Newsroom Tata Steel Nederland

Insight into every scrap load within minutes

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 13:15:35 +0200

“What we are doing here in IJmuiden is making the invisible visible. Nothing like this exists anywhere else in the world. This is truly state-of-the-art,” says Frank Schrama, Principal Researcher at Research & Development and the driving force behind the idea.

From laser to data

LIBS stands for Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy. It may sound complex, but the concept is surprisingly straightforward. A highly precise laser is directed at the scrap, vaporizing tiny particles of material. This creates plasma—a glowing cloud of ionized gas. By analyzing the light emitted by this plasma, it is possible to determine exactly which elements are present.

Frank explains: “To focus the laser with extreme precision, we use a mirror derived from space technology. It is one of the purest mirrors in the country, with a level of purity normally found only in satellites.”

Scanning without unloading

While traditional methods analyze only small samples of scrap on a conveyor belt, this innovation assesses entire, unsorted loads. “The truck drives into a high-tech tunnel, where the load is scanned without being unloaded,” Frank explains.

This saves time and makes the process significantly more efficient.

Combining laser technology and AI

The technology becomes even more powerful when combined with AI-enabled cameras. These cameras identify shapes, structures, and materials, and combine that information with the laser data. The result is a complete and reliable picture of the entire load.

“We perform up to 1,000 measurements per second. That allows us to know in real time exactly what a shipment contains,” says Frank.

Essential for more sustainable steel

Why is this so important? Scrap plays a crucial role in the production of more sustainable steel, and we aim to increase the amount of scrap used in our processes. However, scrap can sometimes contain unwanted materials, such as copper or even remnants of car tyres. These contaminants can affect the quality of new steel.

“To meet our high quality standards, we need to know the exact composition of the scrap,” says Frank. “With the LIBS portal, we will be able to determine that immediately upon arrival.”

Next steps

The technology was successfully tested at our IJmuiden site in March, and the initial results are promising. Later this year, a temporary, simplified portal will be introduced, with a full-scale permanent version expected around 2029.

One thing is certain: the future of steel will not only be greener, but also much smarter—and it starts with what we can already see today.

European collaboration

The LIBS portal is part of the European DiGreeS project, which focuses on making steel production greener. Various European partners are collaborating on this initiative, including Spectral Industries, BFI, K1-MET and SZTAKI. Fraunhofer, Voestalpine and Saarstahl are also participating in the DiGreeS project.

With support from the European Union, we are working together to develop innovative technologies for the steel industry of the future.

Tata Steel and ECOLOG are collaborating on a liquid hydrogen and CO2 corridor between Norway and Amsterdam.

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 12:25:00 +0100

In short:

Tata Steel Netherlands and Ecolog are exploring the import of liquid hydrogen and the export of liquid CO2.
The partnership was formalized as part of a working visit by His Majesty the King and Minister Hermans.
Advanced technologies could lead to significant energy savings.
CO2 capture and hydrogen use are key components of Tata Steel's Green Steel initiative.

In collaboration with the Norwegian producer Gen2 Energy and the Port of Amsterdam, Tata Steel and ECOLOG have entered into an agreement to explore the import of liquid hydrogen. The hydrogen in this project is produced in Norway from hydropower. Subsequently, this hydrogen is cooled to liquefy it and then shipped in specialized vessels owned by ECOLOG. The liquid hydrogen is then transported to ECOLOG's terminal at the Port of Amsterdam and converted back into a gaseous state. Following this, the hydrogen can be delivered to Tata Steel and other companies via the planned pipeline network.

Carbon Capture
In the production of steel, even in the new Green Steel installations, a small amount of CO2 is still emitted. This quantity of CO2 is only a fraction of what is emitted in the production of coal-based steel. By capturing and storing this CO2, Tata Steel aims to produce climate-neutral steel. During the King's visit, Tata Steel and ECOLOG signed a second agreement, along with Horisont Energi, the Port of Amsterdam, OCAP, the Norwegian bank DNB, and ABN AMRO, to explore a CO2 corridor. CO2 from Amsterdam will be exported to Norway. The CO2 will be captured at Tata Steel and other companies in the region. The cold energy released during the conversion of liquid hydrogen to gas at ECOLOG's terminal will be used to liquefy the CO2 at the same location. In this form, the CO2 can be transported by ship to Horisont Energi's import terminal in Norway, where it will be permanently stored. This creates a liquid hydrogen/CO2 corridor, with efficient management of energy.

Dutch-Norwegian Collaboration
These two agreements build on the strong collaboration between the Norwegian and Dutch governments in the energy sector. King Willem Alexander's and Minister Hermans' working visit focused on various themes, including hydrogen, CO2 storage, and infrastructure. The exploration of liquid hydrogen/CO2 corridors will further strengthen the collaboration between the two countries, with the intended establishment of a structural connection between the Port of Amsterdam and Norway, making a clear contribution to the shared goal of CO2 reduction.

About ECOLOG
ECOLOG is a company focused on the transportation of CO2 and liquid hydrogen. The company is committed to achieving a net-zero economy and supports actions against climate change. ECOLOG develops carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) value chains, as well as liquid hydrogen (LH₂) solutions. The company’s infrastructure is designed to facilitate the decarbonization of society.

About Tata Steel Nederland
Tata Steel Nederland is one of Europe’s leading steel producers. The company supplies high-quality steel products to the most demanding markets, including construction, automotive, packaging and engineering. Tata Steel Nederland works with customers to develop new steel products that give them a competitive edge. Tata Steel Nederland has sites in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and elsewhere in Europe and is part of the Indian Tata Steel Group, one of the world’s largest steel companies. Tata Steel Nederland recorded a turnover of 6.9 billion euros in the financial year ending 31 March, 2022. Tata Steel Nederland is working on producing steel with zero carbon emissions by 2045. It will do so by switching to producing steel by using hydrogen instead of coal.

Tata Steel Nederland and Lindab: MoU for Zeremis Green Steel

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 13:58:00 +0200

Lindab develops and manufactures sustainable ventilation systems. Approximately 80 to 95 percent of the environmental impact of Lindab’s products and around 50 percent of Lindab’s total emissions come from steel. At the same time, steel is essential in the production of ventilation systems, offering significant benefits; steel has a long lifespan, is highly recyclable, and is non-flammable.

"Lindab aims to contribute to a better global climate. To be successful in this mission, we must collaborate with the right partners to minimize the impact in our supply chain. We see Tata Steel as such a partner, and we formalize this with this framework agreement," says Matilda Isaksson, Group Sustainability Manager at Lindab.

Significant CO2 Reduction

“We are pleased with this declaration of intent and the continuation of sustainable co-innovation with Lindab," says Stefan Landesz, Commercial Director of the Business Unit Colors at Tata Steel Nederland. Landesz adds: "We have a long-standing relationship with Lindab. By purchasing high-quality green steel from Tata Steel, Lindab chooses to buy steel that will be produced even cleaner and more environmentally friendly in the future.”

With the transition to clean, green and circular steel, Tata Steel Nederland is embarking on the biggest transformation in the company's history. This will significantly reduce CO2 emissions. The production of green steel will be achieved using Direct Reduced Iron technology (DRI), which will initially operate on natural gas and later switch to hydrogen, once it becomes affordable and available. This new technology requires substantial investments and a different steel production process. We expect to reduce CO2 emissions by 30 to 40 percent by 2030, with the goal of producing completely carbon-neutral steel by 2045.

