large team behind the PV project in Bunschoten (from left):
Giel van Driel (Manager BAM, voestalpine Automotive Components Bunschoten), Michael Galle (Design Engineer, voestalpine Sadef), Aleksejs Orlovs (Installation Contractor, ER Mounting), Maarten de Jonge (Area Sales Manager Solar, voestalpine Sadef), Serge Zupancic (Installation Contractor, XPERAL), Fränk Zwaans (COO/Operations Director, voestalpine Automotive Components Bunschoten), Oleksandr Stuparnyk (Installation Contractor, ER Mounting), Richard Weemen (Project Manager, Rooftop Energy)

CO2-free electricity from the rooftops

The voestalpine site in the Netherlands has joined other Group companies in looking for ways to source CO2-neutral electricity. That’s why, over the next 4 to 6 months, the entire roof at the site will be transformed into a photovoltaic power plant.

After all, the annual 5,700 tons of CO2 savings corresponds to the quantity of CO2 emitted by a conventional car driving a distance of 47.5 million kilometers. These savings are also passed on: when the site doesn’t need all the power it generates on its roof—for example, on Sundays or holidays—then the excess green electricity is fed into the public grid.

Space for CO2-reduced energy solutions: the rooftops at voestalpine Automotive Components Bunschoten

Applying voestalpine experience

An important contributor to the PV project is voestalpine Sadef: based in Hooglede-Gits, Belgium, this sister company in the Metal Forming Division is supplying the special sections for the rooftop construction. In Bunschoten its Fast Slide System for PV installations covers an area greater than eight football pitches (five times bigger than the main square in Linz).

Cost-neutral investment in the future

The project solution chosen offers “stress-free solar power” for the voestalpine site in Bunschoten. This is the motto of local partner, Rooftop Energy, and refers to the long-term system of public subsidies. This allows the cost-neutral installation of PV systems and decades of secure, CO2-free power supplies.

Signing up for a new chapter in emissions reductions (from left): Fränk Zwaans, voestalpine Automotive Components Bunschoten; Richard Weemen, Rooftop Energy; Giel van Driel, voestalpine Automotive Components Bunschoten

What is Formula E?

The ABB FIA Formula E Championship is the brainchild of Spanish businessman Alejandro Agag. Working previously in Formula One, his tasks included acquiring sponsors. Once he had a customer who, for ecological and noise reduction reasons, no longer wished to advertise in Formula One, realizing this had ceased to be consistent with his company’s image. That encouraged Agag to think about establishing a race series which placed greater value on promising drive alternatives and sustainability. A few years later he convinced Jean Todt, President of the world motorsport federation FIA, that his idea had merit, and the first race in this new championship was run in Beijing, on September 13, 2014.

What is Formula E vision? How does it impact the topic of sustainability?

Formula E is the world’s first fully electric international single-seater motorsport series. It provides a platform for testing and developing road-relevant technologies in a competition environment, and for improving the design and functionality of electric vehicle components. It also serves as a catalyst for developing and applying sustainable mobility solutions throughout the world. Formula E believes that electric vehicles represent the future of mobility and are the solution to sustainable transport and combatting climate change.

Formula E reflects the idea of sustainability by reducing the carbon footprint as far as possible and having a positive impact on mankind and the environment. This is practiced in all areas:

• Energy: The Formula E cars are almost emissions-free and driven using 100% renewable energy supplied by their revolutionary Formula E glycerin generators.
• Tires: The unique tires are hybrids which have been specially developed by Michelin. They can be driven in all weather conditions, will last for the entire race, and can be later recycled.
• Circuits: Formula E is a road racing series, run directly over temporary circuits in the heart of the world’s largest cities including Rome, Paris, Berlin, and NYC.
• Spectators: Formula E brings fans to the city centers in order to encourage the use of public transport. That’s why there are no parking lots in Formula E for the spectators. The races can also be followed live online and in 360°.

What exactly is a formula car?

There is no uniform definition of a formula car. The term “formula car” usually specifies a race car with exposed wheels and only one seat.

How do you define a Formula E race car?

The Formula E car is a “monoposto,” but not really an “open wheeler” with completely exposed wheels. The 18-inch wheels are partly covered. However, the suspension remains visible, and that qualifies a Formula E car as a formula car.

