Hardox® wear steel – a sustainable steel choice you can make right now
Sustainability in action
When you choose Hardox® wear steel for your heavy equipment, you’re helping to reduce the environmental impact of steel and of the equipment. That’s because its combination of high strength, hardness and toughness allows you to use less steel to build stronger yet lighter and more resource-efficient equipment that lasts longer.
Lighter equipment saves fuel
Dump and trailer bodies in mining, transportation and construction vehicles can be made in thinner steel plate and still be more durable than those made in conventional AR steel. Using a thinner gauge, you can get a lighter truck that can carry more payload. This saves fuel per loaded ton and reduces CO2 emissions on every trip over the truck’s useful life.
SSAB Zero® powers the green steel transformation
SSAB Zero™ is made of recycled steel in a steelmaking process powered by carbon-free electricity and biogas, minimizing its carbon footprint. This steel is already available on the market, and will be a major resource for producing emission-free grades of Hardox® wear plate. Hardox® 450 is the first Hardox® grade made with SSAB Zero™. This steel can reduce the environmental load from steel production even more. Naturally, this version of Hardox® 450 has the same superior technical properties as regular Hardox® 450.
Producing the green steel of the future
But how can we at SSAB slash the environmental footprint of our steel even more? Well, we’re driving full speed ahead to produce what we call fossil-free steel. Our new process uses green hydrogen instead of coal to remove oxygen from the iron ore we use – practically eliminating CO2 emissions from our steelmaking. Deliveries of this steel will start in 2026. Naturally, fossil-free grades of Hardox® wear plate will have the same superior properties as today’s Hardox®.
A look at the numbers: What an eco-upgrade can do
Wondering what an upgrade from regular AR to Hardox® steel can do? Here are the numbers.
We call it EcoUpgraded. When you upgrade your steel and design, we can calculate just how much you can reduce equipment weight, improve fuel economy and extend lifetime. In one case, an excavator bucket was upgraded from AR 400 steel to Hardox® 450. The bucket’s weight was reduced by 30%. Its load capacity increased by 20%. It generated 714 metric tons (787 US tons) in CO2 savings and a fuel reduction of around 240,000 liters (63.401 gallons) over the truck’s useful life. These environmental savings will be even greater when fossil-free grades of Hardox® steel become available.
Long equipment life saves resources
Thanks to its high wear resistance, Hardox® wear plate helps to make equipment last longer. For equipment that needs to fight abrasion, Hardox® wear steel can provide it with a lifetime twice that of conventional steel – in many cases, even more. This means less steel must be produced in the long run. Fewer resources are needed for repairs or maintenance. And fewer deliveries of new parts benefit the environment. It all adds up to improved sustainability.
Savings in processing
Hardox® possesses outstanding toughness, so it can be bent to form larger structures instead of welded. This saves resources during production and gives you a stronger product with a long lifespan, again minimizing the amount of steel used over time. And because it has tight tolerances and consistent guaranteed properties, Hardox® makes fabrication more reliable and minimizes material waste in production.
Versatility, productivity and sustainability all in one steel
From abrasion-resistant wear plate to cut-to-length sheet, tubes, pipes and round bars, Hardox® wear steel answers all your wear challenges. Here’s your guide to the wide range of Hardox® products.
Sustainable equipment from Hardox® In My Body
Hardox® In My Body certified equipment delivers high productivity and long service life for optimum resource efficiency.
Sustainable wear parts from Hardox® Wearparts
Wear parts made of Hardox® wear plate last longer, meaning less steel has to be produced, transported and repaired.
Gearing up for fossil-free steel
The future is here – the world’s first vehicle made with fossil-free steel
In a world-first, Volvo Group has unveiled the first vehicle made of SSAB’s fossil-free steel. A load carrier for use in mining and quarrying represents the first leg of the journey towards a decarbonized future.
SSAB’s fossil-free steel set to be a sustainability win and profit driver in heavy transport
Globalization and free trade have rapidly transformed the way we live, work, and do business. Supply chains and transportation networks that criss-cross the globe have enabled great improvements in standards of living.
Building a sustainable future with fossil-free steel
The global challenge of halting and reversing current rates of climate change is urgent. The steel industry has the potential to play a significant role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions both in the production phase and by supporting recycling.