Dutch energy-intensive industry presents Aurora report on rising network costs to Minister of Climate and Green Growth

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 07:54:00 +0200

Aurora Energy Research has found that network costs in the Netherlands will continue to rise over the coming decades, in a study commissioned by Tata Steel, Shell, Nyrstar, bp, Sabic, and Chemelot. The Aurora report, "Grid Fee Outlook for the Netherlands 2045," reveals that electricity network rates in the Netherlands are diverging even more from those of neighbouring countries than previously reported.

View Aurora's news item and the entire report here.

Network costs in the Netherlands are regulated by the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) and cover transmission and system services. In the past two years, costs have nearly tripled, rising from 897 mn € to 2.5 bn € in 2024, primarily due to adjustments for high energy prices in 2022. Tennet, the Dutch transmission system operator (TSO), expects that costs will only decrease slightly in 2025 and 2026, as lower energy costs are partially offset by rising investments in the grid (offshore) and prepayments for future energy cost adjustments.

Discounts in neighboring countries
The Aurora study provides a forecast of total network costs towards 2045. These are translated into network rates for two typical consumption profiles: a flexible consumption profile of 3,000 full load hours and a base load consumption profile of 8,000 hours. The study shows that network rates in Germany, Belgium, and France are currently often more than 80% lower than in the Netherlands for both types of consumers. By 2030, Aurora expects that network rates in the Netherlands will remain higher than those of neighbouring countries for base load consumers; 15 times higher than in France, 6 times higher than in Germany, and 4 times higher than in Belgium. For flexible consumption, derived from new electrification technologies such as e-boilers and electrolysers, network rates remain up to 7 times higher than abroad, hindering the energy transition.

The Dutch coalition parties strive for a level playing field for the industry. Aurora’s study shows that the Dutch energy-intensive industry will incur significantly higher network rates in 2024, and without intervention, the competitive position will further deteriorate towards 2045. To bring the network rates for large consumers in line with those in neighbouring countries, over 300 mn € annually is currently needed, growing to more than 500 mn € by 2030.

Representatives of the involved companies and Aurora presented the report to Minister Hermans of Climate and Green Growth on August 14. In an accompanying letter, the companies request the minister to develop measures for both the short and long term to ensure that network costs in the Netherlands align with those of other European countries.

Jeroen Klumper, director Sustainability Tata Steel Netherland, stated:
“Tata Steel Netherlands wants and can contribute to the earning capacity and sustainability in the Netherlands. Our plan for making Green Steel has the potential to be one of the driving forces of the economy of the future. We are now seeing a decline in competitiveness due to rising network costs, among other things. This stands in the way of electrification and therefore the energy transition. The industry wants to contribute to making the Netherlands more sustainable. It must be clear that the investments will also pay off. Reasonable network costs that are in line with our neighboring countries are of great importance. Fortunately, the government recognizes the situation. I therefore hope that they use the results of this report when drawing up policy for the coming years."

Jesse Hettema, Head of the Netherlands & Belgium, at Aurora Energy Research, added:
“Rising grid fees risk becoming the showstopper in the energy transition. Lowering fees is required to enable electrification of industry, which is essential to continue the build out of renewables. "

Björn Hofman, Associate at Aurora Energy Research, added:
“The newly elected government indicated the ambition to pursue a more level playing field, which they can realise, but will come with a price tag. We hope this study will help in the understanding and in facilitating the discussion around the harmonisation of grid fees.”

Photo caption: Representatives of the energy-intensive industry present the Aurora report to Minister Hermans. In the photo, from left to right: Guido Smit (Shell), Jeroen Klumper (Tata Steel Netherlands), Sophie Hermans (Minister of Climate and Green Growth), Henk Leenders (Nyrstar), and Jesse Hettema (Aurora).

Tata Steel Nederland publishes 2023-2024 Annual Report

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 13:17:53 +0200

Results
Tata Steel recorded a negative result of EUR 556 million in the 2023-2024 financial year ending on 31 March 2024. In 2022-2023, Tata Steel recorded a net profit of 352 million euros.

In the annual report, Van den Berg speaks of a very challenging year: "The market deteriorated, with relatively high costs for energy and raw materials. This had a major impact on our financial results." In addition, there were delays in maintenance and renewal of installations.

Turnover and production

Turnover amounted to EUR 5.9 billion, compared to EUR 7.2 billion in 2022-2023. Tata Steel produced 4.8 million tons of steel this year. Last year, that was 6.3 million tons.

An important factor in the decline in turnover and production was the renovation of Blast Furnace 6. The costs amounted to between 500 and 540 million euros (capex).

Tata Steel has managed to minimise the impact of the renovation of Blast Furnace 6 on production by, among other things, building up a substantial steel stock in advance to compensate for the (temporary) lower production. Tata Steel has also purchased steel made elsewhere and further processed it itself for sale. In addition, Tata Steel has been able to increase production at Blast Furnace 7.

Anticipation of deteriorating market development in 2023

Last year, Tata Steel was unfortunately forced to anticipate various trends and developments that would put pressure on turnover and results. That is why it was announced in November 2023 that 800 jobs would go. Van den Berg: "This was an extremely difficult decision, but necessary to maintain our competitive position during the transition and to realise the Green Steel plan."

Job cuts have been reduced to 580. As such, Tata Steel adheres to the Employment Pact and there will be no forced redundancies. We do this by not filling vacancies and no longer hiring external staff. We also have natural staff turnover due to colleagues retiring, among other things.

Undiminished commitment to sustainability and reducing dust, odour and noise

In the 2023-2024 financial year, Tata Steel continued to focus on sustainability and reducing dust, odour and noise. From 2030, Tata Steel will switch to producing steel without coal and coke. Blast Furnace 7 will be the first to be replaced with installations that run on natural gas and hydrogen. Coking and Gas Plant 2 will then also close. Blast Furnace 6 will be shut down when the second phase of Tata Steel's Green Steel plan comes into effect. This is expected to be around 2035.

Click here to continue to the full 2023-2024 annual report.

Tata Steel Nederland launches steel with high recycled content to support customers’ circularity goals

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0200

“We believe that together with our customers, we can make meaningful strides towards more sustainable production today. We are proud to introduce Zeremis Recycled to those who want to advance circularity and enhance the value retention of steel. By using Zeremis Recycled, customers can claim the recycled content value at the product level,” said Tom Eussen, member of the Board of Management of Tata Steel Nederland and Managing Director of Tata Steel IJmuiden.

“Steel has a very long life cycle in which it remains in use for a long time and is reused for generations. In the quest for improved circularity , it is crucial that steel retains its value with every use,” Eussen continued. “As we believe circularity and high-quality steel can go hand in hand, our focus is on value retention and preventing scrap downcycling. We see significant potential to achieve this through our existing asset configuration and, from 2030 onwards, through our DRP-EAF combination, which will ensure that scrap returns as advanced steels meeting the quality standards set by our customers.”

While Tata Steel transforms to complete decarbonisation, Zeremis enables customers to act now
In the coming years, Tata Steel Nederland will transform into a green, clean, and circular steel company. Through its Green Steel Plan, which includes a 40% CO₂ reduction by 2030 and increase in circularity via greater use of steel scrap, the company aims to produce a high-quality product portfolio living up to customers’ expectations while achieving complete CO₂ neutrality by 2045.