What is the key characteristic of Formula E?

„Gen2“

Formula E features a single chassis type which all the teams must use. With the start of the 2018/19 season, the FE18 Spark Racing Technology—better known as Gen2—replaced the Sport SRT_01E which had been driven for the first four years of the championship. In the first year of Formula E the cars also raced with identical powertrains. However, since the second year of the championship, registered manufacturers have been permitted to develop their own e-motors, inverters, transmissions, rear suspension, and software. Now nine different powertrains are produced, and only three private teams buy theirs from competitor teams. This year welcomes two further premium German manufacturers, Porsche and Mercedes, so that, for the first time in the history of motorsport, all the four major German marques—Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche—are competing against one another at the same time, as works teams, in a race series. There are twelve teams with 24 cars and drivers at the start in total, so that the maximum number of competitors has been reached.

Is the battery also a uniform component?

Yes. The battery is a uniform component developed in a cooperation between McLaren Applied Technologies, Sony, and Lucid Motors. The battery stores a total of 54 kWh of power of which the drivers have 52 kWh available during the race (analogue to the 28 kWh of useable power in the uniform Williams Advanced Engineering battery used in the first four seasons).

What are the major differences between Formula E and Formula One?

The primary difference is naturally the powertrain. Formula One uses six-cylinder hybrid engines, while Formula E exclusively uses electric drives. Formula One cars have a significantly higher maximum speed and faster curve speeds. But when it comes to acceleration, the two race cars are already on a par, speeding from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds. But there is one major difference: Formula One teams build their cars themselves; in Formula E identical cars are manufactured and made available to the teams. This guarantees that the teams compete on a much more level playing field. The proof: seven different teams won the first seven E-Prix in the last season.

Who takes pole position in a Formula E race, and why?

Races run on circuits work like this: all the cars simultaneously complete a certain number of rounds of a closed circuit, with a single line serving as the start and finish. The cars usually start from a slightly staggered arrangement, in rows of two. Consequently, there is a huge advantage in starting as far at the front as possible, especially on a tight city circuit. For that reason, drivers need to be as fast as possible during the separate qualification training in which a single lap is timed. Usually it is the driver with the fastest qualifying time who starts in pole position, with the second fastest a few meters behind on the other side of the asphalt lane. In Formula E the standard qualification format has been slightly modified: the drivers are first divided into different qualifying groups, driving the qualification training according to a fixed starting sequence. They have six minutes to drive. Afterwards, the six fastest drivers in the qualifying rounds compete again in a “Super Pole,” racing to secure starting places 1 to 6. The times from the first part of the qualification training are ignored in this round. The fastest driver in this group gets to start the race from the Julius Bär pole position, as well as being awarded three championship points. Starting in season 6, there is also a point for the fastest driver in each qualifying group.

How long does a race last?

The race is run over 45 minutes, and when the leading car crosses the start and finishing line they drive one more lap. This system has been particularly challenging for strategists to date. As no one can precisely predict how many laps will be completed in total, the energy management must be calculated with extreme precision and adapted to the conditions and events during the race itself (rain, safety car phases, etc.). However, two changes in the rules are likely to have a significant impact. From now on, one kWh of the overall available energy will be deducted from each car for every interrupted minute of the race. This is intended to prevent racing at “full throttle.” During the last season, the first featuring the Gen2 cars, there were too many safety cars and red phases during which energy management played almost no role. Correspondingly, there was little recuperation. In addition, during an interruption the race itself will be paused, unless the race director decides otherwise. This should ensure that in future the race is run over almost exactly the planned distance.

Are there pit stops?

During the first four seasons the drivers had to change cars because the drive batteries didn’t have the capacity to cover an entire race distance. From last season onwards this has been possible, so that every driver can now compete without a pit stop. But if there is a technical defect requiring repairs to be undertaken, the car can be driven into a special side lane—the pit—where minor repairs can be made. As a rule, and in contrast to other race series, this rarely happens in Formula E.

What is the Formula E race format? Are there special rules?

