Steel supplier commits to fully sustainable operations in addition to sustainable procurement

Steel is not the most sustainable material. Worldwide, the steel industry causes about 10 percent of CO2 emissions. But we can't do without it. That is why it is important to make production and processing as sustainable as possible. KS Service Center is therefore fully committed to selling "sustainably produced steel" that is also so certified. "But we don't stop there," says Gregory Rombaut, Sales and Marketing Manager. "We are critically reviewing our entire operations, from energy consumption and purchasing to smart packaging and transportation of steel coils, and deploying the most sustainable solution wherever possible. We feel that as a company in this sector we owe this to society."

KS Service Center at Moerdijk produces and supplies slit strip steel and plates for high-end applications. The previous edition of Concrete & Steel Construction featured the company's application of Green Steel with chain cooperation. In doing so, KS Service Center enables customers to significantly reduce their Scope 3 emissions. "But we also need to look at our own operations," Rombaut begins. "We are already well on our way to making internal business processes more sustainable to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions as much as possible. In a world where this is becoming the norm and will increasingly be taken into account in tenders, we are thereby also helping our relations with their sustainable objectives."

Electrification

The electrification of the complex at Apolloweg in Moerdijk is well underway. On the roofs of the various warehouses, more than 3,100 solar panels provide 30% of the required power supply. "We buy the rest sustainably," Rombaut adds. "Thanks to electric cooling and heating, the building is now off gas. Internal transport equipment is electric or powered by HVO100 (biodiesel). Restrictions of load weight, availability, distance and price prevent us from electrifying here now, but we are working toward that as soon as possible. Employees are also encouraged to drive electric. They can use charging stations on our premises. Furthermore, most of the purchased steel comes to Moerdijk by train. That's two trains a week replacing forty trucks. This saves about 2,000 tons of CO2 emissions. By comparison, that's the emissions of about 170 households on an annual basis in the Netherlands."

Recycling

Material consumption is naturally also under the microscope at KS Service Center. "Everything we buy, we scrutinize and process sustainably," assures Rombaut. "All the wood we use in our transport comes from PEFC-certified suppliers who process wood from sustainably managed forests. Wooden pallets are reused whenever possible, and when they reach the end of their useful life, the remains go to a partner who shreds them and turns them into pressed pellets. We also reuse the signode bands that hold the coils together if possible. If not, the tires go into the recycling process along with residual scrap steel. Thus, all our metal scrap goes directly back to the steel manufacturer, without third-party intervention. For this, like all other waste streams, we use professional, certified service providers."

Cerifications

On the one hand, KS Service Center is trying to convince customers to pay just a little bit more for sustainably produced steel and sustainable operations and how they can take a hit in the industry with chain cooperation. "On the other hand, we all have to contribute to a healthier world and the market will increasingly dictate sustainability with stricter requirements," Rombaut states. "For us, this is the corporate culture we stand for. We recently became ISO 14001 certified and the CO2 Performance Ladder certification will be announced at the end of July. This will give us a good overview of what our total CO2 emissions are at company level and we can start to further investigate how we can reduce them. We will continue until the entire operation is completely CO2-free."