A closer look at ABS departments: Global Blue

Maybe not everyone knows that in 2005 ABS Ecogravel® officially received the CE marking. Ecogravel® is obtained by processing black and white slag, which are the main by-products of the steel production process in electric furnaces and ladles, respectively. Since Ecogravel® is used in bituminous conglomerates, concrete, and cemented mixes, it is considered an actual product. It can, therefore, be sold on the market as an aggregate (inert), in compliance with the EU regulations.

Following this event, at the end of 2007, as a result of a €15 million investment, the new Global Blue plant finally became operational. With a dedicated area of 80,000 square meters, the new plant further optimized and improved the production quality of Ecogravel®.
Every year a technical staff of 10 people can process about 150,000 tons of slag, which results in about 144,000 tons of aggregate and 6,000 tons of ferrous material. The aggregate can then be either sold on the market or reserved for internal use, while the ferrous material is sent to the Scrap Yard and loaded into the furnaces. All this fully in line with the principles of Circular Economy.

Thanks to Global Blue, slag, which was once considered scrap material, is reevaluated, becoming a resource and acquiring the dignity and qualification of an actual product. From a green standpoint, there are many benefits: minimized waste production, reduced exploitation of natural resources, lowered impact of inert extraction, more energy savings and reduction of CO2 emissions, the list goes on.

In addition to all these advantages, Ecogravel® is particularly suitable for some specific applications: for example, in road construction, there is evidence of increased durability of the pavements and increased driving safety, due to the improved grip of the road surface. Ecogravel® has already seen extensive use for the construction of most of the regional road network in Veneto (Italy) and Slovenia.

Discover the other department:

The scrap yard >>

The steel making company ABS was established in 1988, by the merging of two well-known Italian steel companies, Officine Bertoli and Acciaierie Safau. Ever since its inception, ABS has been focusing on technological innovation and sustainability.