Saarstahl Rail, a subsidiary of Saarstahl AG, has signed a major contract with French company SNCF Reseau for the supply of CO2-reduced rails. The contract, which spans up to six years, is valued at over USD 1 bln.
Saarstahl Rail, based in Hayange, France, is the only rolling mill in Europe producing CO2-reduced rails, manufactured using rail steel from the electric arc furnace at Saarstahl Ascoval, another Saarstahl AG subsidiary in Saint-Saulve, France.
Dr. Nadine Artelt, President of Saarstahl Rail and Saarstahl Ascoval, highlighted that the partnership will drive new investments in Saint-Saulve and Hayange, helping both companies strengthen and future-proof their operations.
The CO2-reduced rails are produced through an optimized process that cuts emissions by up to 70pct compared to conventional blast furnace production. This method, based on recycling used rails, reduces carbon emissions by 200,000 tons annually. Over the contract’s six-year term, this equates to a saving of over one mln tons of CO2, comparable to the two and a half days’ worth of emissions from the entire transport sector in Germany, according to Saarstahl.
