Outokumpu, ZWILLING and STAHL KREBS join forces to reduce carbon footprint of knives

Outokumpu Oyj
Press release
December 14, 2023 at 10.00 am EET

Outokumpu, ZWILLING and STAHL KREBS join forces to reduce carbon footprint of knives

Outokumpu, the global leader in sustainable stainless steel, ZWILLING, the global leading supplier of high-quality products for modern home kitchens, and future-oriented steel trading company STAHL KREBS have signed a contract on the deliveries of the world’s first towards-zero stainless steel, Outokumpu Circle Green®. The collective aim of all partners is to expand their existing partnership into sustainable fields.

Outokumpu supplies Circle Green stainless steel, through STAHL KREBS, for ZWILLING knives to continuously reduce the CO₂ footprint of major ZWILLING knife series. The steel used in knives accounts for more than two-thirds of the knives’ total product carbon footprint. Now in the first phase, Circle Green will be used in the premium line ZWILLING Pro, one of the high selling knife series of ZWILLING, reducing its carbon footprint by approximately one third*. Going forward, ZWILLING intends to convert more knife series step by step to Circle Green. For ZWILLING, this is a significant step towards the decarbonization goal defined as part of the company’s sustainability strategy.

Outokumpu Circle Green at the STAHL KREBS warehouse, from where they deliver material to ZWILLING.

First martensitic Circle Green stainless steel for high-quality knives

The Circle Green product line with up to 93% lower carbon footprint than the industry average** is the first commercial towards-zero stainless steel in the market. It was created to accelerate the green transition and extremely advance circular economy. To achieve such a low level of emissions, Outokumpu uses 100 percent low-carbon electricity, low-carbon raw materials, such as recycled steel, and reinvented production processes, such as electric arc furnaces. This means that Circle Green stainless steel has the same mechanical properties and the same high quality and durability as the previously used material.

“Our spearhead climate solution, Circle Green, has the lowest carbon footprint in the world. If all the stainless steel in the world was produced with the same methods used for our Circle Green production, it would reduce global carbon emissions from the entire stainless steel value chain by 364 million tons per year – there is a true opportunity to transform various industries. With Circle Green Dura, we are providing ZWILLING the first CO₂ reduced martensitic stainless steel grade that is designed for applications that demand a high level of surface hardness, high strength and wear resistance. With this collaboration we are proud to continue our decarbonization journey and support our customers in their climate targets,” states Thomas Anstots, President, business line Advanced Materials at Outokumpu.

ZWILLING towards carbon neutral product portfolio

“We are very pleased that these two partners, Outokumpu and STAHL KREBS, will support us on setting pathway for improving our Scope 3 emissions. As one of the oldest brands in the world, our ambition has always been to offer kitchen products that combine quality and durability with a sense of responsibility for people and the environment,” explains Dr. Alexander Gulden, Chief Technology Officer and Member of the Board of Management at ZWILLING.

“For us, it is crucial that we can offer products that are as sustainable as possible and, if feasible, at the same price level as before. This allows consumers to purchase our climate-friendly range of knives and make an important contribution to the environment,” says Dr. Gernot Strehl, Head of Product Compliance & Material Technology and Project Leader for this collaboration at ZWILLING.

The future-oriented steel trading company STAHL KREBS was the initiator of this project and operates as a steel intermediary within this collaboration. “We are pleased to be part of this important partnership and to be able to contribute to the climate-friendly production of high-quality knife products with our expertise and know-how in the steel trading sector,” affirms Daniel Krebs, managing director at STAHL KREBS.

* On average per knife, compared to same knife series with previously used steel.

** For the Circle Green classic grades: global average CO₂ emissions (2023): 7 kilos of CO₂e per kg of stainless steel (Outokumpu’s calculation based on data provided by CRU and worldstainless). Outokumpu Circle Green CO₂ emissions: down to 0.5 kilos of CO₂e per kg of stainless steel. For Outokumpu Dura® grade, such a global comparison is not available, but Circle Green Dura’s carbon footprint is 50% compared to standard Outokumpu Dura® production.

For more information:

Investors: Linda Häkkilä, Head of Investor Relations, tel. +358 400 719 669

Media: Päivi Allenius, VP – Communications & Brand, tel. +358 40 753 7374 or Outokumpu media desk, +358 40 351 9840

Outokumpu Oyj

About Outokumpu

Outokumpu is the global leader in stainless steel. The foundation of our business is our ability to tailor stainless steel into any form and for almost any purpose. Stainless steel is sustainable, durable and designed to last forever. Our customers use it to create civilization’s basic structures and its most famous landmarks as well as products for households and various industries. Outokumpu employs approximately 8,500 professionals in close to 30 countries, with headquarters in Helsinki, Finland and shares listed in Nasdaq Helsinki. www.outokumpu.com

About ZWILLING

ZWILLING Kitchen is a part of the Werhahn Group business unit, Consumer Goods. Registered in 1731 as a trademark for knives and cutlery, ZWILLING today produces and distributes cutlery, cookware, kitchen aids and flatware as well as electrical kitchen appliances, vacuum systems and BBQ, nationally and internationally. The Group employs around 3,700 people worldwide.

About STAHL KREBS

STAHL KREBS has been living up to its approach of being a quality market leader since 1882 and always aims to inspire its customers and partners with new ideas. Today, the Solingen-based company is a supplier to numerous key industries and a solution provider for demanding industries and markets. At the Solingen site, the company maintains a stock program with approx. 20,000 tons of stainless steels as well as quality, engineering and tool steels. National and international customers also benefit from innovative services relating to warehousing, processing and logistics as well as material and application consulting.