With emerging and increasingly stringent sustainability expectations, the automotive industry is undergoing a major transformation. OEMs are under pressure from consumers, government entities and regulatory bodies to adopt lower-carbon materials, improve their manufacturing efficiency, provide transparent reporting and better align with emissions standards.
And because OEMs are responsible for upholding the sustainability impact of their entire value chain, we’re committed to providing our partners with materials that have environmental responsibility in mind. Read on to find out how Charter Steel partners with manufacturers and OEMs to deliver clean steel that helps them meet their sustainability goals.
The Charter Steel Circular Economy
Creating sustainable steel and investing in environmental stewardship aren’t new initiatives at Charter Steel. They’re foundational to how we operate. We continually reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by maximizing reuse and recycling across our processes.
Today, 85–90% of Charter Steel’s waste is reused, and scrap from old vehicles and components is remelted to create new steel that flows back into the automotive industry. In fact, 17 million cars are recycled annually by the EAF steel industry. This is the circular economy in action, and it’s central to our approach.
EAF Steel: Energy-Efficient Production Reduces Emissions
In alignment with our circular economy, we’ve relied on
electric arc furnaces (EAFs) for steelmaking for decades. EAFs leverage electrical currents to melt scrap steel and other recycled materials, making this approach more energy-efficient while providing added flexibility in the steelmaking process. By using recycled steel, EAF steelmaking reduces landfill waste, energy use and emissions that come from production, transportation and shipping.
Benefits of EAF Steelmaking: By the Numbers*
- Smaller carbon footprint: EAF steelmaking creates 75% fewer CO2 emissions and less environmental impact
- 44.4% fewer working hours are required (vs. traditional steelmaking)
*Via the Steel Manufacturers Association Voice of American Steel 2024 Annual Report
EAF Steel Delivers Sustainability Benefits and Exceptional Performance
Our EAF steel also consistently adheres to strict mechanical specifications for tensile strength, hardness, fatigue resistance and more.
More Sustainability Efforts at Charter Steel
Our dedication to environmental responsibility goes beyond EAF steel. The passion for providing sustainable solutions is embedded in our everyday operations and company culture.
Charter Steel:
Trust Charter: Your Partner in Sustainable Steel Manufacturing
Sustainability isn’t just a word to us. It’s integral to our processes and a long-standing commitment. You can count on us to support your environmental priorities while delivering reliable, high-performance steel.
Our Energy Manager, Katie Dimmer, sums it up perfectly.
“Sustainability to Charter Steel means reinvesting in our people, local communities and the environment for a sustainable future for all of us. By managing the use of our resources and investing in renewable energy at our sites, we are doing just that.”
Get in touch with us to learn more.