The loftiest principle is sustainability.

Rapid developments in our modern world and the consequences of these developments are continually creating new challenges. The need for sustainability has become so important that it is now one of the most frequently defined corporate goals in every industry. As a leading company in this respect, voestalpine is aware of its and declared sustainability at an early date to be one of its highest priorities. The sustainable choice of raw materials, continual development of production processes, climate-friendly logistics and comprehensive recycling are also a matter of course in the machinery industry.

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Light-weight and high-strength steel components make an important contribution to the safety and sustainability of modern machines and equipment. Lower weight and optimum stability mean in particular that machines can be operated with less energy and fewer emissions. At voestalpine, we are also working hard to develop ever more efficient production options in order to optimize environmentally friendly effects during the production of crude components.

Steel—the sustainable material in the future of the machinery industry

Certain properties are required in a material if it is to increase machinery efficiency, maximize the lifecycle of equipment and simultaneously save resources in production. Components with complex designs and improved performance can only be manufactured using materials with high stability and low weight as well as materials that can be produced efficiently and in an environmentally friendly manner. It must also be relatively easy to further process the materials. Such high-strength and ultra-high-strength steels unite these properties in a unique way. Steel is recyclable and, compared to other materials, is highly economical.

Minimal wall thicknesses, lower weight and more efficient production

Further development in the design of established components also depends on the properties of improved materials. Maximized strength and—most importantly—the increased tensile strength of voestalpine steel grades developed for the machinery industry make it possible to achieve unprecedented designs. Machines and devices become lighter and require less energy when wall thickness are reduced without sacrificing stability. Thanks to optimized strength levels, components made of steel can now be manufactured in nearly the same weight as those made of aluminum. The energy consumption in steel production is many times lower than that of aluminum production. This makes steel a clear winner in the life cycle assessment.

Sustainability in every respect

The advantages of steel in the machinery industry are obvious. But voestalpine takes it one step further. Ethics and sustainability are so important that they are reflected in the value chain of a company, above and beyond individual business units.

At voestalpine, this includes our preference for working with regional suppliers in order to ensure that our partner companies never use any conflict-prone raw materials and that child, forced or compulsory labor is entirely eliminated. We also focus on innovative technologies and product cycles that are as environmentally friendly as possible.

Our endeavors in this respect have been summarized in the "Stella" project that is being carried out at voestalpine. And one thing is for sure: The machinery industry will also benefit from the latest developments of voestalpine.