'Steel is a consumer product, you don't consume it'

This, due to new regulations, also forces the construction industry to build cleaner and more environmentally friendly. Reusing steel products offers perspective and significant environmental savings. "Steel is a consumer product, you don't consume it," he said.

Encourage and inform

"Scarcity of raw materials, reducing CO2 emissions, nitrogen offsetting and reducing energy consumption is the talk of the day. Steel is a material that is perfectly reusable," says Frank van der Loop of Swanenberg IJzer Groep from Schaijk. "We like to think along in the possibilities for this." The 'Donor Steel' platform, an initiative of Swanenberg IJzer Groep, promotes the reuse of steel. "Awareness is enormously important in this regard. That is why it is evident to properly inform people about what the possibilities of reusing steel are, in order to then stimulate this form of circular construction."

Steel scores on recycling and reuse

Steel beams and tube profiles retain the same properties as new, if properly conditioned, making them suitable for reuse in high-quality applications. Van der Loop: "For example, by dismantling the supporting structure and construction material when a building is demolished, you give those materials a second chance. Donor steel stimulates the rental and sale of used steel for the construction of new buildings, large ground, road and hydraulic engineering projects and as foundations, among other things. Especially in the GWW and infrastructure sector, it offers unprecedented opportunities and environmental benefits. In this way we contribute to the pursuit of a circular economy."

Through active participation and involvement in various initiatives regarding this topic, Swanenberg stays abreast of the possibilities regarding the reuse of steel. "And that goes quite far," says Van der Loop. "Partly due to stricter government regulations regarding traceability of steel, we try to find out the exact properties of, for example, used pipe profiles, steel structures of buildings and old transport pipes. With the right information, we can give these profiles a second life."

Recertify

Swanenberg Iron Group has been the greenest steel supplier in the Netherlands for more than 55 years. "After all, we have been trading in used steel all these years," says Van der Loop. "With a stock of over 150,000 tons of steel pipes and beams, we can deliver very quickly upon request. In the past, we started buying and selling used steel and over the years we have grown into one of Europe's largest stockists of both new (first choice, with full factory certification) and unused surplus batches. We are also increasingly committed to changing the application of already overproduced products. Here, we refer mainly to the reuse of overproduction and cancelled orders from rolling mills. Often a product can be used in several capacities. Due to our many years of experience, we now know whether certain quality requirements can be met with products. For example, tubes originally produced for use as gas pipes can be used in the infrastructure sector. This includes applications such as combi wall, strut frame, rotating piles and pile driving. Furthermore, we work closely with testing laboratories that - if necessary - can perform chemical and mechanical analyses. For example, to guarantee the steel qualities of the steel used so that it can be used for the intended application. So there is no need to be reluctant to apply used steel."

Cheaper

Using used steel profiles does not require the production of new steel. "The lifespan of a steel structure is often much longer than its useful life," Van der Loop emphasizes. "Consequently, there is an awful lot of used steel in circulation. Because of current regulations, new steel is quickly turned to for a project. A shame, especially when there are no further requirements or when steel qualities are known and thus used products with the same properties as new steel can be given a second life. This is because the use of used steel provides an enormous environmental benefit. More and more clients are fortunately aware of this. It also brings cost benefits, so it's a win-win situation." And in conclusion: "Using used steel is more economical, often available from stock and better for the environment. The infrastructure sector has already discovered this and everyone is reaping the benefits."