One area of focus is providing advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) to automakers, including third-generation (Gen 3) steel grades. With increased strength and better formability, these new specialized grades of steel can be used to make thinner, lighter parts that reduce vehicle weight, increase fuel efficiency, and lower tailpipe emissions while maintaining superior strength and safety performance. For our customers, Gen 3 and other AHSS products are more cost-effective and more environmentally friendly than alternative materials such as aluminum, magnesium, and carbon fiber. Alternative materials, including imported materials, are more energy-intensive and have a larger environmental footprint. For example, Cliffs’ Consolidated Mining, Iron, Steel and Downstream GHG emission intensity, is 60% less carbon intensive than the average GHG emissions intensity of U.S. produced aluminum used in automotive applications. Simply put, converting from aluminum to Cliffs’ steel will reduce GHG emissions embodied in automobiles.
Steel is also critical to the development of modern energy infrastructure. We supply carbon steel grades and electrical steel grades to support renewable energy and grid greening applications such as solar power racks and wind turbine components, as well as energy-efficient transformers, generators, and motors.