The launch of Zeremis Recycled is part of Tata Steel’s sustainability strategy and aims to enable customers to reduce their environmental footprint immediately. The company is committed to expanding its product offerings with enhanced sustainability performance.

Earlier, Tata Steel introduced Zeremis^® Carbon Lite, steel with an allocated carbon footprint reduction of up to 90%¹⁾, and Zeremis^® Delivered, the option for customers to receive their steel orders through lower-emission transportation methods. Customers also have the opportunity to secure Zeremis low carbon steel from the new steelmaking route that the company plans to deploy in 2030.

Third-party assurance ensures sustainability approach
Initially, Zeremis Recycled offers 30% recycled content, contributing to a reduction of 0.2 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of steel. The increased recycled content is achieved by adding additional scrap to the company’s steelmaking process and allocating this increase to a limited amount of steel. The percentage increase in scrap use is assured by independent assurance expert DNV in accordance with the GHG protocol and ISO standards. This mass balance approach has been developed with sustainability-driven customers.

¹⁾ Zeremis^® Carbon Lite is steel with an allocated carbon footprint reduction of up to 90%. This is the maximum reduction for the sum of scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. For the sum of scope 1 and 2 emissions, this represents a 100% reduction.

T.V. Narendran, CEO of Tata Steel Ltd: “In the Netherlands it's also about health, and not just about reducing CO2 emissions”

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 16:14:14 +0200

“In the Netherlands, it's not just about reducing CO2 emissions, but it’s also about health,” says Narendran. “Until a few years ago, the focus was mainly on green steel production in the future. Now, the conversation is also about how clean you are while making steel in the present. It's something we're committed to.”

This month, the Dutch government received the green light from the Dutch parliament to negotiate with Tata Steel Nederland about making the steel production in IJmuiden more sustainable. The Green Steel Plan includes the replacement of Blast Furnace 7 and Coke Oven Plant 2 with a Direct Reduction Plant (DRP) and an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) by 2030, reducing CO2 emissions by 40%.

“Not easy, but we are confident”
“We will do everything we can to achieve this transition in the quickest possible time and the most technically feasible way,” says Narendran. He acknowledges that it won't be easy, pointing out the challenges of renovating Blast Furnace 6 in the past year. “This project (the Green Steel Plan) is more than five times larger and even more complex. At the same time, restoring the trust of the community and support for the renovation is crucial.”

Narendran also notes that the government will be keeping a close eye on the renovation and will intervene if necessary. “And that is correct. But I am confident. We have the advantage of being able to make full use of the knowledge and experience we have gained in India over the past decades in building new installations, also for IJmuiden. And as management, we will also keep an eye on the ball because the board is in nature an operational board.”

Rationale behind government subsidy
Narendran is clear about the rationale behind government subsidies for the European steel industry, summing up: “For any sector that is in transition and that we consider strategically important, government support in some form is not uncommon. Look at the automotive sector, would there be electric cars on the road now without subsidies? Or take the energy sector: would our solar panels and wind turbines have been commercially viable without any support in the early stages?”

The second argument is a level playing field. “How can Tata Steel Nederland remain competitive [without support], when 40% to 60% of the capital support for the green project has already been allocated by the governments in Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, or the United Kingdom?”

Finally, Narendran believes that subsidies from European governments for their steel companies are the most cost-effective way to reduce CO2 and achieve their climate goals. “With the state support that various European governments have pledged, they expect to achieve the greatest CO2 reduction benefit.”

Do you find this interesting? Have a look at this article:

T.V. Narendran, CEO Tata Steel Ltd: “I believe we need to change as a steel company”

Tata Steel advances Green Steel plan: basic engineering contracts awarded to Danieli and Tenova

Mon, 27 May 2024 10:00:00 +0200

“Steel is the metal of the energy transition. For more than a century, it has been applied in buildings, trains, and all kinds of utensils, and more recently in wind turbines, solar panels, electrolysers, hydrogen pipes, and electric cars. The demand for steel remains, with an increasing need for recycled and sustainably produced steel,” said Hans van den Berg, CEO of Tata Steel Nederland. “Due to our location on the North Sea, IJmuiden is one of the best locations in Europe to make the transition to a more responsible steel production – clean, green, and more circular. And we are working hard to realise that ambition.”

“At the same time, we are committed to the call of our stakeholders to further minimise the impact of our company on the immediate living environment at an accelerated pace. This is also in our interest. A cleaner steel production and combating climate change cannot tolerate any delay.”

Commitment to further reducing impact
Last year, Tata Steel sharpened its Green Steel plan. The plan has a clear timeline, goals, and endpoint. Health and climate play a prominent role in it. The plan explicitly addresses the concerns of local residents and other stakeholders in the IJmond area.

At the end of April, the Dutch government formally decided that it wanted to implement Tata Steel’s plans to become more sustainable more quickly. Now that the government has formally decided what the negotiating mandate of outgoing Dutch Minister Adriaansens of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and outgoing State Secretary Heijnen for Infrastructure and Water Management is, negotiations have started with Tata Steel to lead to a legally binding and enforceable tailor-made agreement.

Tata Steel’s focus is now entirely on the first phase of its Green Steel plan. Once the tailor-made agreement with the Dutch government is in place, the company can begin ordering long lead items based on the progressed engineering work, ensuring it is on track for 2030.

Pathway to complete CO₂ neutrality by 2045
In the coming years, Tata Steel Nederland will transform into a clean, green, and circular steel company. The company aims to produce the full product portfolio without compromising on quality and to become completely CO₂ neutral by 2045, as one of the first major steelworks in the world.

Tata Steel will implement its Green Steel plan in three stages. The first stage will go into operation by as soon as 2030 and consists of 1 DRP and 1 EAF replacing Blast Furnace 7 and Cokes and Gas Plant 2 (KGF2). This means 40% less CO₂ emissions. The company also wants to take measures to further reduce emissions and particulate matter, and use more scrap in the production of steel (from 17% to 30%).

In the second phase of its transition, Tata Steel aims to close Blast Furnace 6 and Cokes and Gas Plant 1 (KGF1), which will result in a total CO₂ reduction of approximately 80%. In the following years towards 2045, Tata Steel will become completely CO₂ neutral.

Service Centre Gelsenkirchen is Tata Steel Nederland’s third CO2-neutral location

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 09:16:00 +0200

The Gelsenkirchen site is part of Tata Steel Nederland’s Downstream business and is already the third European site of the steel manufacturer to achieve carbon neutrality in its production. This milestone follows the footsteps of the company’s service centres in Naantali, Finland, and Halmstad, Sweden.

“I am incredibly proud of our entire team, which has contributed with great commitment to ensure we operate CO₂-neutral with regard to everything directly linked to our production,” explains Carlos Alván Peña, Managing Director of the Gelsenkirchen Service Centre.

In Gelsenkirchen, around 130 employees process advanced and high-strength steels primarily from Tata Steel’s mill in IJmuiden, the Netherlands, for customers in industries such as automotive, white goods, and construction. Operating a modern production facility, they cut steel coils into strips and sheets of various sizes facilitating the production of pressed parts, profiles and tubes, for example.

