Legrand signals emissions reduction as first UK cable management company to buy ArcelorMittal’s XCarb™ steel

Legrand UK & Ireland is the first cable management company in the UK to buy ArcelorMittal’s new cold rolled XCarb^TM recycled and renewably produced steel.

Produced in an electric arc furnace powered by renewable energy, XCarb™ products reduce CO₂ emissions by approximatively 70% when compared to traditional blast furnace produced steel.

The electricity used in ArcelorMittal’s production of XCarb™ steel is independently verified, with a ‘Guarantee of Origin,’ ensuring that it is from renewable sources. By using renewable energy combined with minimum scrap content of 75%, ArcelorMittal has been able to reduce the emissions for every tonne of finished cold rolled steel. According to ArcelorMittal’s EPD for cold rolled coils, this combination of renewable energy and reusing scrap sees a fall from 2.38 tonnes of emitted CO₂ eq., to as little as 799kg CO₂ eq.

The partnership with ArcelorMittal’s UK Steel Services Centres forms part of Legrand UK & Ireland’s wider commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. The electricity Legrand uses comes entirely from renewable sources, including an array of photovoltaic (PV) panels at its West Bromwich and Consett sites.

The use of XCarb^TM steel will contribute to reducing Legrand’s Scope 3 supply chain emissions and builds on its progress in respect of its direct Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Legrand holds the EcoVadis Platinum medal, having achieved a sustainability rating in the top 1% of organisations assessed by EcoVadis, the world’s largest provider of business sustainability ratings.

Pascal Stutz, CEO at Legrand UK & Ireland, said: “Legrand has set itself the goal of reaching carbon neutrality throughout the Group’s value chain. The Group is heavily invested in both the development and installation of equipment and solutions that improve building energy efficiency and enable Legrand users to reduce their energy consumption; as well as reducing environmental impact via circular economy product development principles. This eco-design approach concerns all stages of the product life cycle, and Legrand is committed to working with suppliers like ArcelorMittal who deliver raw materials with reduced CO₂ emission with higher recycled content.”

For more on Legrand’s Net Zero efforts, see Legrand.co.uk.