Believe in steel Outokumpu

BELIEVE IN STEEL

Global leading stainless steel producer Outokumpu knows that its products ‘hold tremendous potential for the automotive industry’. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to communications and marketing manager Saara Tahvanainen to learn more.

Outokumpu is a group of companies headquartered in Espoo, Finland, producing stainless steel. With more than 12,000 employees based in facilities and sales offices in over 30 countries, global leader Outokumpu is listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange. As the global leader in stainless steel with a cold-rolling capacity of 2.6 million tonnes, Outokumpu is dedicated to developing and manufacturing advanced materials that are efficient, longlasting and recyclable.

In 2014, Outokumpu’s sales reached €6.844 billion thanks to stainless steel deliveries of over two million tonnes. Communications and marketing manager Saara Tahvanainen told Industry Europe, “Stainless steel is an ideal material to create lasting solutions in demanding applications from cutlery to bridges, energy to medical equipment. As a material, stainless steel is 100 per cent recyclable, corrosion-resistant, maintenance-free, durable and hygienic. Outokumpu has been instrumental in developing the stainless steel industry into what it is today; indeed, our history is as old as that of stainless steel itself, with our sites in the UK and Germany dating back over a century to when stainless steel was invented.”

Ms Tahvanainen went on to explain how the development of stainless steel has played a crucial role in Outokumpu’s ongoing success: “It often comes as a surprise to people to know how ubiquitous stainless steel is. From the stainless steel sinks, spoons and pans in our kitchens to washing machines, buildings and power plants, stainless steel is everywhere. There are over 20 applications for stainless steel in one car! There are endless possibilities and benefits of stainless steel and, having already been active in the automotive market for nearly two decades, we are particularly excited about the opportunities here.”

Meeting new demands

Outokumpu knows that stainless steel ‘holds tremendous opportunities for the automotive industry’ and it is here that the company is currently focused in terms of growth. Ms Tahvanainen

added, “To meet new customer demands, comply with evolving legislation and requirements and to contribute to a more sustainable world, car manufacturers are constantly pursuing lower emissions and further safety improvements. Stainless steel enables weight reduction, better crash resistance, greater engine efficiency to mention just a few benefits.”

Outokumpu operates production facilities worldwide, including China, Finland, Germany, Mexico, Sweden, the UK and the USA, with sales offices including the Middle East and Asia Pacific. It also operates a global service centre network that ensures all customers can quickly and effectively receive the support they require. Ms Tahvanainen said, “As the global leader in stainless steel advanced materials with the strongest technical expertise and the widest range of products across all our customer segments, we are well known for providing reliable support worldwide. Our customers know they can find local support that is relevant to their industry and product application.”

With Outokumpu active worldwide in sectors including architecture, building and infrastructure, automotive and transportation, catering, food and beverages, home appliances and energy and heavy industries, its wide range of applications has to be carefully structured to ensure relevant development, support and innovation. Ms Tahvanainen explained how this is achieved: “Research and development is at our core. Even though stainless steel as a material is over 100 years old, there are still new grades being developed and further characterisations to be made in order to fully utilise the excellent properties of this material. We have worked in close cooperation with our customers for many years now, as well as making great use of our state-of-the-art R&D facilities, in order to build up our experience on the performance of our grades in service and during fabrication. We have highly skilled technical experts on hand to assist in material selection, fabrication and so on and we also regularly give customer training seminars covering issues such as stainless steel properties and suitability for various uses.”

All about steel

Outokumpu’s product portfolio includes a vast range of stainless steel items such as coils and sheets, cast semis, welded pipes and wire rods. Its products are divided into two groups – Outokumpu Classic Family and Outokumpu Pro Family – both of which have been carefully designed to meet the specific demands of its target customer. Ms Tahvanainen noted, “Classic Family features three basic all-purpose grade ranges: Outokumpu MODA for mildly corrosive environments, such as commodity goods and indoor structures; Outokumpu CORE for corrosive environments, such as architectural panels and restaurant equipment; and Outokumpu for highly corrosive environments, such as industrial storage and cooling tanks and heat exchangers.”

The Outokumpu Pro Family features six special grade ranges for demanding applications, with Outokumpu FORTA ideal for duplex and higher strength applications, Outokumpu ULTRA for extremely corrosive environments like those found in the oil and gas industry, and Outokumpu DURA, the ‘high hardness’ range, which offers a competitive alternative to carbon steel in applications where corrosion-resistance and wear-resistance are key.

With a constantly-evolving and developing product range and a dedication to meeting its customers’ and future customers’ most demanding applications, Outokumpu is positive about its ongoing success. The company has ‘bright ideas for the future’ thanks to its range of stainless steel grades that can be utilised across domestic and industrial applications. n