Ancenis, 11th April 2024 — Manitou Group, a world reference in the handling, aerial work platform, and earth moving sectors, announces the signature of a letter of intent with the Nordic steelmaker SSAB for deliveries of fossil-free steel. Deliveries are set to start in 2026 and ramp up as SSAB’s fossil-free steel production capacity increases. This agreement meets the ambitions of the two companies to significantly reduce their direct and indirect carbon emissions.
As Manitou Group’s supplier, SSAB is a highly-specialized global steel company that develops high strength steels and provides services for better performance and sustainability. Both companies are now furthering their collaboration by adding future deliveries of SSAB Fossil-free™ and SSAB Zero® steel to the mix.
Both steel types are produced with virtually* zero fossil carbon emissions, which will allow Manitou Group to bring to market a new generation of sustainable products with radically reduced CO2 footprint, including for example telehandler, aerial work platform or forklift ranges.
“We’re excited about adding Manitou Group as a fossil-free partner to SSAB. Our goal is to revolutionizethe way steel is produced and pave the way for a greener future. Thanks to customers like Manitou Group who share our ambition of reducing carbon emissions, we’re able to create early markets for sustainable steel,” says Olavi Huhtala, Executive VP & Head of SSAB Europe.
Maurizio Achilli, VP Sourcing at Manitou Group adds: “We work every day closely with our suppliers to reduce our indirect carbon emissions and offer more sustainable products to our customers. This collaboration with SSAB is very important for us as steel represents the main raw material for our products.”
SSAB aims to revolutionize the entire steelmaking process and be the first to offer emission-free steel to the market at a commercial scale in 2026. As a reminder, Manitou Group aims to reduce its direct and indirect carbon emissions (scope 1 and 2) by 46.3 % and its CO2 emissions for every hour of use of the machines by 33.7 % (scope 3) by 2030.
*less than 0.05 kg CO2 emissions/kg steel in scope 1 and 2.
