"For every ton of steel we use in our furniture manufacturing, we will purchase an equivalent amount of Carbon Low Steel for our production from the turn of the year. In this way, we push the industry towards more climate-neutral materials and accelerate the transition to a greener future," says Thomas Rydhagen, CEO of Smekab Citylife, and continues.

"Steel with low CO2 footprint isn't available in all dimensions these days. To speed up development and to meet future environmental requirements, we are incorporating a credit system in manufacturing where we commit to having purchased as much Carbon Low Steel as we deliver in the form of furniture. This can be compared to how the energy industry works with 'green electricity' and the forestry industry sells FSC-certified wood," says Thomas Rydhagen.

Clear direction towards transition

Over the past decade, Smekab Citylife has increased the pace of its own sustainability work at the factory in Sweden. The production has been 100% fossil-free for several years, and since 2011 they have been working purposefully to move from traditional steel to an innovative, higher-strength alternative. This has contributed to a reduced need for steel resources by over 30% without affecting the quality or durability of the products. The reduction has also had a positive impact on total CO2 emissions, with a saving of just over 1200 tons during the same period. From 2024, they have completely switched to Carbon Low Zinc for hot-dip galvanizing steel, which means 1 ton of CO2 emissions per ton of zinc, instead of the industry average of 2.5 tons. Now they are taking the next step in their sustainability strategy and implementing Carbon Low Steel.

Credit system initiates investment

The decision to increase purchases of Carbon Low Steel primarily means that they can contribute to accelerating the production of environmentally friendly steel. The business model will thus be a kind of credit system, where they purchase an equivalent amount of low CO2 footprint steel used in manufacturing, initially in the furniture range.

"The credit system is a way to enable the investment. The alternative would have been to continue in the same old tracks, and we don't want that. By purchasing Carbon Low Steel equivalent to our steel use in the furniture, we contribute to increasing the proportion of sustainable steel on the market. It feels good to be able to state that our ambition to always stay one step ahead also applies to our sustainability work," says Thomas Rydhagen, CEO of Smekab Citylife.

Strong and sustainable – with a lower CO2 footprint

Carbon Low Steel is steel produced with technology that results in a lower CO2 footprint. The production primarily uses steel with a very high proportion of recycled steel, preferably in combination with electric arc furnaces to melt the steel with as little CO2 impact as possible.

Traditional steel generates an average of 2.0-2.3 tons of CO2 per ton of steel produced. The steel that Smekab Citylife has now started purchasing as Carbon Low Steel is at a level of < 1 ton of CO2 per ton of steel produced. A significant reduction.

With an operation that will gradually increase purchases of this type of steel and continue to demand even lower CO2 levels from suppliers, Smekab Citylife is determined to drive the development towards a greener future. In this way, they also want to take a clear stance that the industry's carbon emissions must be drastically reduced.

Significantly reduced CO2 emissions

The steel industry is one of the world's most energy-intensive sectors and a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for about 7% of global emissions. A transition to steel with a lower CO2 footprint can help reduce the steel industry's emissions by up to 70%. The steel industry is, as mentioned, in a transition where several different technical solutions are currently being tested and evaluated. Within a 10-year period, the steel industry will have moved towards more fossil-free products.

Smekab Citylife actively contributes to this shift by purchasing steel that has generated lower greenhouse gas emissions.

High recycling rate

Steel can be recycled over and over again without losing its properties, which in the long term makes it both economically advantageous and a sustainable material. Recycling steel requires less energy and resources than producing it from scratch, further reducing its carbon footprint. Thomas Rydhagen again:

"I dare say that steel with significantly reduced CO2 footprints is crucial for the development towards a sustainable future. By using steel with low or in the future perhaps no CO2 footprint at all, we can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote a more sustainable world. The vision is to reduce the CO2 load of our purchased steel by 65% by 2034. Now it is up to the steel producers to adapt and deliver," concludes Thomas Rydhagen.

Smekab Citylife introduces Carbon Low Steel

A way to accelerate the development of sustainable production