The ABB Formula E Championship races include several very innovative modules which generate more race action and are particularly familiar to younger generations of spectators who are accustomed to video games. They include, for example, the FANBOOST. Six days before the race, and up to 15 minutes before the start, fans can select their favorite driver. The five drivers who have been chosen by fans to qualify for the prized FANBOOST are awarded a substantial boost of additional power which they can apply during a five-second window in the second half of the race. It’s ideal for an important overtaking maneuver, for example. Since 2018, the races have also featured an Attack Mode. In order to launch the Attack Mode, drivers have to charge up their race car by diverging from the racing line and driving through the activation zone where they collect an additional 35 kW of power. In its first year, an extra 25 kW was available to drivers in the Attack Mode. Drivers who secure the additional power—that means speed—then have a couple of laps in which to use this power to drive in a more offensive manner. This gives them the chance to more easily overtake a few of the cars ahead of them. Spectators can spot the race cars currently in Attack Mode because their Halo systems (security bar over the cockpit) are illuminated.

What makes the series special for fans? What happens during a race weekend?

E-Village with festival character.

A unique feature for fans is the ability to directly influence the outcome of race via the FANBOOST. The event itself is carefully designed to reflect the needs of the spectators: the circuits are usually located in city centers and are easily accessible, while, before and after the race, attractions and activities focusing on e-mobility and the technology of the future are available for the whole family. There is also very close contact with the drivers: with everything from autograph hours through to the electric race itself, there are many ways in which the stars are directly involved.

Are the drivers professionals, and what did they do before Formula E was invented?

The drivers in Formula E are some of the best in the world. They started driving in karts as youngsters and, year for year, have usually been among the best of their generation worldwide. Only in Formula One will you find some race drivers who are better. However, in contrast to Formula One, you can’t “buy your way in” to Formula E. That means all 24 drivers currently on the Formula E circuit have been selected purely on the merits of their sporting performance. As a result, the overall quality is simply unique. All the drivers are total professionals, with several coming from Formula One. When time allows, some also drive in other race series, usually the World Endurance Championship WEC (e.g., 24 h Le Mans), or in the DTM, the German Touring Car Masters.

What can a driver do to be faster than their rivals?

On one hand, the team can make a difference through its preparations. Although the cars themselves are the same, the teams use their own drives or other manufacturers’ drives. It’s also possible to create several differences by means of the set up. The driver, in turn, is required to use the simulator to prepare well for each circuit. During the race itself, the actual elements which differentiate the drivers are the lines driven, behavior during duels, the feeling for how a situation or the circuit develops, and the tires. Energy management is also vital. The way the driver brakes, steers, and accelerates, as well as exactly where they do this, helps determine not only speed, but also power consumption. The aim is to use as little energy as possible to drive as fast as possible.

Why doesn’t Formula E drive on proper circuits like the other race series?

E-Prix Paris in the heard of the city

Historically, and at the beginning of the series in particular, it was difficult to build a race car suitable for standard racetracks, because you need lots of tight curves in which the drivers break often and sharply in order to recuperate as much energy as possible from braking. This rarely happens on a racetrack with fast curves. The founder of the series, Alejandro Agag, quickly realized that cities were anyway the ideal location for Formula E racing. This is because tightly bending circuits are good for recuperating energy, and also because the idea behind Formula E is to drive in city centers, rather than round circuits somewhere in the countryside. As the huge potential for electric vehicles primarily lies in cities—and this is a development which cities are encouraging—city racing is a good fit. Now at 14, season 6 offers the greatest number of E-Prix races to date. Three new circuits have been added to the race schedule: Seoul, Jakarta, and a course around the port of London where the season finishes with two races on a single weekend. London has already hosted ABB FIA Formula E races, but they were driven in Battersea Park.

Have any women driven in the races?

Susie Wolff as successful team leader

Yes. We have tried to support women in Formula E right from the start. To date, Swiss driver Simona De Silvestro (4 races), Italian Michela Cerruti (4), and Englishwoman Katherine Legge (2) have all been at the start. De Silvestro is currently also the reserve driver in team Porsche. Ex-Formula One test driver Susie Wolff is now the boss of team Venturi. Edo Mortara’s win in Hong Kong 2019 was the first in the history of top class racing in which a women was in charge of the winning team.