Road to a CO₂-neutral site
“Our journey towards CO₂-neutrality began in 2022 with an interdisciplinary team mapping the site’s carbon footprint to identify potential savings,” continues Alván Peña. Since then, the site initially switched to CO₂-neutral liquified gas and subsequently began to use only CO₂-neutral propellant. Together with purchasing colleagues in IJmuiden, Gelsenkirchen ensured that today only renewable energies are purchased from a regional energy supplier.

Alván Peña: “These three steps have ensured that our site has now received the certificate for CO₂ neutrality. This is a massive milestone for us.”

Gelsenkirchen’s achievement aligns with Tata Steel Nederland’s goal of becoming completely CO₂-neutral by 2045. “In addition to major projects, such as the transformation to the production of green steel in IJmuiden, we are also working in other areas to become a more sustainable operating steel company,” explains Gunilla Saltin, Board Member of Tata Steel Nederland and Managing Director of the company’s Downstream business. “Our drive for sustainability in our downstream supply chain has great potential and we are pleased that our colleagues in Gelsenkirchen have taken a big step in this direction. Work is ongoing to ensure that also the other Downstream sites become CO₂-neutral.”

Focus on enhanced circularity and energy independence
Looking ahead, the Gelsenkirchen Service Centre aims to intensify its focus on enhanced circularity, energy independence, waste reduction, and decreased paper consumption. For example, charging stations for electric vehicles were installed in March 2024 and the company is working on introducing Zeremis^® Delivered, the eco-friendly delivery service which was launched by Tata Steel Nederland in November 2023. This enables customers to reduce their scope 3 emissions¹⁾ and other emissions associated with steel transport. It is currently available to customers located within a 300-kilometer driving distance of the Tata Steel sites in the Netherlands and Belgium – including customers in Germany which are within that range. Furthermore, the Gelsenkirchen Service Centre is investigating whether it can enable its suppliers to use fossil-free energy powered trucks.

¹⁾ Greenhouse gas emissions are categorised into three groups or ‘Scopes’ by the GHG Protocol. Scope 1 covers direct emissions from owned or controlled sources. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company. Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain.

The report by Wijers and Blom provides a solid foundation for further discussions

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:43:31 +0100

We appreciate the confirmation in the report that our Green Steel plan is well substantiated and has a high chance of success. In our plan we have placed great emphasis on further reducing emissions and nuisance for the local community. In addition, the plan contains key health measures, including further reducing particulate matter and nitrogen emissions. This was also one of the recommendations from the RIVM report.

We support Wijers and Blom’s position that it is particularly important to make rapid progress. That is why we and the government are working intensively together on the preparations for the permit process. The customised programme that we are discussing with the Dutch government is an important condition for the Green Steel plan. It is of great importance for the future of Tata Steel in the Netherlands and for the social and economic value we create. We are in continuous discussions about this with the local community and all other stakeholders.

To make our Green Steel plan a success, we need our own knowledge, commitment and resources, as well as the financial and policy support of the Dutch government. Within Europe, attention must be paid to the affordability of energy and network costs. We are concerned that these rising costs are currently only imposed in the Netherlands, causing Dutch industrial parties to incur higher costs every year that companies in other European countries do not have. A level playing field is essential for us to make the transition to Green Steel.

We look forward to continuing our discussions with the government and reaching further agreements and cannot wait to take the first concrete steps in building a clean, green and more circular steel factory.

Tata Steel and GEDIA sign MOU for strategic supply of Zeremis green steel

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 13:00:00 +0100

Initially, Tata Steel intends to provide GEDIA with Zeremis^® Carbon Lite – steel with an allocated carbon footprint reduction of up to 90%¹⁾. It is envisaged that the supply will transition to Zeremis embodied green steel when the IJmuiden steelworks adopts its new steelmaking route. In addition, to further decarbonise GEDIA’s value chain in the shorter term, the companies also agreed to explore opportunities to reduce emissions associated with steel transportation.

“This MOU stands out for its long-term nature and size. With that, it reflects GEDIA’s strong commitment to drive sustainability in the automotive sector and expresses confidence in Tata Steel’s Green Steel plan,” said Heather Wijdekop, Commercial Director of Tata Steel IJmuiden. “While the need is evident, we cannot decarbonise industries and value chains overnight. Zeremis Carbon Lite therefore offers a bridging solution until embodied green steel becomes available. We share GEDIA’s ambitions and are pleased to contribute to their goals, elevating our almost 15 years of partnership to new heights. By working together with our value chain, we can increase the speed of the transition to green steel.”

Klaus Bierwirth, Chief Commercial Officer and Member of the Executive Board of GEDIA Automotive Group, added: “GEDIA joined the initiative of various car manufacturers years ago. We are committed to the Paris Climate Agreement and aim for CO₂ neutrality by 2032. To achieve this, a company like ours not only needs the necessary technologies but also a promising partner by its side. We have found this in Tata Steel. The signing of the MOU attests to many years of trusting cooperation and, at the same time, marks the beginning of a significant new path towards climate neutrality.”

Transforming to a leading producer of green, clean and circular steel
As one of Europe's foremost steel producers, Tata Steel Nederland aims to develop into a leading producer of green, clean, and circular steel in the coming years. The company has set ambitious targets, including a 40% reduction in CO₂ emissions by 2030, coinciding with the commissioning of its first DRP and EAF installations, and complete carbon neutrality by 2045. Tata Steel also intends to increase the use of scrap to approximately 30% of the total annual production by 2030.

In alignment with its sustainability objectives, the company recently expanded its offering with the introduction of Zeremis^® Delivered. This service provides customers the option to receive their steel orders via lower emissions transportation methods, reducing their scope 3 emissions²⁾ and other emissions associated with steel transportation. Initially, Zeremis Delivered will be available to customers within a 300-kilometer driving distance from Tata Steel’s sites in the Netherlands and Belgium. The eco-friendly delivery option will be further developed to include longer range solutions and other modes of transportation.

¹⁾ This is the maximum reduction for the sum of scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. For the sum of scope 1 and 2 emissions, this represents a 100% reduction.
²⁾ Greenhouse gas emissions are categorised into three groups or ‘Scopes’ by the GHG Protocol. Scope 1 covers direct emissions from owned or controlled sources. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company. Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain.

T.V. Narendran, CEO Tata Steel Ltd: “I believe we need to change as a steel company”

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 12:42:51 +0100

“I regularly spend one or more days in the Netherlands,” says Narendran. “Not only for formal meetings, but also to talk with people who are directly or indirectly involved with the company and our IJmuiden steelworks.”

A lot has happened around Tata Steel Nederland in recent years. In a business sense with, for example, COVID-19, the war in Ukraine and the European economic situation, but especially with regard to the position of the company in the local community. Narendran: “The latter in particular has my attention. I want to understand the situation and the concerns as best as possible. For me, every visit is about listening and learning.”

Proud of IJmuiden

“The IJmuiden steelworks is one that we have always been proud of,” says Narendran when talking about Tata Steel’s largest operation outside India. “It is a factory that has generally done very well, financially and operationally. It is also a site with a future.”

Europe is valuable to Tata Steel, and Narendran sees the Netherlands as a bridgehead. In Europe the company faces an advanced market. Customers are critical and demanding. “Europe is clearly undergoing an important transition. The questions and expectations of society, government, customers and local residents are changing. We cannot and must not ignore this. In this sense, Europe is ahead of India, because concerns about the climate and living environment will also come into play there.”

