Klöckner & Co becomes GEA’s first supplier of CO2-reduced stainless steel

• Delivery of first batches of CO₂-reduced stainless steel to the GEA production site in Bönen (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
• The carbon footprint of the stainless steel is around 90% lower than conventional material; the product corresponds to the “Pro” category in the Nexigen^® categorization for “green” stainless steel developed by Klöckner & Co
• Delivery to GEA by the German Klöckner & Co subsidiary Becker Stainless
• GEA is pursuing a long-term collaboration with Klöckner & Co as part of Climate Plan 2040 

Duisburg, Germany, February 27, 2024 – Klöckner & Co will be the first supplier of CO₂-reduced stainless steel for the technology group GEA. The coil will be delivered to the GEA production site in Bönen (NRW) via Klöckner & Co’s German subsidiary Becker Stainless. Among other things, the material is being used there as part of a pilot project for more sustainable milking technology production.

The coil of the Klöckner brand Nexigen^® for CO₂-reduced products and services has a carbon footprint that is around 90% lower than that of conventional stainless steel. This places it in the “Pro” category of Klöckner & Co’s specifically developed Nexigen^® product categorization for CO₂-reduced stainless steel. This means that the emissions per metric ton of stainless steel from raw material extraction to production and delivery are less than 700 kg of CO₂ (taking Scope 1 to Scope 3 into account). GEA also receives a Product Carbon Footprint Declaration with the delivery. It determines the exact emissions per kilogram that were generated from the resource extraction and production to processing and transportation to the plant gate (Cradle to Customer Entry Gate).

GEA is pursuing the implementation of its 2040 climate plan with the goal of reaching net zero by using “green” stainless steel, among other things. The collaboration with Klöckner & Co is expected to be expanded over the coming years.

Guido Kerkhoff, CEO of Klöckner & Co: “With our Nexigen^® umbrella brand, we are mainly pursuing one goal: we want to help our customers make their supply chains greener. Therefore, we are really excited that GEA, our long-standing partner, has chosen Klöckner & Co for its first supply of CO₂-reduced stainless steel.”

“Our suppliers play a crucial role in achieving our climate goals,” says Johannes Giloth, Member of the Management Board and COO of GEA. “Sustainable procurement is indispensable here. That is why we work closely with our partners to jointly develop and offer resource-saving solutions. Therefore, we are delighted about the successful implementation of this project with Klöckner & Co.”

Klöckner & Co makes CO₂ emissions transparent

Under the Nexigen^® brand, Klöckner & Co offers transparent, CO₂-reduced solutions in the areas of materials, processing, logistics and data services. With the Nexigen^® PCF Algorithm, based on a calculation method that has been certified by TÜV SÜD, customers can retrieve the product carbon footprint for almost all of Klöckner & Co’s approximately 200,000 products. The Nexigen^® Data Services technology solution helps them manage their product emissions intelligently and digitally. In addition to providing information about the CO₂ emissions history of previously purchased products, it also suggests “greener” alternatives and shows the respective CO₂ reduction potential.

About Klöckner & Co:

Klöckner & Co is one of the largest producer-independent distributors of steel and metal products and one of the leading steel service companies worldwide. Based on its distribution and service network of currently 160 sites in 13 countries, Klöckner & Co supplies more than 90,000 customers. Currently, the Group has around 7,800 employees. Klöckner & Co generated sales of some €9.4 billion in fiscal year 2022. With the expansion of its portfolio of CO₂-reduced materials, services and logistics options under the Nexigen^® umbrella brand, the company is underscoring its role as a pioneer of a sustainable steel industry. At the same time, Klöckner & Co leads the way in the steel industry’s digital transformation and has set itself the target of digitalizing and largely automating its supply and service chain. In this way, the Company aims to develop into the leading one-stop shop for steel, other materials, equipment and processing services in Europe and the Americas.

The shares of Klöckner & Co SE are admitted to trading on the regulated market segment (Regulierter Markt) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse) with further post-admission obligations (Prime Standard). Klöckner & Co shares are listed in the SDAX^® index of Deutsche Börse.

ISIN: DE000KC01000; WKN: KC0100; Common Code: 025808576.

About Becker Stainless Center GmbH:

With locations in Mannheim, Hockenheim and Süßen, Becker Stainless Center GmbH offers its customers high-quality solutions for all aspects of processing and commerce in flat stainless steel products. As part of the Becker Group with a total of 700 employees, Becker Stainless is one of the largest stainless steel service centers. The company supports a wide range of industries (including mobility, construction, food processing and White Goods) with a variety of products, solutions and services. As a subsidiary of Klöckner & Co, one of the world’s biggest producer-independent steel distributors, Becker is a pioneer for a green steel industry. Under the Nexigen^® umbrella brand, the company offers CO₂-reduced steel and metal solutions that make the supply chains of its customers and partners more sustainable.

About GEA:

GEA is one of the world's largest suppliers of systems and components to the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. The international technology group, founded in 1881, focuses on machinery and plants, as well as advanced process technology, components, and comprehensive services. With more than 18,000 employees working across five divisions and 62 countries, the group generated revenues of more than EUR 5.1 billion in fiscal year 2022. GEA plants, processes, components, and services enhance the efficiency and sustainability of production processes across the globe. They contribute significantly to the reduction of CO₂ emissions, plastic usage, and food waste. In doing so, GEA makes a key contribution toward a sustainable future, in line with the company’s purpose: "Engineering for a better world".

GEA is listed in the German MDAX and the STOXX^® Europe 600 Index and is also among the companies comprising the DAX 50 ESG and MSCI Global Sustainability and the Dow Jones Sustainability World Indices.