Where are the cars built?

Spark Technology and Dallara (an Italian chassis manufacturer) build the cars together and make them available to the teams. They will also be used in the 2021/22 season. Only prior to this last season will there be a further aerodynamic update: this year the cars remain effectively unchanged. Generation 3 cars will be introduced following the 2021/22 season and should once again reveal significant enhancements.

What can the teams influence, which elements are predetermined?

The teams are permitted to develop the e-motor, inverter, transmission, rear suspension, and software for the registered manufacturer. In addition, for each race they can jointly agree on a race strategy which is primarily determined by the layout of the particular circuit, the sequence and number of curves, braking zones, and straights, as well as the nature of the asphalt surface.

pit lane

Designed to produce thrilling races right from the start, Formula E is notable for its impressive variety, as well as its strong showing amongst the German manufacturers.

Why were the two races in Diriyah, near Riyadh, historic?

For the first time in an international series, works teams from the four major German premium manufacturers—Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche—competed against one another. This highlights the significance of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship to carmakers in terms of the technical innovations as well as their public image and commitment to zero emission mobility. This premiere was also exceptionally successful for the “Made in Germany” teams: in both races only cars with German powertrains secured top three placings, while on Saturday it was exclusively drivers in German works teams who stepped onto the podium.

How did the two new teams perform?

This was the debut weekend for the two famous Swabian marques, TAG Heuer Porsche and Mercedes-Benz EQ, who rank among the world’s most successful motorsports companies. They both immediately made their presence felt: in the first race German André Lotterer, driving for Porsche, stormed straight onto the podium, coming in second place, while at Mercedes, Belgian driver Stoffel Vandoorne came third in both races, putting his team at the top of the team rankings. These two marques made their debut under the guidance of two Austrian motorsport bosses—Styrian Fritz Enzinger at Porsche, and Viennese Toto Wolff for Mercedes.

Who was the weekend’s fastest man?

While it was the German manufacturers whose powertrains dominated in Saudi Arabia, when it came to the driving, it was the Brits who scooped the wins. Sam Bird (Envision Virgin Racing) won the season’s opening race, while fellow countryman Alexander Sims (BMW i Andretti Motorsport) was the victor of the E-Prix on Saturday. Sims was also the weekend’s fastest man: he secured pole position in both races so that, together with the last race of season five in New York, he has been unbeaten in the past three qualifiers – a record in the series. Sims now heads the driver rankings with 35 points.

What should you know about the recent victor, Alexander Sims?

Following his Formula E debut last season, and after two best times during testing in Valencia which had offered him a chance of victory in the first races, the Brit suffered an almost incredible run of bad luck, involving a range of technical issues as well as several collisions, most of which were beyond his control. It was only in New York at the end of the season that he was able to turn his ability into results, clinching second place in the final race. Up to just a few weeks before the start of the current season, his place in the team hadn’t been officially declared—driver Maximilian Günther had been confirmed weeks earlier. “But I prepared myself as if it had always been clear that I’d be at the start in Diriyah.” His expectations were equally ambitious, including his first victory in a formula race since the GP3 series in August 2013. Sims was joined on the podium by his teammate Günther. However, a 24-second penalty was imposed on the half-Austrian following the ceremony as he, like others, had overtaken a rival during a safety car period.

Why was “The Star-Spangled Banner” played although BMW was the winner?

For years BMW has worked with the American Andretti team, explaining why BMW i Andretti Motorsport drives under a US license. Michael Andretti, son of the legendary team founder Mario Andretti and himself an ex-Formula One driver, had the honor of joining Sims on the podium.

What about the performance of the drivers making their debut in Formula E?

The most conspicuous of the new drivers was Dutchman Nyck de Vries (Mercedes-Benz EQ) who crossed the finishing line sixth in both races. However, like many others, he was awarded time penalties, pushing him back into 16th place. But currently at number 9, he’s the best placed rookie in the championship rankings. James Calado (Panasonic Jaguar Racing) is eleventh, after pulling in 7th in the second race. The two motorsport drivers Brendon Hartley and Nico Müller, both with long and successful racing histories, made their Formula E debut with GEOX DRAGON. While the New Zealander could be happy with 9th place, problems prevented the Swiss DTM star from starting at all on Friday, and on Sunday he was forced to finish the race early.

