ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products

Online client newsletter | December 2023

Copyright: SPO

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Harbour beacon

Granite® HDXtreme gives La Rochelle marine hangar a new look and new life

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Harbours are an extreme environment for any building material. But when the building site is located on a stopover pier in the middle of the harbour, a very special material is required to withstand the corrosive marine atmosphere. It’s exactly the type of place ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products’ Granite® HDXtreme is designed for.





When the Port of La Rochelle decided to renovate the existing hangar H12 on the pier, Granite® HDXtreme was the logical choice for the new roofing and cladding. The high-quality Nerba 6.25.1085B facade and Nertoit 3.45.1000T roof profiles were developed by SPO (Société Profilage Ouest) and installed by ProAcier. The refurbished hangar is now a beacon in the harbour and a valuable asset for the port authority.

Copyright: ProAcier

SPO’s cladding and roofing solutions utilise Granite® HDXtreme from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products.

Copyright: ProAcier

Hangar H12 is now rented to a business which uses the space to store ingredients for animal feed.

Copyright: SPO

Pierre-Matthieu Rivollier, Purchasing Manager for SPO

“The client’s main objective was to find a material with a guarantee of at least 10 years in this maritime climate,” explains Pierre-Matthieu Rivollier, Purchasing Manager for SPO. “We proposed Granite® HDXtreme due to the location. A key decision factor for the client was the 75 µm paint coating.”

“When SPO presented Granite® HDXtreme to us, we were won over by the quality and durability of this organic coated steel,” notes Maud Thomelet, Land and Real Estate Manager for the La Rochelle Port Authority. “It is ideal for a building that is located just 20 metres from the sea.”

Copyright: netsign33 / Shutterstock.com, and Philippe Vandenameele

Hangar H12 is located on a stopover pier between La Rochelle and Ile de Ré on France’s Atlantic coast.

Colour challenge accepted!


“Yellow and black are associated with the city of La Rochelle – and particularly with the local rugby team, winner of the European Cup in 2022 and 2023,” notes Pierre-Matthieu Rivollier. “The yellow is not a standard Granite® HDXtreme colour, so ArcelorMittal had to colour-match it, in order to be able to provide the exact shade required.”

Copyright: ProAcier

Major renovations were required to hangar H12 before the Granite® HDXtreme panels were installed.

Copyright: ProAcier

ArcelorMittal colour-matched the yellow to create a unique harbour landmark.

Copyright: ProAcier

Just 20 metres from the sea, the renovated hangar H12 is now a beacon in La Rochelle harbour.

Would the Port of La Rochelle use Granite® HDXtreme again? “We are very satisfied with the quality of Granite® HDXtreme,” says Maud Thomelet. “We will definitely specify it again in future renovations on sites in saline environments.”


Advice and support at every stage

Another key factor for SPO is the support that ArcelorMittal provides. “Whenever we have a question we ask our client support contact at ArcelorMittal and we always get a prompt answer,” says Pierre-Matthieu Rivollier. “Whether we need fire behaviour information, declarations of performance, or advice on material selection, we always get a fast answer from the ArcelorMittal team. That doesn’t always happen with other suppliers.”


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