“But to manage expectations: we can be the cleanest and greenest steel company in the world, we will always be a steel company. So there will never be zero noise or emissions. A steel manufacturing operation will never become an electronics factory.”

Strategic advantage

Talking about the importance of steel and the transition to green steel, Narendran calls for government support: “Steel is inextricably linked to the world we live in. Without steel there would be no washing machines, food and homes or home furnishings. Without steel, there would be no green energy, sustainable industry or electric transport. And not a single steel company in the world can realise the transition we all want to make without government support. That applies to the entire steel industry, not just to us. You now see this happening elsewhere as well. Moreover, over the years you have seen that governments have played and wanted to play an active role in transitions in general.”

Narendran believes that Tata Steel Nederland has a strategic advantage to successfully make the transition to green steel: “The factory is a leader in the industry and is located in one of the best locations in Europe for the future. Due to our location on the coast and our own seaport, we have direct access to sea and therefore the supply of raw materials and a good connection to customers. Wenckebach saw this very clearly 100 years ago when he founded this site. And soon there will also be a direct connection with offshore wind power.”

Narendran believes it is only logical that the Dutch government asks many critical questions in that process. “Their view is not essentially different from that of banks or Tata Steel itself. However, apart from the money we will put in our Green Steel plan ourselves, we will need government support, just like our competitors in Germany, Belgium and France. And while we establish a European level playing field as much as possible, I understand that the Dutch government will hold us even more accountable for our responsibility to become more sustainable and that there must be confidence in our intentions.”

Europe leads as a green steel market

In the 35 years that Narendran has worked in the industry, he has learned that it is important to be alert to disruptions – from new players or from more strategically operating countries and regions. “These are not new phenomena in themselves. You must continue to look at where your own added value lies. It is constantly shifting,” he says.

Narendran analysing: “The U.S. steel company Nucor, for example, decided to use the electric arc furnace at the end of the 1970s and to work in a new way. It is now one of the most valuable steel companies in the world. From the late 1980s onwards, a large part of the aluminum industry shifted to the Middle East because that region focused on lower energy costs. Something that seems to become even more important in the future.”

Against the backdrop of the shifting dynamics in the global steel industry, Narendran believes in Europe: “Combined with the sophistication of the European market and the CO2 policy framework, I think Europe has an advantage over the rest of the world.”

“For example, we can shift the value of steel more from the value of raw materials to the value of steel for customers. With a deeper customer embedding and through value analysis and value engineering, we can help our customers better utilise the added value of steel. As Tata Steel and Tata Steel Nederland, we can certainly lead the way in this. That is good for the company, for the Netherlands and India, for our prosperity and from a geopolitical point of view,” Narendran concludes.

Tata Steel announces next steps in its ambitious transformation to green steelmaking in the UK

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 14:28:02 +0100

Tata Steel Nederland is its own entity within Tata Steel Ltd. Since a split in October 2021, it is no longer affiliated with Tata Steel UK. In the Netherlands, we submitted our refined Green Steel plan to the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate at the beginning of November 2023. We continue our transition to a greener, cleaner and more circular way of making steel in the IJmond. That is why we, together with our parent company, are also in intensive discussions with the ministry about the so-called tailor-made process.

Our refined Green Steel plan must contribute to achieving Dutch and European climate objectives, reducing our impact on the immediate environment and making Tata Steel the Netherlands and the Netherlands more circular. Compared to the previous plan, the tightened plan places more emphasis on the environment, focusing on a different technology, but with the same climate ambition.

In the refined plan we reconfirm that the Cooking and Gas Factory 2 (KGF2) will close by 2029 at the latest and Blast Furnace 7 will close when our first new green steel installations (a so-called Direct Reduced Iron technology (DRI) combined with an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF)) will be ready - in 2030. This means 40% less CO2 emissions. We also want to take further measures to further reduce emissions and drift of particulate matter and use more scrap in the production of steel (from 17% to 30%). In the next phase of our turnaround, we want to close Blast Furnace 6 and Cooking and Gas Factory 1.

The so-called 'final investment decision' for the Green Steel plan will be taken once the customized agreement and permits have been obtained.

For more information about the company’s steps in the UK: Tata Steel announces next steps towards its ambitious transformation from blast furnaces to green steelmaking in the UK and initiates statutory consultation.

Photo: The blast furnace on the Tata Steel UK factory site in Port Talbot.

Tata Steel and SNOP sign MOU for Zeremis green steel supply

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 13:30:00 +0100

“An agreement of this duration and size is testament to SNOP's commitment to driving sustainability in the automotive industry and to their confidence in our green steel plan. We are pleased to take our partnership to the next phase,” said Heather Wijdekop, Commercial Director at Tata Steel IJmuiden. “We observe a growing interest in steel with a lower environmental footprint. The automotive industry is looking to reduce the carbon footprint of its entire value chain and steel is a key enabler. SNOP clearly shows their understanding of the importance of steel and their commitment to their net-zero target.”

Jan Selbach, Senior Director Purchasing at SNOP, added: “Reaching this long-term agreement has been a great achievement for all parties involved and signals the continuation of our longstanding relationship. Tata Steel is an important supplier, and we are delighted to collaborate with them to achieve our goal of reducing our supply chain emissions and reaching net zero by 2050. We are looking forward to further cooperation on the transition to a green, clean, circular future with our trusted partners in the steel industry.”

Transforming to become a leading producer of clean, green and circular steel
As one of Europe's foremost steel producers, Tata Steel Nederland is diligently working towards transforming the company into a clean, green, and circular steel producer. The company's objectives include reducing its CO₂ emissions by 40% by 2030, coinciding with the commissioning of the first DRP and EAF installations, and achieving complete carbon neutrality by 2045. The company also aims to increase the use of scrap to approximately 30% of the total annual production by 2030.

As part of its ambitions, the company expanded its sustainability solutions to customers last month and introduced Zeremis^® Delivered – the option for customers to receive their steel orders through lower-emission transportation methods. The service enables customers to reduce their scope 3 emissions²⁾, along with other emissions linked to the transportation of steel. Initially, Zeremis Delivered will be available to customers located within a 300-kilometer driving distance from Tata Steel’s sites in the Netherlands and Belgium.

¹⁾ This is the maximum reduction for the sum of scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. For the sum of scope 1 and 2 emissions, this represents a 100% reduction.
²⁾ Greenhouse gas emissions are categorised into three groups or ‘Scopes’ by the GHG Protocol. Scope 1 covers direct emissions from owned or controlled sources. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company. Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain.

How Tata Steel Nederland is tackling carbon emissions

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 11:52:51 +0100

Two Tata Steel Nederland plants, one in Sweden and one Finland, are now climate neutral. This means that these plants no longer use fossil fuels, but use green energy instead. The Geldermalsen plant will follow shortly and the majority of our 22 European plants will be completely carbon neutral before 2025.

How do we become carbon neutral?

