Tokyo Steel Japan announces the launch of its new green steel brand – enso®.
In Japan, the enso circle has deep symbolic and cultural significance. As a symbol, it represents various concepts such as eternity, infinity, harmony and balance, and the cyclical nature of life. Accordingly, enso® symbolizes Tokyo Steel's commitment to the circular economy through its products.
The circular logo represents the transition from charcoal to green to symbolize the evolution from carbon-intensive production to green steel. Tokyo Steel achieves lower carbon emissions by applying the arc process to recycled steel scrap and highly efficient operating procedures, and by eliminating certain emissions-intensive steps of the conventional blast furnace process.
Expansion of product range
The enso® product range will initially include hot rolled coil (HRC) and hot rolled plate (HRP), with plans to expand the product offering over time. Compared to similar products from the market-leading blast furnace manufacturer in the EU, enso® HRC contains about one third and enso® HRP about one fifth of the sequestered carbon emissions.
The Japanese steel producer has been supplying a consistent volume of its HRC and HRP products to the EU for some time, meeting its customers' growing demand for low-carbon steel. These products form the basis for supplying numerous downstream industries, including construction, manufacturing and renewable energy generation.
The company plans to produce an ultra-low-carbon product made from 100% renewable energy. This product should be available in 2024.
“Tokyo Steel is by definition a producer of low-carbon steel products. While we have a stable export business with European customers who have recognized the important benefits of our production method, we have decided to underline our commitment to the circular economy and achieve even lower levels of sequestered carbon emissions by launching the enso® brand.
We are grateful for the loyalty of our customers who share our vision of a low-emission steel sector. Tokyo Steel will continue to work to achieve the lowest possible carbon emissions by using its own technological advances and increasing the use of renewable energy in the production process. Tokyo Steel will ensure the supply of enso ® to Europe in compliance with all import regulations and requirements set by the European Union," explains Hisanori-Sakai, Executive Officer GM of International Sales Department at Tokyo Steel.
Partnership with Stemcor
The enso® brand was developed in collaboration with Stemcor, a world-leading independent steel trading company.
"As society continues to build the infrastructure for a greener future, steel remains the world's most important material in engineering and construction. As a result, we are seeing a steadily increasing demand for steel products with lower carbon emissions in a number of European sectors. With the upcoming full implementation of the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), companies are proactively seeking a secure supply chain for these greener raw materials. Tokyo Steel's enso® product range is therefore extremely attractive," says a spokesperson for the Stemcor Group.