What have the teams and fans discovered so far in this new calendar season?

The key finding: it’s as exciting and evenly balanced as in the legendary fifth season. During Qualifying as many as nine different teams made it into the top 10.

Championship rankings after two out of 14 races in season 6 (2019/20):

1st Sims (BMW i Andretti Motorsport) 35, 2nd Vandoorne (Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team) 30, 3rd Bird (Envision Virgin Racing) 26, 4th Rowland (Nissan e.dams) 22, 5th Di Grassi (Audi Sport ABT Schäffler) 18, 6th Lotterer (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) 18, 7th Mortara (ROKiT Venturi Racing) 18, 8th Frijns (Envision Virgin Racing) 10, 9th De Vries (Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team) 8, 10th Abt (Audi Sport ABT Schäffler) 8, 11th Calado (Panasonic Jaguar Racing) 6, 12th Vergne (DS TECHEETAH) 4, 13th Felix da Costa (DS TECHEETAH) 3, 14th D’Ambrosio (Mahindra Racing) 2, 15th Evans (Panasonic Jaguar Racing) 2, 16th Hartley (GEOX DRAGON) 2.

Team rankings:

1st Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team 38, 2nd Envision Virgin Racing 36, 3rd BMW i Andretti Motorsport 35, 4th Audi Sport ABT Schäffler 26, 5th Nissan e.dams  22, 6th TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team 18, 7th ROKit Venturi Racing  18, 8th Panasonic Jaguar  Racing 8, 9th DS DS TECHEETAH 7, 10th Mahindra Racing 2, 11th GEOX DRAGON 2, 12th NIO 333 FE Team 0.

The concept of sustainability is more than 300 years old. But its basic principle, namely, to act in ways that consider the potential depletion of natural resources in the long term, is becoming ever more significant. The newly developing synonym, so to speak, of sustainability—“think of your grandchildren”—has not yet become the go-to phrase, but it clearly expresses the goal of sustainable action. The “Report of the World Commission on the Environment and Development” also follows this logic.

Minimize Interventions in Nature

Initially, sustainability merely referred to a principle in forestry. Its core message: Never take more from nature than can grow back. We now know that it also is our responsibility to make adequate resources available for the generations coming after us—such as in the case of iron ore which, after all, is a raw material that does not “grow back.”

While iron ranks fourth on the list of the most widespread elements in the earth’s crust, mining it for economic purposes from workable deposits entails ever increasing expenditures: Cut away the overburden, separate ores with a low iron content and so-called wall rock and, frequently, endure long transportation routes to downstream processing sites. Additional resources are required for all of these steps. The smaller the quantity of “fresh” iron that must be produced to cover demand, the more sustainable our actions.

Lifelong Recycling

Steel’s status as a sustainable material benefits from its use in the closed materials cycle. For example, the World Steel Association (worldsteel) calculated that more than 25 billion tons of steel have been reused since 1900. This could help leave 35 billion tons of iron ore in the ground (a quantity that equates to the volume of ore mined in Brazil over a period of 80 years) at the level of 2017. Moreover, the recycling of steel has made it possible to not use 18 billion tons of coal for reducing the ore.

Hence recycling is one of the keys to the sustainable use of iron and steel, in turn confirming the life cycle assessment.

Sustainability in Numbers

• 37%: proportion of recycled steel contained in new steel products;
• 630 million tons: amount of annually recycled steel scrap; and
• 90%: average amount of steel used in cars that is recycled.

Worldwide, the steel industry converts one third of its base material into by-products for technological reasons. These, too, are sustainably recycled in a number of industries ranging from the construction to the electronics industry.

Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment

The complexity of our world no longer allows us to construe the concept of sustainability as referring only to the resource-efficient use of raw materials and energy. With the help of research and development, technologies and production facilities are continually optimized with respect to resource conservation, environmental compatibility, and efficiency.

voestalpine Conserves Resources

• 15%: This is the percentage by which voestalpine lowered the amount of energy it needs to produce one ton of crude raw steel between 1999 and 2015.
• 22%: This is the percentage by which the Group lowered the amount of technologically unavoidable CO₂ emissions in the past three decades.

