ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products

Online client newsletter | March 2021

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Lighter and stronger

ArcelorMittal offers smarter steel solutions for lightweight aerosols

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New steel grades from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products are enabling canmakers to create lighter and stronger aerosol cans. The grades can be used to make aerosols in a range of formats including traditional three-piece cans, drawn and wall ironed (DWI), and monobloc. A new life cycle assessment shows that steel aerosols have significantly lower environmental emissions than aerosols made from aluminium. Using the latest grades from ArcelorMittal, emissions reductions of up to 59 percent are possible compared to aluminium aerosols produced from virgin raw materials.

The newest, best-in-class grades from ArcelorMittal include TH650N for the top and bottom of the aerosol, TS550 for the three-piece body, and TS230 for DWI and monobloc cans. All three grades are now commercially available and are being utilised by customers around the world.



17 percent weight saving possible today

“For a 210 ml (brimful) three-piece aerosol with a diameter of 52 mm, the use of TH650N and TS550 offers an overall weight saving of more than 17 percent compared to the previous generation of steels for aerosols,” notes Gilles Mangin, packaging specialist with ArcelorMittal Global R&D.

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Aerosols must withstand extreme pressure of up to 18 bar

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Monobloc steel aerosols which enable a more aesthetic design are under development by ArcelorMittal and our customers

Typical

  • 0.30 - 0.28 mm 10.0 - 9.4 g
  • 0.18 - 0.17 mm 25.2 - 23.8 g
  • 0.28 - 0.26 mm 8.0 - 7.4 g
43.2 - 40.6 g
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Best-In-Class

  • 0.26 mm 8.7 g
  • 0.13 mm 18.2 g
  • 0.24 mm 6.8 g
33.7 g

The weight of an optimised steel aerosol is reduced by 17 percent with ArcelorMittal’s latest grades

Life cycle assessment shows benefits of steel

Using the latest steel grades has a positive impact on the environmental performance of the aerosol. A life cycle assessment of the
210 ml (brimful) three-piece aerosol showed that it had a 59 percent lower CO2 footprint than a similar aluminium can made from raw materials. Even when the aluminium contains 25 percent recycled content, the steel version has 30 percent lower emissions.

Steel is already the most recycled packaging material in Europe. Figures from the Association of European Producers of steel for packaging (APEAL) show that the recycling rate for steel was well over
80 percent in 2018. That means steel is already achieving the 80 percent recycling target set by the EU for 2030.


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