Creating the stainless steels of tomorrow

Outokumpu is the global leader in the development and manufacture of advanced stainless steel materials. The company continues to increase its competitive edge through a combination of innovation and consistent high quality. Ground-breaking container tanks and validated aerospace bar products are considered ‘game-changers’ by many, as Philip Yorke reports for Industry Europe.

Outokumpu was founded in Finland in 1910 as a result of the discovery of a rich copper ore deposit in eastern Finland. Over the years, Outokumpu has evolved from a mining and multi-metal company to the global leader in stainless steel.

The company as it is known today was formed through the acquisition of Avesta Sheffield in 2001 and Inoxum in 2012, the stainless steel arm of Thyssenkrupp.

The company has been instrumental in developing the stainless steel industry into what it is today. Outokumpu’s production facilities cover all continents and are located in Finland, Germany, Mexico, Sweden, the UK and the USA. It also has a global sales and service network located close to its key OEM customers.

Today Outokumpu is organised into three distinct business units: Europe, Americas and Long Products. Each business sector is represented in the company’s leadership team with sales, production and profit responsibility. In addition, its business support functions serve these areas to ensure the most efficient global processes for its customers.

In 2016 Outokumpu recorded sales of almost €6 billion and achieved stainless steel deliveries of 2,444,000 tonnes. Currently the company employs over 10,000 professionals in more than 30 countries worldwide with headquarters in Helsinki, Finland, and shares listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

Revolutionary flexibility

Finland’s leading Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tank manufacturer, LNGTainer, has recently launched a revolutionary new cryogenic tank which brings together two Innovations: LNGT’s game-changing tank container and Outokumpu’s unique austenitic stainless steel grade, Supra 316+ (EN1.4420, UNS S31655).

“The most revolutionary aspect of LNGT’s new tank container is that its structure includes a unique, light and flexible inside tank as well as a special outside pressure vessel. For the lightweight inside tank the manufacturer needed a superior stainless steel with very special properties. The only specification that could meet LNGT’s challenging requirements was Outokumpu’s Supra 316plus stainless steel grade.

With the new patented structure and Outokumpu’s unique materials, the weight of the tank could be reduced by as much as 30 per cent and capacity increased by more than 15 per cent. Due to the fact that the weight of the inside tank is substantially lower than that of competing tanks of this size, the cooling-off time inside the tank is also considerably shorter.

LNGTainer initially considered using aluminium for the inside tank, however when the unique properties of Outokumpu’s Supra 316plus were compared with it, it was clear that it offered a whole range of additional benefits. These included better low temperature properties, as well as greater strength and ductility.

Outokumpu’s Supra 316plus has a higher chromium and nitrogen content, with less nickel and molybdenum. Thanks to its optimised composition, the grade also has exceptional corrosion resistance and its performance is far superior to conventional grades when temperatures drop to low cryogenic levels. Furthermore, the price of this special steel grade is both competitive and stable.

Aerospace steels take off

In August this year, Outokumpu announced that its bar operations in the US had received the coveted LCS (Laboratory Control at Source) approval for aerospace applications, manufactured at its Richburg Mill in South Carolina. LCS is the system that validates the testing and control of specified materials and processes used in Pratt & Whitney’s aerospace products. Pratt & Whitney is a global leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units.

“We are very pleased that our bar products have been validated by Pratt & Whitney, which demonstrates the quality of both our materials and production processes. This approval opens the doors to Outukumpu as a supplier of high performance stainless steel bar in the demanding and growing aerospace market,” said Bob Beatty, head of Outukumpu bar operations in Richburg, South Carolina.

Outokumpu serves the North American market through its key service and centre partners there and enjoys a strong reputation in this market as a premium producer of high performance bars with unique know-how in stainless steel applications and materials performance.

Outokumpu has over a century of experience in the creation of efficient, long-lasting and recyclable stainless steel products. Its global offering includes quality-critical long products for equipment, buildings and infrastructure products. The company’s long products sites are located in the US, the UK and Sweden and are well known for their high quality, flexibility and world-class delivery performance. n

For further details of Outokumpu’s innovative, high quality stainless steel products and services visit: www.outokumpu.com