Hence the company’s consistent optimization of production plants and processes has reached the threshold of CO₂ emissions that is possible in both technological and practical terms. No further significant reduction will be feasible as long as carbon (which is generated by blast furnace coke) is used to reduce the number of iron compounds in the ore. As a result, voestalpine is conducting research on new processes that open up new ways of producing steel based on sustainably generated hydrogen.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) refers to the analysis of products over their useful life and is an unequivocal indicator of sustainable practices. Applied to a material, LCA considers the use of resources associated with the material’s production, processing as well as reuse and recycling. The result is unequivocal: Steel is the most sustainable material among all non-renewable structural materials.

In the coming weeks, our blog will introduce you to other aspects of sustainability and their application in voestalpine, the technology group.

Links:

• Product Sustainability at voestalpine
• World Steel Association: Sustainability
• H2FUTURE—Pointing the Way to “Green Steel”

From research and development to the environment

The annual CR Report summarizes each measure and objective at voestalpine with regard to sustainability and shows how our Group implements its corporate responsibility.

The report covers the following areas:

• Stakeholder and CR management
• Product Sustainability
• Climate protection measures
• Transparency in the supply chain
• Integrity of business management
• Human rights
• Research and development
• Environment
• Employees
• Health and safety
• Company

In addition to the CR Report in German and English, an unabridged version in the form of the CR fact sheet has been published in 14 languages.

Sustainable Development Goals

These activities at voestalpine all help contribute to the sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015. 193 UN member states have committed themselves to these 17 goals to achieve global sustainability by 2030. At voestalpine, we are making a contribution to twelve of these goals (see fact box).

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

This CR Report has been prepared in accordance with the sustainability reporting standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the world’s most widely used and recognized framework for sustainability reporting.

Further information on this topic, the report and fact sheets can be downloaded at https://www.voestalpine.com/cr.

Order the CR Report 2019

Would you like to order your own printed copy of the CR Report? Please send an email and enter “CR Report” in the subject line. Include your name and your company address. Send the email to cr@voestalpine.com.

This year’s image shows the atoms of alloying elements used in the production processes of voestalpine. 

Weighing 1,000 tons, the new transfer press at voestalpine Automotive Components Schmölln would appear to have little to do with the topic of lightweight construction. However, its additional 500 tons of press force improves its ability to process high-strength steels.

High press force strengthens voestalpine lightweight construction

High-strength steels are playing an increasingly important role in lightweight automotive construction, as well as e-mobility, because they can be used to make thinner and therefore lighter components which simultaneously offer the same, or even enhanced, stability and crash performance. According to the Handelsblatt Research Institute study commissioned by voestalpine into the role of steel in electromobility, reducing the weight of a vehicle with a conventional combustion engine by 100 kg lowers its CO₂ emissions by 6 to 10 g for every kilometer driven. Consequently, the enhanced power of the press at voestalpine Automotive Components Schmölln is actively helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Huge press–hugely sustainable

The new, 3,000 ton press gives voestalpine Automotive Components Schmölln truly sustainable processing power. Its servo press technology allows the press to operate in an extremely resource-efficient manner.

“A key contributing factor to its lower energy consumption is the degree of freedom in the ram’s motion control, the so-called ram kinematics. Within its technological limits it is freely programmable, allowing, amongst others, throughput to be optimized whilst simultaneously increasing the energy efficiency.

Resource-friendly facility

The new, gigantic press has numerous other features which serve to make it more resource-friendly:

• Stand-by and automatic pauses for parts of the press not in use
• Energy management to even out peak loads, achieved by storing energy internally using rotatory storage media (motors)
• Fewer lossy elements (couplings, no link-drive mechanisms, flywheels, etc.)
• Minimum-lubrication strip oiling system which only applies a thin oil film where necessary

Series production from 2020

The new press at voestalpine Automotive Components Schmölln begins series production from the start of 2020. Under real operating conditions, and depending upon the components being produced, it should bring energy savings of over 15% compared to conventional presses. In addition, depending on the component, the minimum quantity lubrication reduces the volume of oil required by up to 20%. And last but not least, the colossus even offers impressive savings in terms of physical space: it has a surface area almost a third smaller than a conventional press. That’s heavyweight resource protection!