Each site has its own challenges and solutions to emit less CO₂. It depends greatly on the size, location and activities at the site. Among other things, the following will be considered:

Electrification of logistics
Reuse of waste heat
Use of vegetable fuel
Generating energy by means of solar panels and wind turbines
The use of green energy and hydrogen instead of coal and natural gas

The biggest CO₂ savings ever

The biggest CO₂ reduction for Tata Steel Nederland will be made in IJmuiden. Here, 90% of the CO₂ emissions takes place when making pig iron right at the very beginning of the production process. To drastically reduce these emissions, we will make steel in a completely different way by using new technologies. Without the use of coal and with the use of sustainable energy sources, such as hydrogen. This is the biggest change our company has ever made.

Did you know…

CO₂ emissions have been reduced with 15% per ton of steel since 1990?
Two of our sites are already carbon neutral?
And that seven locations want to achieve that by 2025?
Tata Steel's CO₂ emissions are 7% lower than the average of European steel companies?
CO₂ emissions from transporting our products to customers have reduced with 17% since 2019?

Tata Steel launches eco-friendly delivery service to help customers lower their environmental footprint

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 13:01:36 +0100

With Zeremis Delivered, Tata Steel aims to support its customers meeting their scope 3 emission targets. In the initial phase, customers can be served up to 300 kilometers by truck with the use of HVO100, delivering CO₂ savings of up to 90% compared to conventional fossil fuel. Zeremis Delivered will be further developed to include longer range solutions and other modes of transportation, including rail, barge and sea-going vessels. The company partners with logistics suppliers and knowledge centres to pilot innovative solutions across all modalities. This includes testing electric trucks to gain commercial and operational experience and thereby prepare itself to move to full electrification as soon as possible.

With the launch of Zeremis Delivered, Tata Steel is expanding its sustainability solutions to customers. Last year, the company introduced Zeremis Carbon Lite – steel with an allocated carbon footprint reduction of up to 90%²⁾ – which is gaining traction among customers in various industries, including automotive, construction, and new mobility sectors. Tata Steel also already offers its customers the opportunity to secure Zeremis green steel from the new steelmaking route that the company plans to deploy in 2030.

¹⁾ Greenhouse gas emissions are categorised into three groups or ‘Scopes’ by the GHG Protocol. Scope 1 covers direct emissions from owned or controlled sources. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company. Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain.
²⁾ This is the maximum reduction for the sum of scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. For the sum of scope 1 and 2 emissions, this represents a 100% reduction.

Tata Steel Nederland submits Green Steel plan with emphasis on reducing emissions

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 15:52:00 +0100

Tata Steel Nederland’ plan focuses on three concrete issues that will make a significant contribution to Dutch and European climate objectives. The impact on the immediate living environment will be reduced and Tata Steel Nederland and the Netherlands will become more circular. The plan has changed significantly from the previous plan. The new plan has the same climate ambition, but there is more emphasis on the environment with a focus on a different technology.

Concrete objectives

Clean: Tata Steel Nederland intends to prioritise the reduction of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxides. According to external research, these have the most impact on the immediate living environment¹⁾. In addition to measures that we are already taking to reduce particulate matter, the plan contains non-statutory measures to cover the raw material storages that are part of the Green Steel plan. These canopies prevent the drift of fine dust and coarse dust. Tata Steel Nederland is already implementing measures to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, such as the construction of a large DeNOx installation at the Pellet Factory. This plant will come into operation in 2025 and means that NOx emissions at that plant will be reduced by around 80%.
Green: From 2030 onwards, 5 million tonnes of CO₂ will be emitted less annually in accordance with the previously made agreements in the Expression of Principles in 2022. The climate target can be achieved by replacing Blast Furnace 7 and Coking and Gas Plant 2 (which will close by 2029 at the latest) with a so-called Direct Reduced Iron Plant (DRP) combined with an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF).
Circular: Tata Steel Nederland is increasing the use of scrap to approximately 30% of total annual production from 2030. As a result, the company is less dependent on primary raw materials.

A changed company with new factories

The Green Steel plan is a very big step towards reducing the impact on the environment and the climate as quickly as possible. It is probably the biggest industrial transition in the Netherlands in the coming years. This takes time, requires permits and changes on the ground. The people in the company are already working hard to make this a reality by 2030. In the meantime, Tata Steel Nederland is in full discussion with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, with the province of North Holland, with suppliers and customers about the Green Steel plan. And also with local residents and other stakeholders in the management environment. An additional round of participation will start soon for the changes in the amended plan compared to the previous plan.

How a Direct Reduced Iron Plant (DRP) and an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Work

The DRP will initially run on natural gas. This installation can also run on hydrogen without modification. This will also happen as soon as hydrogen becomes available in sufficient quantities and at the right price. The hydrogen market is currently developing rapidly and various parties, including the government, are working hard to get this availability off the ground.

The directly reduced iron from this DRP will be used in the EAF and supplemented with a much larger amount of scrap than Tata Steel Nederland currently uses. This makes the company much more circular.

Support is needed for the transition

The Green Steel plan is a transition that involves very significant investment. As with our European competitors, this transition cannot take place without financial support from the government. With the submission of the amended Green Steel plan, a new phase has begun. The next step is that the government will study the plan carefully and that Tata Steel Nederland and the Dutch government will continue to talk to each other in order to reach a final tailor-made agreement so that the plan can be further implemented.

An important part of the discussions with the government is the competitive position of Tata Steel Nederland. Due to its coastal location, among other things, Tata Steel Nederland is currently one of the most competitive steel producers in Europe. However, because the costs for the use of energy (e.g. network costs) in the Netherlands will become significantly higher in the coming years than in other European countries, this position is at risk. As long as this is not standardised in Europe, these higher costs cannot be passed on to the market. This limits further investment opportunities for Tata Steel Nederland. This needs to be solved so that Tata Steel can achieve the green transition in the Netherlands.

The focus of Tata Steel Nederland is now entirely on this first phase of the transition. The second phase will start in 2030. The so-called 'final investment decision' will be taken once the tailor-made agreement and the permits are in place.

¹⁾ RIVM, The contribution of Tata Steel Nederland to the health risks of local residents and the quality of their living environment; RIVM report 2023-0171, figure 73, p 251

Tata Steel makes steel production more sustainable by sourcing low-CO2 zinc from Boliden

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0200

“Our agreement with Boliden reduces our indirect CO₂ emissions and marks a new step in our sustainability journey,” said Willem Vermeulen, Chief Procurement Officer of Tata Steel Nederland. “We are committed to making our steel production more sustainable and meeting the evolving needs of our customers – who are increasingly taking into account the environmental impact of the entire value chain – and society at large. With the alignment of our strategies, we will increasingly consider the environmental performance of our suppliers in our decision-making.”

“We encourage our suppliers, our customers, and our customers’ customers to take part in the industry transition and share knowledge on how we minimise emissions and carbon footprints. Our Green Transition Metals portfolio represents some of the most sustainable options on the market, and by using our Low-carbon Zinc, Tata Steel shows the importance of reducing emissions at every step of the value chain. This collaboration illustrates how choosing currently available low-carbon materials can immediately reduce carbon footprints,” said Sven Hjelmstedt, Director Sales, Boliden.

Zinc is a crucial raw material to produce galvanised steel, steel that is coated with a layer of zinc to protect it from rusting. The zinc acts as a protective barrier, making the steel more resistant to environmental conditions and extending its lifespan. Galvanised steel combines the strength and versatility of steel with the rust resistance of zinc. It is used in a wide range of industries. For example, in the manufacture of car bodies and other automotive parts, roof structures, solar panel frames and washing machines.

