Alstom, a global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, and Outokumpu, a global leader in sustainable stainless steel, have signed a groundbreaking partnership. Under this partnership, Outokumpu will supply stainless steel with a carbon footprint up to 93% lower than the global industry average. The first delivery is planned for 2026 and will be used in Alstom’s next-generation Metropolis metro trains.
A Step in Line with Alstom's Sustainability Strategy
This partnership is a long-standing practice by Alstom eco-design principles and is fully consistent with its sustainable sourcing strategy. The company aims to reduce carbon emissions from purchased goods and services by 2030% by 30. Outokumpu Circle Green® Stainless steel will play an important role in achieving this goal.
Vice President Sustainability and CSR at Alstom Veronique Andries, said of the partnership: “Our partnership is fully aligned with the eco-design process we have been implementing for the design of our products and services for many years. Using stainless steel, which has lower carbon emissions compared to standard steel, will contribute to our efforts to significantly reduce our CO₂ emissions.”
Metros of the Future with Low Carbon Steel
In the face of rapidly changing demographics and the resulting increasing urbanization, transportation systems are being redesigned to meet the increasing demand for both mobility and a low carbon footprint. In this context, the collaboration with Outokumpu, which will enable Alstom to integrate a higher proportion of steel scrap into its products, is of great importance.
Outokumpu's Circle Green stainless steel is particularly On the outer layer of Alstom Metropolis metro cars This is a step that embodies Alstom’s sustainability goals and sets an example for the use of environmentally friendly materials in the railway sector.
Outokumpu Emphasizes Groundbreaking Technology and Collaboration
Head of Business Line Advanced Materials at Outokumpu Rolf Schencking, stressed the strategic importance of this partnership: “Staying competitive and accelerating the green transformation is of fundamental importance for the mobility of the future. Stainless steel is the most versatile industrial material that is heavily needed for transportation solutions to reduce emissions and also plays a vital role for innovation and technological progress.”
Schencking noted that Europe needs leading companies across the value chain to drive the green transformation forward, and said that this agreement with Alstom is a major milestone for them: “We are excited to take the next step with Alstom to support our customers’ decarbonization journey. The Circle Green contract with Alstom is our largest in terms of volume in the mobility sector and will be used in the first metro train project in Europe.”
Environmental Impact and Calculation Details
The environmental impact of this partnership is quite remarkable. [1] The global average carbon footprint of stainless steel is 7 kg CO₂e per kilogram (calculation based on Outokumpu's CRU, worldstainless and Kobolde & Partners AB data), Outokumpu Circle Green's CO₂ emissions are as low as 0,5 kilo CO₂e per kilogram. It, A reduction of up to 93% For the exclusive collaboration with Alstom, Outokumpu Circle Green aims to achieve a carbon footprint of at least 85% lower than the global industry average without compromising on superior stainless steel product properties.
With ALSTOM™ and Metropolis™, registered trademarks of Alstom, the green mobility solutions of the future will continue to take shape through such strategic partnerships. This collaboration sets an important example for sustainability and carbon emission reduction in the rail industry.
