WTopCarb: Wuppermann introduces new product with reduced CO2 footprint
Leverkusen, Germany, 19.06.2023 - Steel processor Wuppermann is now providing its customers with steel products with a significantly lower CO2 footprint with a corresponding certificate. The name WTopCarb stands for a galvanized hot-rolled strip with a physical reduction of the CO2 footprint to a value of less than one tonne of CO2-eq. per tonne
(1 t CO2-eq. / t) of galvanized hot-rolled strip. This means that WTopCarb causes significantly less CO2 than a commercially available comparable product: with a zinc coating of Z275, a galvanized hot-rolled strip causes on average about 2.2 t CO2-eq. / t of galvanized hot-rolled strip.
"Physical reduction" means that technical measures along the value chain bring about an actual reduction in the carbon footprint of the concrete product, instead of "collecting" general CO2 savings with the help of accounting models and allocating them virtually later.
Wuppermann makes use of CO2 saving opportunities in the most important raw materials hot strip and zinc, in the galvanizing process itself, as well as in transport and packaging. These savings are documented accordingly: For each delivery, the CO2 emissions are calculated individually per item, using a calculation methodology verified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT). The result is sent to the customer in the form of a certificate.
"As a family business with 150 years of tradition, we feel a special obligation to future generations. I am pleased that with WTopCarb we can now offer our customers a CO2-reduced steel product where we can calculate the physical CO2 savings very accurately. This is our response to the growing demand from our customers for steel products with a lower CO2 footprint and at the same time we are making an important contribution to decarbonisation in the steel industry," explains Carl Swoboda, Sales Manager for the Flat Products Business Unit and Managing Director of Wuppermann Stahl GmbH.
Use of CO2-reduced input materials hot-rolled strip and zinc
For the WTopCarb product, Wuppermann only uses physically CO2-reduced hot-rolled strip from suppliers in the EU. "Some of the manufacturers can already supply physically CO2-reduced hot-rolled strip, while others have clear decarbonisation targets for the coming years. In this way, we can successively expand the sources of input material for WTopCarb," Swoboda continues. Key levers for reducing the CO2 footprint of hot-rolled strip are high proportions of renewable electricity and the use of increased proportions of scrap in production. For zinc, Wuppermann also relies on primary material with physical CO2 reduction for WTopCarb. This is also based on the use of renewable energies and/or a high proportion of recycling.
Galvanizing process
Wuppermann's galvanizing process, the so-called heat-to-coat process, causes significantly less CO2 emissions than the conventional cold strip galvanizing process at all three production sites. The advantage is between 33% and 54%, related to the galvanizing process including zinc. Without zinc, it is even between 48% and 93%. This was confirmed by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT with an assessment of the environmental impact of the Wuppermann Group's heat-to-coat strip galvanizing process in 2022.
Transports & Packing
Transport from suppliers to Wuppermann's production sites, and from there to the customer, is carried out by ship, rail or truck. The different transport options lead to different levels of emissions. Depending on the route and availability, there is the option of CO2-neutral rail transport. The CO2 footprint of the packaging is taken into account on a flat-rate basis due to its insignificance.
Settlement and chain of custody
Wuppermann procures low-carbon steel with the corresponding evidence or certificate. The input material is managed separately in SAP - this way Wuppermann ensures that the CO2-reduced steel is actually used for WTopCarb. The CO2-reduced zinc is also listed under its own article number and documented with certificates from the suppliers. If CO2-neutral rail transport is used for the delivery of WTopCarb, the corresponding certificates are also documented.
Calculation and certificate
Wuppermann calculates the CO2 emissions for each invoice item individually depending on the quantity of galvanized steel strip delivered, taking into account the individual weight ratios of steel to zinc. The transports are also calculated specifically, taking into account distance and means of transport. The galvanizing process is taken into account with the specific value of the processing site. The calculation method used by Wuppermann has been tested by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT and its correctness and suitability confirmed. Wuppermann provides its customers with the result of the calculation in the form of a certificate.
Information on the greenhouse gas balancing of Wuppermann's hot strip galvanizing can be found at:
Further information on Wuppermann's CO2-reduced steel product WTopCarb can also be found at
https://www.wuppermann.com/en/flat-products/wtopcarb/
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Sabine Kuhnert
Corporate Communications and Marketing
Janet Dunkel
Corporate Communications and Marketing