Iron & steel
We add value and optimize performance in metal production markets worldwide with a range of smart mineral solutions.
Innovative solutions along the entire iron & steel value chain
Used in everything from jet engines to surgical instruments, and from construction to automotive and building/infrastructure, steel is one of the most versatile materials.
We support the iron & steel industry with a range of minerals, refractory solutions, and services covering all aspects of primary and secondary liquid steel processes. The main applications we serve range from safety and abrasion coatings to fluxes for continuous casting processes.
Bespoke solutions from our wide range of minerals
Minerals used in primary and secondary steelmaking processes include alumina, wollastonite, and bauxite, which contain characteristically high amounts of alumina and iron oxide. Silicon- and graphite-based alkaline mixes and other carbon sources are also used as functional additives for continuous flow steel casting. Due to its specific physical and chemical properties, calcium aluminate flux speeds up slag formation and improves steel refining in secondary metallurgy and in the continuous casting tundish.
We design bespoke solutions for our steelmaking customers and fine-tune these solutions as steel grade and specification requirements evolve. In addition to casting fluxes, our portfolio of products also includes covering compounds, metallurgically active slags and flux feeders.
Key figures
Automatic feeding of granulated casting fluxes on our casting lines has enhanced safety and improved cast strand quality. It is eco-friendly and cost-efficient. The Imerys equipment has excelled in terms of availability, and requires little maintenance.
Our business expertise
We offer a wide range of innovative, bespoke natural and synthetic mineral solutions, consulting services and turnkey solution concepts for the iron & steel industry, from engineered raw materials to refractory linings and the Imerys Autogetmatic Flux Feeding System.
Our cutting-edge products are vital enablers for continuous steel casting; our refractory solutions are gold-standards worldwide; while our foundry business is at the forefront of the green sand molding segment.
From world-renowned steel-casting flux brands like Accutherm® and Melubir®, to our benchmark refractory brand CALDE® for the iron & steel industry, to our Envibond® emissions reduction product and Riko® foundry waste-stream process, Imerys provides solutions across the whole metal production chain.
Whether it be finding innovations that protect the environment, protect the health and safety of the industry’s workers, increase productivity, improve cost-effectiveness or reduce downtime, our market-driven solutions have always led to long-term partnerships with our customers based on trust and transparency.
And with a global network of industry experts, and mines and plants in over 30 countries, we can offer a local approach to customer service, provide fast response times and ensure reliable supply for decades to come.
- Developing solutions to enable the production of lighter, stronger steels for automotive industries
- Adapting to the ongoing digitalization of the industry
- Continuing to innovate in a fast-paced, competitive market
Developing solutions to enable the production of lighter, stronger steels for the automotive market.
Related markets
Abrasives
Whether you are looking to polish, sand, smoothen, grind, or even cut a workpiece, you want to be sure that the material used, its hardness and grain size are right for the job at hand. We are the world leader in fused minerals for abrasives, ready to assist and deliver on all your finishing needs.
Where do our mineral raw materials come from? How have they been produced and processed? What impact does their production have on the environment and society? Which sustainable benefits do they bring to the downstream value chain? The newly launched Imerys SustainAgility™ Solutions Assessment framework provides a transparent, straightforward approach to mineral sustainability.
As Imerys grows in China and Asia, so too does its presence and reputation as a leading employer in the region. The recently signed academic-industrial partnership with Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT) – Paris Curie Engineer School opens the doors to international careers for young talent with valuable local insight and skills.
This year, Imerys is extremely proud to celebrate the centenary of its French Fos-sur-Mer plant, specialized in the production of calcium aluminate based products. On April 30th, employees and their families were invited to take part in various events and festivities organized to commemorate 100 years of site existence.
Meet Thiobacillus, a common bacteria found in marine and terrestrial habitats that oxidizes sulfur to generate sulfuric acid, in turn dissolving and corroding concrete and steel. Enter Sewper® Liner, Imerys’ most recent innovation designed especially for the protection of concrete elements of new wastewater infrastructure assets.
