Innovation and R&D

Aperam Research Centres

Aperam is driving the future through its commitment to R&D and innovation.

Thanks to its recyclability, durability, versatility, ease-of-use, cleanliness and aesthetic appeal, many of the applications that will soon define how we live more sustainably are embracing the benefits of stainless steel and alloys – making it the materials of the future. From fuel cells to wind turbines and low emission and electrical vehicles, Aperam is driving this future through its commitment to R&D and innovation.

R&D by the Numbers

Our team of 143 researchers are committed to developing innovative new applications for stainless steel and alloys. Our three dedicated R&D centres design value-added products and solutions in terms of grade, surface aspect, functionality and properties to address the unresolved challenges of our customers. Aperam’s commitment to innovation is reflected in the €21 million that we have invested in R&D. As a result of this ongoing investment, new products continue to account for an increasingly large share of our portfolio.

3

R&D Centres: Timóteo (Brazil) / Imphy & Isbergues (France)

143

Researchers

21

million R&D spent per year

Answering Tomorrow’s Challenges Today

By creating products that solve global challenges and create real social value, Aperam is reshaping the future of our industry.

Stainless Steel Research Centre

A one-stop-shop for all technical questions relating to the production and use of austenitic, ferritic, martensitic and duplex stainless steels, along with Iron Nickel and Iron Cobalt products. Located in our Isbergues production plant (Stainless) and in Imphy (Alloys), the Research Centres are the heart of our global technical network that includes research centres across Europe and Brazil and that work in partnership with several world-renowned universities and expertise centres. Through this network, our customers have access to: support in optimising their processes, devices for tool and part modelling, welding and forming support, and the latest grades offered by Aperam.

Alloys "Pierre Chevenard" Research Centre

Our Alloys Research Centre has its own means for experimentation, from the development of laboratory heat to the complete characterization of the alloys' use properties. It also uses the resources and expertise of the Group and other Research Centers, as well as those university laboratories with whom it maintains close relationships.

Co-development

By listening to our customers' demands and collaborating with them, together we develop the high-quality, innovative products they need to stay at the forefront of an always-evolving industry. Our engineers assist in the design and execution of new medium- to long-term projects. Aperam also helps optimise our customers’ manufacturing processes, evaluate how they can reduce costs, enhance the skills of their personnel, and provide their team with the technical training needed to succeed.

Electrical steel behind the world’s second particle accelerator

The Sirius Project is one of the world’s second particle accelerator. It is also the largest, most complex scientific infrastructure ever built in Brazil. Needing a material that could support a highly magnetic product, Aperam’s E233 was the natural choice. That’s because E233’s high electrical permeability results in low magnetic losses – an essential characteristic to the accelerator’s functioning. E233 is also commonly used in wind turbines and electric motors, along with the airtight compressors used in refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioning units.

INVAR® SFD, your material of choice for OLED and display technology

From our mobile phones to digital cameras, Virtual Reality headsets, televisions and tablets – high-definition displays are a part of our everyday lives. Behind each of these screens are alloys. INVAR® SFD by Aperam is a highly-clean alloy developed specifically for OLED technology. INVAR® SFD provides the controlled expansion required by the tools used for the fabrication of OLED displays. This alloy has also expansion and mechanical properties required to ensure a reliable encapsulation of the OLED displays.        

Stainless steel concrete mixer truck

Concrete is a highly abrasive material. The wear becomes much worse in wet environments, which causes corrosion. Send it spinning around inside a cement mixer and it’s easy to see why these trucks have a relatively short lifespan. That’s why Aperam helped develop the world’s first stainless steel concrete mixer. The resilient, ultralight concrete mixer offers the mechanical resistance and nominal hardness needed to withstand the combined effects of abrasion and corrosion.

LNG tank in Gibraltar

Aperam is proud to have provided the stainless steel used in the construction of a new, small-scale LNG facility in Gibraltar. The regasification terminal is part of the territory’s transition away from diesel power to cleaner burning LNG. Each of the five cryogenic tanks are 50 m long, 5.8 m in diameter, and have a capacity of 1 million liters. Once online, the 80 megawatt sustainable power plant is expected to lower NOx emissions by 80% and virtually eliminate SOx emissions.

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