ArcelorMittal, GM recycled steel deal

ArcelorMittal North America will supply General Motors with XCarb, a recycled and renewably produced (RRP) steel product that is taking the two industry giants a step closer to carbon neutrality.

"This agreement provides another example of how we are innovating with our suppliers to reduce emissions throughout the supply chain," said Jeff Morrison, GM VP of global purchasing and supply chain. "It also highlights how strong supplier relationships can help build a better, more sustainable future."

ArcelorMittal's XCarb RRP steel is made using an electric arc furnace (EAF) with between 70-90% scrap, achieving a significantly reduced carbon footprint. Material will be supplied from ArcelorMittal Dofasco in Ontario, Canada, with shipments expected to begin as early as this month.

With electricity used in the steelmaking process coming from renewable sources, this recycled steel's lower CO2 intensity has been independently verified with an accompanying life cycle analysis covering Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.

"This is a terrific first step in supplying steel with substantially lower CO2 emissions to automakers in North America," said Peter Leblanc, chief marketing officer of automotive at ArcelorMittal. "As a global leader in the steel industry, we are making smarter steels for people and planet, and XCarb RRP is one of the smartest steels around. It is not the result of clever accounting or offsets – It is steel with physically lower CO2 emissions, which will help drive the achievement of ArcelorMittal's goal to be carbon neutral. We are proud to join GM in their march toward a zero emissions future."

ArcelorMittal is the world's leading steel and mining company, with primary steelmaking facilities in 16 countries and a presence in 44 more.

The company heavily invests in research and development to create new steels and steel-making processes, with a primary focus on materials that offer better performance and sustainability, as part of its commitment to supporting industry leaders' ambitions to foster carbon neutrality around the globe.

With ArcelorMittal's focused innovation, this already versatile material is continuing to evolve to meet the transportation industry's energy transition needs; as the design and engineering of vehicles evolve, so do the materials they are made from. Steel products are up to five times stronger than they were 20 years ago, with smart steel solutions in electric vehicles offering better range, efficiency and acceleration while protecting batteries and providing stronger, lighter chassis.

The steel giant's products are made using less energy, emitting significantly reduced carbon at lower costs, and are designed to contribute energy transition technologies like electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure over the coming century.

ArcelorMittal Dofasco's facility is also currently undergoing a transformation to further reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 60% by moving to a direct reduced iron-fed electric arc furnace steelmaking process. When complete, all ArcelorMittal facilities in North America that make automotive steel will utilize an EAF-based process.