To kick off a new four-part Steel Thoughts series on innovation at ArcelorMittal, Jean-Luc Thirion, our head of global research and development (R&D), explores the company’s approach to R&D and the emphasis it puts on product development.

By Jean-Luc Thirion, head of global R&D, ArcelorMittal

Steel has been around for centuries, but so too has competition – and it’s not just from other steelmakers, but also from other materials. Innovation, through R&D, is key to differentiating ourselves, keeping ArcelorMittal ahead of our rivals, but also keeping steel ahead of its rivals. It allows us to create products and processes that give us a competitive edge, in terms of both performance and cost.

R&D has been a central pillar of our success for many years. So much so that today, we have approximately 14,000 patents and patents applications across more than 900 active patent families. We have 1,700 researchers and invest around $300 million annually in R&D. Our global R&D presence spans Europe, the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and Japan, enabling us to tailor solutions to local needs and maintain close collaboration with both internal and external customers. This large-scale R&D effort is essential to support our industrial and commercial strategies and to keep us ahead in a highly competitive market.

Our focus has evolved over the years in-line with technology developments and market trends. Today, it is concentrated on six strategic areas: sustainable product development, mobility (beyond just automotive, including micro mobility), clean energy transition, environmental excellence, decarbonization, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Creating a competitive advantage through industry leading product development

While all areas are important, a company is only as good as the products or services it sells. And we are constantly challenging and re-inventing what is possible with steel. Since the turn of the century, we have created several hundred new steel products!

While every market we serve is important, arguably no sector is more important than automotive, where we are the leading provider of material solutions – a position we have earned through decades of effort and investment in product innovation, and one we intend to keep. The work our product development R&D team has undertaken has ensured steel remains the material of choice for the automotive industry. Over the past 25 years, we’ve developed advanced high-strength steels that meet evolving safety standards and weight-saving demands.

People might think “steel is steel is steel”, but they couldn’t be more wrong. The mechanical properties of different types of steel are so varied – from how it crumples and withstands the impact of a crash, to how it is welded or stamped. For instance, since 2000 we've increased the strength of our automotive steels by a factor of six – from 300 megapascals (MPa) to more than 2,000 MPa - which has typically helped reduce the weight of vehicles by 25%, enabling auto OEMs to meet increasingly stringent tailpipe emissions regulation. We’ve also revolutionised the way steel is used in vehicle design, with laser-welded blanks and stamping keeping us at the forefront of automotive design innovation.

Supporting the automotive transition

Electrification is driving huge change in vehicle design. The major shift is the removal of an internal combustion engine and the introduction of large battery packs. This completely alters the weight distribution of a vehicle. Our focus is therefore on providing solutions that help car manufacturers manage these new challenges.

Simplification and cost reduction are also major priorities. Our work in this area led to the creation of a new, award-winning double door ring, which reduced the number of sub-parts per door ring from 13 to four, delivering sustainability gains and cost savings. This was the first product from a new, cutting-edge concept called Multi Part Integration (MPI) that uses our patented press hardened steel and laser-welding technology to reduce the number of parts in a car, saving on weight, cost, and the complexity of assembly.

An excellent example of MPI is the H-frame, which connects a cars chassis and motor to the rest of the vehicle. With the MPI concept we’ve revolutionised the H-frame, replacing 11 parts with a single component. That means no welds, significant simplification and cost savings while still delivering weight savings and exceptional safety performance.

Beyond auto: advancing product development for all customers

In addition to automotive products, we have innovations like Magnelis®, a highly successful corrosion-resistant product used in renewable energy, particularly solar installations. We also have Optigal®, a zinc-magnesium coating for construction applications that offers excellent corrosion resistance while optimising the cost of pre-painted products used in construction. Our Amstrong® line of advanced high-strength steels is used in industries like construction and agriculture, providing weight savings and increased durability. As we have done with our range of auto products, we’ve evolved the mechanical properties of Amstrong® too, moving from 500MPa 15 years ago, to over 1100MPa today. Again, steel is not simply steel – we’re inventing new steels and stretching the boundaries of possibility all the time. These products help us stay ahead of the competition in a variety of sectors, from energy transition to construction to manufacturing machinery.

Collaboration is key to success

We are determined to leave no stone unturned with our product development and I am often asked how we go about the process. Product innovation can have one of two starting points, it’s either "pull" or "push". Pull products are driven by customer requests, while push products are innovations we believe will add value to the market. When we identify a promising opportunity, we work with our commercial teams to assess market size and potential profitability. It’s essential that our work adds value – to both our company and that of our customers. So, if there is alignment, we move forward with product development and industrial trials. This is not a simple process. It typically takes about three years from concept to commercialization and involves numerous iterations to ensure the product is robust and market ready.

Getting it right is critical and goes right to the heart of R&D’s mission – to differentiate ArcelorMittal from our peers, create a competitive advantage for our company through innovation and ensure that we are true to our purpose and really do deliver smarter steels for people and planet.