Is Steel a Sustainable Manufacturing Material for Retail Displays?

Sustainability is one of the top priorities across almost every industry. Companies are either launching or focusing their sustainability initiatives to help reduce carbon emissions to create more environmentally friendly ways of doing business.

This race toward sustainability has had an impact on the kinds of construction materials companies use in modern manufacturing applications. For example, companies are now weighing the environmental impact of manufacturing materials such as iron, copper, tin, and aluminum, and more businesses are making choices about the construction materials they select based in part on how sustainable the raw material is.

Along with being one of the more durable manufacturing materials on the market, steel is also one of the most sustainable, and this potent 1-2 punch is part of why steel is the ideal material for custom fabrication projects like retail fixtures and displays.

With this in mind, let’s look at what makes steel a more environmentally conscious material, and how choosing steel for your manufacturing needs can help you reach your sustainability goals.

Steel is a 100% recyclable material

Whereas some materials commonly used in the construction of retail displays and fixtures either cannot be recycled or require a large amount of processing — some of which includes harsh or hazardous chemicals — steel is a 100% recyclable metal. The fully-recyclable nature of steel helps create what's called a “closed-loop” production cycle where nothing is wasted.  

What’s more, steel can be recycled multiple times without a reduction in quality, and recycled steel can also be repurposed and used to make new products — in fact, recycled steel accounts for about 40% of all steel used in the manufacturing of new products.

Not only is steel 100% recyclable, it’s also one of the more common materials that is recycled each year. About 93% of new steel is recycled annually in the United States, and this helps ensure a consistent pipeline of recycled steel that can be repurposed for additional applications.

New developments in the production of steel help reduce greenhouse emissions

While the production of steel once required blast furnaces, which produced elevated amounts of carbon emissions, the development of new, more efficient heating technologies in the form of electric arc furnaces have changed the game. Not only do electric arc furnaces accelerate the production time of new steel, but they also reduce carbon emissions of steel production by up to 75%. 

Green hydrogen heating technology is another alternative to more traditional blast furnace systems. Green hydrogen heating provides the consistent heating outputs necessary for the manufacturing of high-grade steel without harmful carbon emissions. Green hydrogen technology not only burns cleaner, but the innovation of using electrical currents to split hydrogen atoms creates ultra-high heat that can help manufacturers produce better quality steel faster.

Recycled steel does not degrade over time

Steel can be recycled multiple times and repurposed for multiple applications without any degradation to the metal’s durability. Because steel can be made, used, scrapped, and recycled without compromising its strength, companies can reduce their reliance on a steady stream of new steel while also increasing their ROI on the investment of recycled steel.

This stands in stark contrast to other types of manufacturing materials — like lumber, for example — that can be repurposed but at a cost, whether it’s a decrease in quality over time or the resources required for a successful repurposing.

Steel is a manufacturing material that lasts

When you fabricate a custom retail fixture or display using steel, you know the piece is designed to last. Unlike other construction materials, steel does not crack, warp, twist, split, or rot with consistent, long-term use. What’s more, steel can be treated to withstand corrosion and rust from exposure to environmental elements such as rain, wind, sunlight, and high temperatures.

Steel helps extend the service life of your display or fixture, and using steel also decreases the chance that you’ll have to replace your display due to suboptimal performance. Compared to other materials, steel can reduce your use of raw materials and help reduce your company’s carbon footprint.

Franklin Display Group understands the importance of fabricating high-quality, custom point-of-purchase displays and fixtures using sustainable manufacturing materials. This is why we use 70% recycled steel in all our displays and fixtures, and it’s also why we partner with local steel producers that adhere to strict emissions regulations. Our commitment to sustainable manufacturing can help you take a more eco-friendly approach to your business.

Contact us to learn more about how we can help you create durable retail displays from recycled steel.