ArcelorMittal showcases low-carbon steel partnership with Paris Olympics 2024

ArcelorMittal, the steel giant owned by Indian entrepreneur Lakshmi Mittal, is highlighting its low-carbon steel partnership with the upcoming Olympics and Paralympics in Paris, kicking off later this month. 

The Luxembourg-headquartered company announced that its recycled and renewably-produced XCarb steel is being used for various key elements of the games. This includes the Torches that have been touring the world, the Olympic Rings adorning the Eiffel Tower, and the Agitos symbol of the Paralympics atop the Arc de Triomphe.

The Paris Olympics 2024 is marking a significant milestone by reusing the Torches for the first time, significantly reducing the carbon footprint by producing only 2,000 Torches compared to 12,000 in previous games. ArcelorMittal, the steel major owned by Indian entrepreneur Lakshmi Mittal, is showcasing its low-carbon steel collaboration with the upcoming Olympics and Paralympics in Paris, set to begin later this month.

The Luxembourg-based company revealed that its recycled and renewably-produced XCarb steel is being used for various key elements of the games, including the Torches that have toured the world, the Olympic Rings now adorning the Eiffel Tower, and the Agitos symbol of the Paralympics atop the Arc de Triomphe.

In a significant milestone, the Paris Olympics 2024 will reuse Torches for the first time, producing only 2,000 compared to 12,000 in previous games, thereby significantly reducing the carbon footprint.

"We think the Games are about sport, but they transcend sport," Ian Louden, Head of Brand for ArcelorMittal, told reporters in Paris. "They aim to bring together the world on a platform of equality and peace. For example, Paris 2024 will have equal numbers of male and female athletes. As a leading global industrial company, we believe this is the kind of societal event we should support."

ArcelorMittal previously partnered with the London 2012 Olympic Games, resulting in the ArcelorMittal Orbit designed by British Indian artist Anish Kapoor. For the Paris Games, opening on July 26 and running until August 11, ArcelorMittal is providing the steel and manufacturing expertise for the Torch, designed by French artist Mathieu Lehanneur, and the "Spectaculars"—the Olympic Rings and the Agitos—masterminded by engineer Professor Pierre Engel.

"This is the work of a big team, from producing the steel in Chateauneuf in Burgundy to lifting the rings, involving about 200 people," said Professor Engel. "We faced several challenges, including positioning, innovative lighting, and ensuring the safety of iconic landmarks in Paris."

Engel and his team worked for 18 months, with a retired Army man ensuring timelines were kept to military precision. The Rings, measuring 29 meters wide by 15 meters high and positioned approximately 84 meters off the ground, are displayed between the first and second floors of the Eiffel Tower. At night, they are lit in white, except for black, which cannot be lit, while the Agitos are lit in red, blue, and green 24/7.

"Being an official partner of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and supplying the Torch gives ArcelorMittal an incredible opportunity to showcase the beauty, flexibility, and potential of steel," said CEO Aditya Mittal.

ArcelorMittal's XCarb products are produced via the electric arc furnace route, using high levels of scrap steel and 100 percent renewable energy, resulting in a carbon footprint as low as approximately 300kg of CO2 per tonne of finished steel. The 2024 Olympic project was executed entirely in France, giving new life to scrap steel from end-of-life cars and washing machines.

(With PTI inputs)