How do we upcycle steel?

The difference between recycling and upcycling steel is that when we upcycle the steel, we make new products without melting it. Instead, we cut, scrub, bend, repaint and recertify the steel.

Steel recycling is a global established business where they grind used steel into tiny pieces and melt the steel to make new products. Imagine putting a whole ship through a grinder, that’s what it´s all about. Sometimes they even use dynamite. The process has extensive emissions from the melting, often blend qualities and requires transport across the globe. Upcycling of steel can be done locally, and by local workforce. This way we save loads of Co2 emissions and keep the quality of the steel intact.

The market for decommission of ships is huge. There is between 5 – 600 ships sent to decommission every year, a steel tonnage of around 12 billion. But even if most ships are owned by the west (Norway has the fifth largest fleet in the world) most of the ships end up in Asia, many at the beaches of Bangladesh and India. But we have to stop beaching of ships. Thats why we are pushing decommission yards in Norway and steel manufactories to rethink their strategies. They already have the knowhow and equipment, and their day job as of now are on the recline – its not a green future in oil . We know, because we have already done projects with them.

Why we upcycle steel into building products

The building industry is responsible for 40% of the Co2e emissions in the world. Steel is one of the worst contributors to that number. By making conventional steel products we can offer the industry common steel products with up to 94% reduced CO2-emission. But we go further than that. By creating our own designed regenerative steel products like SuperDock and MoreLand we have created new value to the industry. We not only cut emissions, we also offer solutions that bring back natural life to our city ports.

Nordic Circles at TEDx talks

In 2020 Fredrik Barth, leader of the board in Nordic Circles, was invited to TEDxBærekraftige Liv to present our business idea. Check out the movie to learn more about why upcycling of maritime metal is a key factor in creating a more sustainable future.

Agenda Vestlandet

Nordic Circles is funded by Agenda Vestlandet alongside a great variety of other pioneering companies working on sustainable new business. Watch the video here!