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Reducing emissions from steel purchases is a key focus area in Konecranes’ climate work. Steel is a carbon‑intensive raw material and one of the largest contributors to a crane’s overall carbon footprint, making it one of the most effective levers for reducing product‑related emissions.
To address this, Konecranes has introduced a low-emission steel girder option for selected crane configurations. The steel is produced using a high share of recycled content, electric arc furnace (EAF) technology and fossil-free electricity during manufacturing. Compared to conventionally produced steel, this results in lower emissions while maintaining the same quality and performance standards.
Currently, this option is available for selected crane configurations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
To support its climate targets, Konecranes is taking practical steps to reduce emissions by implementing low-emission steel girders in its own operations. At the Eurofactory in Germany, two cranes equipped with low-emission steel girders are now installed and in use in daily production. Each crane features an 8.5-metre span, an 8-ton lifting capacity and tandem functionality, providing a practical example of how low-emission steel can be implemented in industrial operations.
“We wanted to move from concepts to reality. By installing cranes with low-emission steel girders in our own factory, we are putting our sustainability ambitions into action and building practical implementation experience that helps us support customers more confidently, Low-emission steel girders are not a one-off pilot. Going forward, we plan to increasingly install girders made from low-emission steel in our own factories, with further crane replacements planned within the next 12 months.”
David Huschenbeth, Director Supply, Eurofactory.
Because steel accounts for a significant share of a crane’s lifecycle emissions, it offers one of the most impactful opportunities for reducing the overall carbon footprint of crane structures.
The low-emission steel girder offers exactly the same strength and high Konecranes quality, but with a lower carbon footprint. We are supporting our own climate targets while also helping our customers reach their emission reduction goals.”
Marianna Englund, Manager, Sustainability, Industrial Service & Equipment
For many industrial companies, emissions from purchased goods and services represent a significant share of their overall carbon footprint.
By offering a low-emission steel option, Konecranes provides a way to reduce the carbon footprint of crane structures already at the raw material stage.
A crane’s largest lifecycle emission sources typically come from raw material production and the use phase, although the relative impact depends on the crane type and application. This means customers can influence emissions not only during operation, but already at the investment stage by considering the climate impact of the materials used in the crane.
As sustainability criteria become more common in procurement and tender evaluations, material-related emissions are increasingly becoming part of purchasing decisions.
In practice, it enables:
Alongside traditional priorities such as cost, uptime and operational efficiency, sustainability is increasingly becoming part of customer investment decisions. The low-emission steel option adds a new dimension to these discussions without affecting crane performance.
In one case example, a crane equipped with a low-emission steel girder showed approximately 40% lower overall emissions* and around 70% lower emissions from the girder compared to a reference crane using conventional steel.
Konecranes is actively working with steel suppliers to support the transition to lower-emission production, including encouraging ambitious climate targets and increasing the availability of low-emission steel. As availability expands, Konecranes will continue developing lower-emission material solutions that help customers reduce the environmental impact of their operations without compromising safety, quality or performance.
*Cradle-to-gate lifecycle assessment case study of a specific overhead crane with a main girder manufactured with selected low-emission steel compared to an overhead crane with a main girder manufactured with traditionally produced steel. The climate impact reduction may vary depending on the crane’s configuration.