Producing sustainably: producing without destroying. Focusing on the performance of production capacities and infrastructures while minimizing the use of resources, energy and emissions throughout their lifecycle.
In 2021, the John Cockerill’s teams have worked, among others, on these emblematic projects:
Boosting energy output and reducing the carbon footprint
John Cockerill’s qualified engineers and technicians travel tens of thousands of kilometers each year around the world to provide technical solutions to power plant operators and to industries which produce their own electricity. Despite Covid restrictions, in 2021 they thus installed, modernized or inspected electricity production equipment, whether of John Cockerill manufacture or not. Their interventions have made it possible to extend their lifespan, improve their output and significantly reduce their CO2 emissions.
Missions all over the world
-9 000 tons of CO2/year
Race against time in Singapore
Co-generation in Australia
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Towards 100% carbon-free steel production
Faced with the challenges of climate change, John Cockerill teams innovate every day to enable their steel-making customers to move towards 100% carbon-free steel production. Their new production lines incorporate the most advanced technologies in terms of energy efficiency and environmental performance. Their maintenance and modernization work is also moving in the same direction. And on top of this, John Cockerill is resolutely investing in R&D partnerships aimed at developing completely new processes, which no longer aim to simply reduce the CO2 emissions of current processes, but to invent new, 100% zero carbon processes.
Revolutionizing steel production
In 2021, John Cockerill has continued to collaborate with ArcelorMittal and other partners on the breakthrough Siderwin innovation project, which sets out to develop a steel production process that is no longer based on the combustion of iron ore, but on electrolysis.
Carbon is replaced by electricity in this completely new technology. There is no longer any need for agglomeration, coke ovens, or blast furnaces. The old process is completely replaced by direct electrification. Which means: no more CO2 emissions, only oxygen.
At the end of 2021, a first prototype had already demonstrated the effectiveness of the process using small quantities. The large pilot unit installed at ArcelorMittal in Maizières (France) will make it possible to continue developments in 2022, in order to change scale, and to thereby go from the production of a few kilos of steel to around a hundred kilos. And all this still without any CO2 emissions!
Reducing CO2 emissions in India
In 2021, John Cockerill teams helped two major Indian steel-makers to produce steel more sustainably. Despite the operational difficulties posed by Covid-19, they were able to make progress with the delivery of two galvanizing lines and an annealing line to Tata Steel in India. They also worked hard at the very start of 2022 to win a contract from ArcelorMittal NipponSteel India to supply two new steel-treatment lines featuring the most cutting-edge technologies in terms of energy efficiency, optimization of zinc consumption and resistance to corrosion.
Together, these five lines will allow an annual production of 2.5 million tons of steel. In addition to the high levels of quality, reliability, flexibility and safety that they guarantee, their environmental performance will enable these two giants of the world steel industry to continue to progress on the path towards sustainable and responsible steel.
And still in 2021, a major American steelmaker selected John Cockerill for its new continuous galvanizing line.
Working together with European steelmakers to decarbonize their factories
John Cockerill teams are working in steel factories throughout Europe in order to improve the environmental performance of these factories and to reduce their CO2 emissions.
In 2021, they installed three high-capacity buckets on the Fos-sur-Mer (France) steelworks site, which will enable the use of more recycled steel and thereby reduce the CO2 emissions of the site. They also carried out various maintenance operations in Belgium, on the NLMK sites in La Louvière and at the Clabecq and Eurogal sites of ArcelorMittal Belgium in the Liège region.
Sequestering CO2 in Dunkerque
In 2021, John Cockerill continued its work on CO2 capture, an essential element for achieving carbon neutrality objectives. As part of the European 3D project, John Cockerill has also finalized its study work dedicated to the generation of steam from the waste heat of the steel-making process. This contribution makes it possible to optimize the cost of the CO2 capture solution using an amine loop developed by the project’s lead partner, IFP-EN. The John Cockerill teams are now collaborating with IFP-EN and its subsidiary AXENS to propose an industrialization of the solution.
« The energy and environmental transitions remain at the heart of our innovation efforts. We are in particular working on this through partnerships, such as Green Steel or Process4Planet »
Jean Jouet, Chief Technology Officer of John Cockerill
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For more sustainable planes and helicopters
In 2021, John Cockerill teams developed and installed surface treatment lines in the aerospace industries in the United States, Europe and China. All of them now benefit from the latest technologies from John Cockerill in terms of energy efficiency and effluent treatment. The durability of the aircraft and helicopter parts treated on these lines is thereby doubly enhanced: on the one hand by the extension of their lifespan that this treatment brings, and on the other by the reduction of the energetic and environmental impact generated by their treatment.
Extending the life of helicopter parts in China
In mid-2021, John Cockerill teams commissioned four surface treatment lines in China at one of the leaders of the Chinese aerospace industry. The treated parts, which are components of helicopter turbines, will have their mechanical and structural properties strengthened, and their lifespan will be considerably extended. The plant has also seen its energy efficiency and its environmental footprint significantly improved: in addition to optimizing the energy consumption of the lines, John Cockerill has also installed a wastewater treatment station at its customer’s premises, making it possible to meet the most stringent standards in this domain.
The equipment was designed and manufactured by the French (John Cockerill Sleti) and Chinese (Cockerill Tempro) teams of John Cockerill. The equipment was installed in Harbin City, and other installations of this type are set to follow at this same customer. This makes the activities of this big name in aerospace increasingly respectful of the environment and natural resources.
95%
of water recycled
A specific feature of John Cockerill is that its surface treatment facilities can be coupled with ’in-house‘ effluent treatment units. This is the case here, with recycling of more than 95% of the water used in the treatment. The result is a plant that is tailor-made, with maximized yield and optimized environmental performance.
The pandemic hasn't grounded the sustainability of aeronautics
In 2021, John Cockerill’s Finnish teams achieved the feat of delivering within schedule two highly automated surface treatment lines – a chemical cleaning line and a stripping line – to the American aerospace industry.
Faced with the supply and travel difficulties caused by the pandemic, the team in charge of the project was able to demonstrate remarkable agility: online and remote interactions at first, and then an extended stay (6 months) at the customer’s site for the project manager. Going beyond the two eco-designed surface treatment lines, John Cockerill proposed a waste treatment unit, making the factory even greener. The result: an increasingly sustainable American aviation industry.
« With our up to the minute technologies, we are proud to support our customers with their environmental initiatives. In addition to aerospace, we also do this for other industries, such as automotive or energy in particular. »
Samuel Crets, Director of Surface Treatment Activities
Reducing the environmental footprint of a helicopter equipment supplier
In 2021, John Cockerill won a contract with a European aerospace equipment manufacturer to equip its new factory in Gyulia (Hungary). The project involves the design and supply of a wastewater treatment plant and a non-destructive testing line. These John Cockerill technologies will reduce the environmental footprint of this new aerospace technical center.
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