PR91396

STOCKLHOLM, Aug. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

SSAB has now produced the world's first fossil-free steel and delivered it to a

customer. The trial delivery is an important step on the way to a completely

fossil-free value chain for iron- and steelmaking and a milestone in the HYBRIT

partnership between SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall.

In July, SSAB Oxelosund rolled the first steel produced using HYBRIT

technology, i.e., reduced by 100% fossil-free hydrogen instead of coal and

coke, with good results. The steel is now being delivered to the first

customer, the Volvo Group.

"The first fossil-free steel in the world is not only a breakthrough for SSAB,

it represents proof that it's possible to make the transition and significantly

reduce the global carbon footprint of the steel industry. We hope that this

will inspire others to also want to speed up the green transition," says Martin

Lindqvist, President and CEO of SSAB.

"Industry and especially the steel industry create large emissions but are also

an important part of the solution. To drive the transition and become the

world's first fossil-free welfare state, collaboration between business,

universities and the public sector is crucial. The work done by SSAB, LKAB and

Vattenfall within the framework of HYBRIT drives the development of the entire

industry and is an international model", says Minister of Trade and Industry of

Sweden Ibrahim Baylan.

"It's a crucial milestone and an important step towards creating a completely

fossil-free value chain from mine to finished steel. We've now shown together

that it's possible, and the journey continues. By industrializing this

technology in the future and making the transition to the production of sponge

iron on an industrial scale, we will enable the steel industry to make the

transition. This is the greatest thing we can do together for the climate,"

says Jan Mostrom, President and CEO of LKAB.

"It's very pleasing that the HYBRIT partnership is once more taking an

important step forward and that SSAB can now produce the first fossil-free

steel and deliver to the customer. This shows how partnerships and

collaboration can contribute to reducing emissions and building competitiveness

for industries. Electrification is contributing to making fossil-free living

possible within one generation," says Anna Borg, President and CEO of

Vattenfall.

SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall created HYBRIT, Hydrogen Breakthrough Ironmaking

Technology, in 2016, with the aim of developing a technology for fossil-free

iron- and steelmaking. In June 2021, the three companies were able to showcase

the world's first hydrogen-reduced sponge iron produced at HYBRIT's pilot plant

in Lulea. This first sponge iron has since been used to produce the first steel

made with this breakthrough technology.

The goal is to deliver fossil-free steel to the market and demonstrate the

technology on an industrial scale as early as 2026. Using HYBRIT technology,

SSAB has the potential to reduce Sweden's total carbon dioxide emissions by

approximately ten per cent and Finland's by approximately seven per cent.

"We'll be converting to electric arc furnace in Oxelosund as early as 2025.

This is the first production site within SSAB to make the transition, and it

means that we'll already be cutting large amounts of carbon dioxide emissions

then. This is a major responsibility, one that we're proud to shoulder, and it

brings great opportunities to the region," says Johnny Sjostrom, Head of SSAB

Special Steels Division.

SSAB is a Nordic and USA based steel company. SSAB offers value added products

and services developed in close cooperation with its customers to create a

stronger, lighter and more sustainable world. SSAB has employees in more than

50 countries. SSAB has production plants in Sweden, Finland and the USA. SSAB

is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and has a secondary listing on Nasdaq Helsinki.

www.ssab.com. Join us also on social media: Facebook(https://m.facebook.com/ssab.ab/?_rdr ), Instagram(https://www.instagram.com/ssab/ ), LinkedIn(https://www.linkedin.com/company/ssab ),

Twitter( https://twitter.com/SSAB_AB ) and YouTube( https://www.youtube.com/ssab ).

SOURCE  SSAB

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