Tata Steel Nederland is committed to reducing its CO₂ emissions with 35-40% by 2030 and being CO₂ neutral by 2045. Meanwhile, the company is not sitting idle, aiming to reduce its annual CO₂ emissions by 500 kilotonnes – equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 25,000 Dutch households¹⁾ – before the first green steel plants come on stream, and is taking steps to further reduce the impact of its IJmuiden operations on its neighbours and environment. Apart from using virgin zinc from mines Tata Steel also uses recycled zinc in its production. Using circular zinc in combination with zinc from mines increases environmental benefits on top of the low CO₂ emission zinc acquired from Boliden.

Boliden’s Low-carbon Zinc is mined in the company’s own mines, without using fossil energy. According to Boliden, the supplied zinc accounts for an emission of less than 1 tonne of CO₂ per tonne of zinc2), compared to the industry average of 3.6 tonnes. This gives it one of the lowest CO₂ footprints of any refined zinc in the world.

¹⁾ On average, a Dutch household emits 19,000 kilos of CO₂ every year (source: Milieu Centraal).
²⁾ The emission calculations include emissions along the entire value chain up to Tata Steel according to Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG Protocol Product Life Cycle and follow the standard ISO 14064-3.

European customers of hot-dip galvanized steel to benefit from strengthened Tata Steel and Wuppermann partnership

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 13:50:00 +0200

“We are excited to take our partnership with Wuppermann to new heights,” said Tom Eussen, within Tata Steel Nederland’s Board of Management responsible for Tata Steel IJmuiden and the Downstream operations. “Over the past 20 years, Wuppermann has become a key customer and sparring partner for us. This is reflected in our efforts to develop initiatives that are valuable to both of us, such as sharing production data and piloting a scrap metal buy-back programme. These initiatives help us make our steel production process more sustainable today.”

“A strong and long-lasting partnership like the one between Tata Steel and Wuppermann is the right basis for implementing such important digitalisation and circularity projects across several stages of the value chain and to realise their full potential”, adds Karsten Pronk, managing director of Wuppermann Staal Nederland.

Tata Steel and Wuppermann recently signed a new three-year contract for the supply of hot-rolled strip steel with close thickness tolerances and high surface quality, continuing the company’s role as the steel processor’s primary supplier. Part of the supplied volume will be Zeremis^® Carbon Lite – steel with an allocated CO2 footprint reduction of up to 90%¹⁾ – as Wuppermann and its customers increasingly focus on sustainability within their supply chains. In addition, Tata Steel and Wuppermann have renewed their tolling agreement.

The companies are also deepening their collaboration through two strategic initiatives. Tata Steel will share specific production data of the supplied steel, enabling Wuppermann to further optimise steel processing efficiency and reduce lace scrap, thereby achieving cost savings and a more sustainable production process.

Furthermore, the two companies have agreed to pilot operational activities related to a scrap buyback programme, aiming to establish a closed-loop system. This aligns with Tata Steel's commitment to serve its customers ever better and its ambition to increase the use of scrap in steel production. Recycling each tonne of scrap represents a reduction of 1.6 tonnes of CO₂ compared to steel made from iron ore.

High-quality steel is crucial for multiple industries
Steel plays a vital role in a wide range of industries, including automotive and solar energy. The use of high-quality steel is important here, for processing and final finishing. Tata Steel supplies such steel to Wuppermann, which galvanises the steel. The processed steel then goes to manufacturers for final processing.

Wuppermann Group is a Germany-based steel processor that is leading in CO₂ efficient hot dip galvanizing of hot strip. Operating five production sites in the Netherlands, Austria, Poland and Hungary – with Wuppermann Staal Nederland being the largest producer of galvanised strip steel within the group – Wuppermann supplies customers across Europe and the US.

¹⁾ This is the maximum reduction for the sum of scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. For the sum of scope 1 and 2 emissions, this represents a 100% reduction.

Tata Steel signs Zeremis Carbon Lite deals with Wuppermann, BILSTEIN GROUP, EMW Stahl Service and Grupo Arania

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 07:40:00 +0100

Lower CO2 steel to reduce scope 3 emissions of European steel processors

“These are strategic deals with some of our long-standing customers and we’re proud to partner with them on our joint journey to carbon neutrality”, said Hans van den Berg, CEO of Tata Steel Nederland.

“Over the years, we’ve developed a collaboration with Wuppermann, BILSTEIN, EMW Stahl Service and Arania that allowed for open discussion on ways to further reduce their scope-3 emissions and create shared sustainability strategies. We can already supply them a significant amount of high-quality low-CO₂ steel now, and we aim to offer large quantities of high-quality green steel by 2030, when we target to commission our first direct reduction plants and electric furnaces at our IJmuiden site.”

Transforming to become a leading producer of clean, green and circular steel
Tata Steel Nederland is one of Europe’s leading steel producers and its IJmuiden steelworks has been among the industry’s best 10% in CO₂ efficiency since 2013. Currently, the CO₂ intensity of the steel produced in IJmuiden is around 7% below the European average and almost 19% below the global average. As a result, the site is one of the most CO₂ efficient in the world.

Recently, Tata Steel Nederland revised its climate strategy and sharpened its ambitions. It aims to reduce CO₂ emissions by 35-40% by 2030 and to be completely carbon neutral by 2045. Across Europe, the company is implementing CO₂-reducing measures at its locations, including the switch to green hydrogen-based steelmaking at its IJmuiden steelworks.

As part of the new strategy, the steelmaker has been offering lower CO₂ steel under the Zeremis brand since July 2022. The lower CO₂ intensity is based on CO₂ savings realised within Tata Steel Nederland and is verified by independent assurance expert DNV. Additional Zeremis green steel products will follow in the near future, for example, Zeremis products with increased recycled content. As recently showcased the company also already offers the opportunity to secure Zeremis green steel from the new hydrogen-based steelmaking route.

¹⁾ This is the maximum reduction for the sum of scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. For the sum of scope 1 and 2 emissions, this represents a 100% reduction.

Tata Steel and Ford ink MOU for Zeremis green steel supply

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 08:53:00 +0200

As Ford already targets the use of low-CO₂ steel in its all-new, all-electric, medium-sized crossover, which will start production in Europe in 2023, the companies intend to explore opportunities to use other green steel products. This includes, for example, Tata Steel’s recently launched Zeremis Carbon Lite, steel with an allocated carbon footprint reduction of up to 100%. The lower CO₂ intensity is based on CO₂ savings realised within Tata Steel Nederland and is verified by independent assurance expert DNV.

Sustainability is noticeably higher on customers’ agenda
“Our customers, like us, want to take care of our planet, and we are taking the necessary steps on this journey, providing the vehicles they need to make a positive contribution against climate change, produced in a more sustainable way,” said Sue Slaughter, Ford Purchasing Director, Supply Chain and Sustainability. “Improvements within our supply chain are key, and with the use of carbon neutral steel we will take a major step towards lowering the CO₂ footprint of our vehicles.”

