Slavko Kanalec
The strategy of sustainable development at SIJ Group is aimed at preserving and strengthening the best sustainable practices used by modern recyclingoriented steel manufacturers, which include the production companies of SIJ Group. Our production of steel is based on the use of secondary raw materials, which means that, on average, we emit four times less carbon dioxide than integral steel mills, which produce steel from ore. At SIJ Group, we operate according to the principles of the circular economy. We produce steel solely from scrap steel, we ensure the closure of material flow cycles, and we recycle almost all our industrial waste. Our ambitious plan for 2024 is to obtain a certificate according to the standards of the independent international organization ResponsibleSteel, which commits holders to comply with ESG standards throughout the steel production chain.
Proprietary Raw Material Supply Base for Scrap Steel
Our efforts in this area are increasingly being recognized by our customers, suppliers, and other parties. When selecting partners, they are increasingly attentive to whether a company is committed to a circular economy and overall sustainability. In addition to the price and the quality of the steel input, the source of raw materials is essential when making supply decisions. To ensure a steady supply, it is important to establish a good working relationship with suppliers that are located nearby and to ensure high-quality supplies with the lowest possible carbon footprint. This is why SIJ Group must maintain its raw material supply base. With its extensive network of waste processing companies in the Balkans (Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Croatia), our subsidiary Pivka Waste ensures a sufficient and stable supply of scrap steel of an appropriate quality, which enables a higher level of independence from conditions on the global scrap steel market.
A Modern Line for The Magnetic Separation of Scrap Steel
Numerous technological advances enable faster, more dependable, and more complex sorting and processing of scrap steel, which in turn allows a "cleaner" series of input materials for further treatment. SIJ Acroni, the largest company of SIJ Group, has a new line for the magnetic separation of scrap steel. The investment, valued at 1.2 million euros, represents a significant contribution toward a greater purity of scrap steel. However, the supplied scrap steel also contains unwanted materials (tailings, sand, rocks, wood, non-ferrous metals, etc.), which can result in a reduced quality of products, while causing unexpected events – releases of emissions. The separation process is therefore extremely important. This way, we attain a greater purity of steel, which results in higher product quality. The new line for magnetic separation enables us to separate approximately one hundred metric tons of scrap steel an hour. At the same time, the investment represents an important step toward reducing the likelihood of emissions and their effects on the environment, while improving working conditions, which is in line with the efforts of SIJ Group to achieve sustainable development.
"Our goal is to use or reuse all the materials within our group. When they cannot be reused within our group, either because of physical limitations or because they do not provide economic benefit, we work with outside partners that can appropriately handle or process these materials."
Precise Monitoring of Scrap Steel Yield to Minimize Carbon Footprint
Working with the IT department, our engineers have developed a system that enables the precise management, analysis, and optimization of the yield of individual scrap steel series in the process of steel production and the further use of by-products, while minimizing the carbon footprint. In the process of steel manufacture, we also use our internal steel scrap – remains created during the production of final steel products. All the scrap, once sorted according to chemical properties or quality, is then returned to the production process, which enables us to lower the share of purchased pure alloys. By upgrading the sorting process, we will further increase the yield of certain chemical elements in steel scrap from our production process. Our goal is to use or reuse all the materials within our group. When they cannot be reused within our group, either because of physical limitations or because they do not provide economic benefit, we work with outside partners that can appropriately handle or process these materials. Our long-term goal is to prevent any waste from being deposited in landfills.