Sustainability with weight: the new transfer press at voestalpine Automotive Components Schmölln GmbH & Co. KG

The young Team Tumbleweed’s motto is fresh and motivating. As the Group stressed during the first phase of its collaboration with the young start-up, this should also describe tomorrow’s generation of voestalpine engineers. So what’s the next step?

Tumbleweed, a highly-efficient Mars rover

voestalpine supports young scientists

Initial testing with the Earth-grade version of Tumbleweed in the Oman desert revealed areas for improvement. Moritz Stephan, Julian Rothenbuchner, and their team, realized that the upgrades needed to include more stable connectors. This is where voestalpine BÖHLER Aerospace expertise in aerospace materials comes into play. “We discussed this as a team, and suggested 6 to 7 g components made from a titanium alloy. In fall 2019 we milled high-strength titanium connectors for the Mars rover which will be better suited for the task,” reports Alfred Krumphals, Project Leader at voestalpine BÖHLER Aerospace. voestalpine has provided the team with workshop space in Vienna in which to construct the new model, and this is where the next generation of Tumbleweeds will be assembled. However, the collaboration is a two-way street:

New challenges for a growing team

The team is now expanding. What was once a three-person start-up has now grown to over 30. Apart from the CEOs, who are currently studying in Stanford, USA, and Delft, NL, more young specialists in fields including development, marketing, programming, and 3D printing, have come on board. Even so, with an average age of less than 21, the Tumbleweed team is still probably one of the world’s youngest aerospace technology R&D teams.

The young team’s plans and goals remain ambitious as team member Amelie Finan reports:  “In October 2020 we start the next round of testing on the Earth-grade model in Israel’s Negev desert. Tumbleweed will then officially be part of the Austrian Space Forum’s AMADEE-20 mission, and our new prototype will make us an attractive partner for Mars missions.”

Tumbleweed roadmap to Mars

• November 2019: Beginning of development work on the Mars-grade prototype
• December 2019: Latest prototype of the Earth-grade model will be presented
• May 2024: Mars-grade prototype completed and approved; search for customers
• Late 2026: Production of 100 Tumbleweeds, launch of the first Mars mission

The third prototype of the Mars rover is scheduled to be presented in December 2019. As well as voestalpine BÖHLER Aerospace, the project is being supported by other prestigious companies including NVIDIA, and the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt.

voestalpine will continue to be involved and take a great interest in the project on its way to Mars.

Tumbleweed–a clever strategy

Tumbleweed is a term familiar to us from many Western films. In botany, this is a well-known diaspore strategy, with the plant balls driven by the wind. Once separated from their roots, this method enables plants–some taking the classic tumbleweed form–to cover large distances in just a short time.
The idea of using rolling research devices built on this principle first arose in the 1970s. Without the use of wheels or motors, they are able to complete their missions autonomously in inhospitable environments.

The first titanium connectors are milled: the team visits voestalpine BÖHLER Aerospace: Alfred Krumphals and Stefan Grandtner of voestalpine BÖHLER Aerospace (1st and 2nd from left), with Moritz Stephan and Julian Rothenbuchner, Team Tumbleweed (1st and 2nd from right).

Link: Team Tumbleweed website: https://www.teamtumbleweed.eu/

voestalpine allocates around 20 percent of its research and development budget to ecological innovations. They include the development of CO₂-neutral technologies for steel production, optimizing existing processes, and continuous improvements to raw materials and energy efficiency, as well as product developments in the field of lightweight automotive construction and electromobility.

To date, purely environmental expenditure has been focused above all on operative measures for air pollution control, and in the fields of waste and water. However, since the past business year, the financial burden resulting from the need to purchase CO₂ certificates has been clearly revealed. As a result of the 2018/19 price rise of 62% to over EUR 21, voestalpine expenditure on emissions trading certificates amounted to EUR 62 million, representing 23% of its budget–more than the 22% allocated to operative measures for reducing air emissions. Now having reached a price of around EUR 25 per ton of CO₂, the annual cost has already reached the EUR 100 million mark.

What is the aim of EU emissions trading?

