Top quality 

Our packaging steel was already top quality, of course, but we can now produce it in a smarter, safer and more sustainable way. The TCCT process uses chrome 3 instead of chrome 6, removes several steps from the original production process, and adds a protective layer that keeps canned food fresh for longer. That layer also makes it easier to apply a film that customers can then print with their own design.

How it works 

So how does it work? We asked Daniëlle Vrenegoor, process and product technologist for the tinning and chroming lines. “The steel arrives in a coil. That coil is unrolled and then moves up and down through different processes along the entire line. Step by step, the steel is treated: pre‑treatment, chroming, rinsing, drying… and finally inspected with cameras and smart software to ensure we deliver the highest quality. At the end, the steel is rolled up again. Once the protective chrome layer is applied, the coil can move on to the next installation or directly to the customer.”

Where to spot the product 

You won’t yet find cans made from this steel in Dutch supermarkets - the line has only just started - but in Spain you can already buy a can of tuna from the Calvo brand using Protact. And for a trial order in the United States, we have already produced whipped‑cream canisters. “With this innovation, we are setting a new European standard,” says Mark. “Our packaging is better for people and for the planet.”

• Sustainable and future-proof: Ready for upcoming legislation.
• Logistical efficiency: Entire production process on one site, simpler supply chain.
• Food safety: The TCCT-Protact® combination meets the strictest food safety standards.
• Cost savings: With TCCT-Protact®, no additional lacquer layer is needed at the customer.
• European standard: Tata Steel Nederland is the exclusive developer and patent holder of TCCT technology and supplies it to other steel producers.

Packaging Steel: The Recycling Champion

Steel packaging is not only safe and sustainable but also a recycling champion. In the Netherlands, more than 95% of packaging steel is recycled into new steel—from food cans to aerosol cans. For canned food, packaging steel offers many benefits, such as long shelf life (even outside the refrigerator), reducing food waste. Thanks to steel’s magnetic properties, steel packaging is easy and inexpensive to separate from other waste, contributing to a circular economy. Steel cans are therefore the most recycled packaging material.