Packaging Gateway

Rasselstein supplies bluemint packaging steel to Sika

Rasselstein's bluemint steel is said to contribute to a 62% reduction in CO₂ emissions during the production of tinplate pails.

German precision-manufactured steel provider thyssenkrupp Rasselstein is supplying its sustainable ‘bluemint recycled’ packaging steel to speciality chemicals company Sika Deutschland.

Sika, in collaboration with metal packaging manufacturer Muhr & Söhne, is using this carbon dioxide-(CO₂) reduced bluemint recycled steel for tinplate pails.

According to Sika, the use of this bluemint recycled for practical containers featuring side handles, referred to as tinplate hobbocks, helps in saving 1.53 tonnes (t) of CO₂ equivalent per tonne of material across the US, Germany and Austria.

In comparison to traditional steel, this bluemint recycled steel contributes to an approximately 62% reduction in CO₂ emissions during the production of tinplate pails.

Rasselstein CEO Peter Biele said: “In the production of the new bluemint packaging steels, we are clearly focusing on CO₂ reduction: By using biomethane and specially processed steel scrap, we can save up to 69% of our CO₂ emissions, making packaging steel even more sustainable.”

The bluemint steel is high-quality flat steel and has reduced the intensity of CO₂, which comes from the use of a high percentage of specially processed steel scrap in its production process.

The use of steel scrap, the company said, also helps in saving a significant part of iron ore and coking coal in the blast furnace.

Sika's managing director Daniela Schmiedle said: “The collaboration is entirely in context of sustainable packaging and is to be seen in connection with the realisation of our company's net-zero targets.”

Rasselstein will provide up to 3,000t of its sustainable steel to Muhr & Söhne this year, leading to savings of up to 4,590t of CO₂ equivalents.

Muhr & Söhne managing director Klaus Wilmes said: “Sustainability is a key issue for many people and has always been at the heart of our business strategy.

“Thanks to a patented design, we produce tinplate containers with significantly reduced material use at comparatively high performance and have thus been conserving resources for many years.”