The EU regards the Emissions Trading System (EU-ETS) as the key factor in its drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is designed to help achieve the 2030 goal of reducing greenhouse gases by 40% over 1990 levels–or even by 55%, according to the new EU Commission’s current plans for a “Green Deal”. For sectors subject to emissions trading, the target is currently a reduction of 43% over 2005 levels.

What is the Emissions Trading System and how does it work?

The Emissions Trading System was launched in 2005. It currently covers 31 states (until “Brexit” all EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway), with Switzerland joining in 2020.

The system prices and limits emissions from over 11,000 energy-intensive facilities, primarily in the power generation and manufacturing industries, as well as European airlines. It currently covers around 45% of greenhouse gases emitted in the EU, although whether this should be extended to include the transport sector in future is under discussion.

One certificate covers 1 ton of carbon dioxide emissions. Certificates are traded on special exchanges and in the capital markets; their price reflects not only the rules of supply and demand, but is also influenced by speculation. However, the overall number of issued certificates is limited, and will be gradually reduced through to 2030.

Emissions-intensive industries such as steel production are issued with a certain volume of emission rights at no charge (“free certificates”). This “carbon leakage” protection is intended to prevent certain industries from shifting their production to countries with less stringent climate protection regulations.

voestalpine and the trade in certificates

The volume of free certificates issued is measured against specific benchmarks, such as those for sinter and pig iron. However, even applying state-of-the-art production technologies, these values remain unattainable. According to Steel Association calculations, on average the values for pig iron are around 10% lower than the actual realistically achievable value. Consequently, the theoretical 100% carbon leakage protection (those achieving the “best values” will not need to purchase certificates) does not work in practice.

As an example, over the past three decades voestalpine has reduced its specific (i.e., relating to the quantity of crude steel produced) CO₂ emissions by more than 20%; even so, the Group will need to purchase around a third of its required certificates, both for the current period to 2020, and in the next trading period from 2021 to 2030 (i.e. for 4 to 4.5 million tons of CO₂ per year). The certificate price has risen over the past decade by more than 75%, to at least EUR 25. At this price level, this means an additional 45 million tons, and costs of over EUR 112 million for the coming national trading period.

As well as these direct costs, extra costs also accrue in the form of higher electricity prices, as the power generators pass on their certificate costs to customers. For that reason, a whole series of EU member states, plus Norway, are availing themselves of a particular EU directive allowing energy-intensive users to be compensated for electricity costs. This option has not been exploited in Austria to date, with result that there are competitive distortions within the EU market. Electrifying the existing blast furnace route via a hybrid steel plant with electric arc furnaces would, depending on the CO₂ price, be financially disadvantageous for voestalpine to the tune of anything from EUR 30 million to over EUR 70 million each year.

The certificates are brought into circulation via auctions at member state level. Consequently, the proceeds of these auctions flow directly into the national budgets. In 2018 these auctions generated proceeds of over EUR 14 billion, with only around EUR 208 million going to Austria. From voestalpine’s perspective, there are two key challenges. Firstly, the funds required to purchase CO₂ certificates are no longer available for companies to invest in decarbonization. For that reason, the proceeds generated from auctioning certificates should be redirected to the companies, and ring-fenced for funding concrete steps towards realizing CO₂-neutral production. And secondly, there should be uniform, EU-wide regulations on compensation for electricity costs.

Innovative alternatives at voestalpine

H2FUTURE: Weltweit größte grüne Wasserstoffpilotanlage

Objectively seen, further reductions in CO₂ emissions in steel production using conventional processes are limited. Consequently, as a technology group, voestalpine is researching into new production processes, and plans a series of intermediate steps on its path to achieving a long-term reduction in CO₂ emissions of over 80% by 2050. Read more about the key cornerstones of the Group’s decarbonization strategy on the voestalpine blog here.

Links:

• H2FUTURE:
  Link to https://www.voestalpine.com/group/en/media/press-releases/2019-11-11-h2future-worlds-largest-green-hydrogen-pilot-facility-successfully-commences-operation/
• Further information on the topic of voestalpine, energy, and climate available at: https://www.voestalpine.com/group/en/group/environment/energy-climate.html