“We have a very ambitious plan towards a sustainable future for our steelworks and see a strong match between our ambitions and those of our customers. We are therefore pleased and proud of Ford in Europe's confidence in our steel products, services and intensive collaboration as well as the implementation of our green steel plan,” added Hans van den Berg, Chairman of the Board of Management of Tata Steel Nederland.
“While we are transitioning to become a producer of large quantities of high-quality green steel, we can already supply our customers with a significant amount of high-quality low-CO₂ steel today and thus make their product offering more sustainable. By aligning our sustainability ambitions with customers like Ford, we can create an early market for green steel, speed up the transition and meet the expectations of society at large.”

Steel: the most common material used in car manufacturing
More than half the weight of an average car consists of steel, and a car can consist of dozens different types of steel. All types vary in strength, weight, formability, magnetic properties and coating types.
From a safety, environmental and aesthetic point of view, there is a constant desire to make steel stronger, lighter and smoother. And with the growing popularity of electric cars, the design principles of cars are increasingly changing and so are the requirements that a car manufacturer places on steel.
In the last ten years, Tata Steel has introduced more than sixty innovative products, ranging from new steels that make cars lighter – without compromising safety – and steels that double the corrosion resistance so that they last even longer, to steels that are easier to process by car manufacturers – lowering their production costs – and steels that improve the efficiency of the (electric) drive train.

Agreements about CO2 reduction and improving living environment

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 14:39:00 +0200

By 2030, Tata Steel wants to have its CO₂ emissions reduced by 5 Megatons and by 2045, it wants to be CO₂ neutral. Additional ambitions for improving the living environment have also been included in this new Expression of Principles. Although the Expression of Principles is not binding, this statement is indicative. The document serves as a framework for the customised agreement between the government and Tata Steel.

Reducing CO₂
An important part of making Tata Steel more sustainable is reducing CO₂ emissions. In the Expression of Principles, Tata Steel Nederland expresses the ambition to reduce CO₂ emissions by 5 Megatons by 2030 and to be fully climate-neutral by 2045 via an accelerated process. In September of last year, Tata Steel decided to switch from underground storage of CO₂ to the production of green steel with the Direct Reduced Iron production process. This process is more sustainable and cleaner than the current steel-making method, and uses green hydrogen for production. The transition to this steel-making method is complex, as the entire steel-making process has to be adapted and existing blast furnaces replaced.

Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate, Micky Adriaansens: “We want Tata Steel to become cleaner faster. Fewer CO₂ emissions and limiting the impact on the living environment: with this Expression of Principles, the company and the government set out their ambitions. We are now elaborating this further in the customised agreements with the company. An important milestone. Together with the Province of North Holland, the State Secretary and I are investigating how we can support the plans.”

Improving the environmental and health situation before 2030
The amended Expression of Principles includes additional ambitions for reducing the company’s impact on the living environment. For example, it has been agreed that Tata Steel Nederland will conduct research into further improving the environmental and health situation prior to the transition in 2030. But also to investigate the possibility of the earlier closure of business activities, such as the Coking and Gas Plant 2.

State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management, Vivianne Heijnen: “I believe Tata Steel’s future can only be clean and sustainable. That is made very clear in this Expression of Principles. It also includes additional ambitions for improving the living environment by 2030. We’re keeping a finger on the pulse so the ambitions become reality. Improvements are needed for the climate, the environment and the health of local residents.”

Realising the ambitions together
The government, the Province of North Holland and Tata Steel underline the importance of more sustainable and clean steel production for the Netherlands. In the Expression of Principles, the governments indicate that they are prepared to investigate how the plans and projects to transform the company into a more sustainable and clean steel plant can be supported. In addition to any necessary financial support, it also involves timely decision-making about permit applications and the realisation of the necessary hydrogen infrastructure. Attention is also paid to the nitrogen issue.

This Expression of Principles determines the direction that will be further elaborated in the coming period in the binding customised agreements between Tata Steel and the government.

Hans van den Berg, CEO at Tata Steel: “Our ambition is to produce green steel in a clean environment as quickly as possible. This means a whole new course in which we focus on hydrogen. This enables us to make a significant contribution to the climate objectives. We feel supported by the government that wants to tackle this challenge with us.”

Jeroen Olthof, member of the Provincial Executive for Quality of Life, Environment and Health: “It’s important for the inhabitants of IJmond that we make joint agreements in the Expression of Principles about the switch to sustainable steel production and that health is part of this. The Expression of Principles is a great first step, which should be worked out as soon as possible in an implementation programme.”

Tata Steel launches low-CO2 steel

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 08:46:00 +0200

Market is ready for greener steel
“We see an increasing interest in more environmentally-friendly produced steel in the markets we serve. This is most keen in our consumer-facing customers with their own ambitious CO₂ reduction targets as the use of low-CO₂ steel enables them to reduce their so-called scope 3 emissions²⁾ and thus make their product offering more sustainable,” says Hans van den Berg, Chairman of the Board of Management of Tata Steel Nederland.

“We firmly believe green steel is the future. We will be making steel in a different way before 2030, with less impact on our immediate surroundings and neighbours. As a result of our current CO₂ savings we can already offer our customers a significant amount of high-quality low-CO₂ steel. This makes the launch of Zeremis Carbon Lite an important step since passing on our savings to our customers helps us to accelerate our transformation to become a more sustainable steel producer.”

Tata Steel has been working for years to reduce its CO₂ emissions. This already makes the IJmuiden steelworks one of the most CO₂ efficient in the world today³⁾. The CO₂ intensity of the steel produced in IJmuiden is around 7% below the European average and almost 20% below the global average. Despite this, Tata Steel feels the urgency to minimise its environmental impact further.

In order to reduce the emissions of steel production on a large scale, Tata Steel has committed to switch to green hydrogen-based steelmaking. The company targets a CO₂ emission reduction of at least 30% by 2030 – when it commissions its first DRI installation – and to emit 75% less CO₂ around 2035. That is when the company will transition to a producer of large quantities of high-quality green steel. The ultimate goal is to produce all steel without any CO₂ emissions by 2050.

Independent assurance ensures approach
The initial offering of Zeremis Carbon Lite is a 30% reduction in CO₂ intensity⁴⁾ benchmarked against the European average for steel products, for example hot-rolled coil or cold-rolled coil. If customers have higher CO₂ emission reduction targets, additional CO₂ reduction certificates can be allocated to ensure these targets, even CO₂ neutral targets, are met.

The independent assurance by DNV is designed to ensure that Tata Steel’s methodology used to calculate CO₂ emission savings is robust, and that the CO₂ emission savings are calculated and allocated in an appropriate way. DNV performed a limited assurance engagement in accordance with the International Standard on Assurance Engagements 3000, and used the WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocol for Project Accounting and Reporting Standard as part of the criteria against which DNV made the assurance assessment.

¹⁾ DRI technology is a steelmaking technology in which iron can be made using hydrogen instead of coal. When green electricity and hydrogen are used, the CO2 emissions from the primary steel process are considerably lower than when using blast furnaces. DRI technology also makes it possible to use scrap, which benefits circularity.
²⁾ Greenhouse gas emissions are categorised into three groups or 'Scopes' by the GHG Protocol. Scope 1 covers direct emissions from owned or controlled sources. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company. Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain.
³⁾ Tata Steel’s IJmuiden works ranks number 2 in CO2 intensity benchmark per site globally (World Steel CO2 data report 2021, BF-BOF route).
⁴⁾ Market research shows that a 30% reduction in CO2 intensity is aligned to the scope 3 reduction targets set by many steel users by 2030.