Krefelder Outokumpu soll Markt für Metallpulver revolutionieren

Krefelder Outokumpu soll Markt für Metallpulver revolutionieren

Die Krefelder Outokumpu, ein führender Hersteller von Edelstahl und Sondermetallen, hat sich zum Ziel gesetzt, den Markt für Metallpulver zu revolutionieren. Mit ihrer innovativen Technologie und langjährigen Erfahrung in der Metallverarbeitung will das Unternehmen neue Standards in der Produktion von Metallpulvern setzen. Die Nachfrage nach hochwertigen Metallpulvern steigt stetig, insbesondere in der additiven Fertigung und der Elektromobilität. Outokumpu plant, diese Entwicklung zu nutzen und sich als Marktführer im Bereich der Metallpulver zu etablieren. Durch die Implementierung neuer Produktionsprozesse und die Entwicklung neuer Produkte will das Unternehmen seinen Kunden eine breitere Palette an Metallpulvern anbieten.

Krefelder Outokumpu revolutioniert den Markt für Metallpulver

Exactly one year ago, Outokumpu in Krefeld launched its plant for producing high-quality stainless steel powder for additive manufacturing with great fanfare and prominent guests, including North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst. Now, the testing phase is over, and the company has begun commercial production of metal powder at its Krefeld production site.

Outokumpu aims to intensify its innovation strategy and circular economy efforts. In this context, the company plans to produce up to 330 tons of metal powder annually from its own recycled material, which consists 100% of stainless steel scrap.

After the successful completion of the first test year, Outokumpu is now starting the commercial production phase, the company stated. Additionally, Outokumpu is launching several research and development collaborations with partners from various industries who want to use the steel powder for innovative new products.

This cooperation aims to fully exploit the potential of the material and develop forward-looking applications. For example, Outokumpu has entered into a cooperation with the trading company Stahl Krebs as part of the publicly funded project React by the German government.

Another collaboration is taking place in the medical and jewelry industry to work on nickel-free materials that can be used for implants, medical instruments, and watches. This cooperation is being carried out through the publicly funded Finnish project HiPAM*, led by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

Outokumpu in Krefeld startet kommerzielle Produktion von Edelstahlpulver

The market for stainless steel powder is growing strongly. The additive manufacturing industry is one of the most important technological innovations of the 21st century and will also play a crucial role in the ecological transformation of the global economy.

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global metal powder market volume was around 6.75 billion US dollars in 2021 and is expected to grow to 10.79 billion US dollars by 2029.

Our goal is to make a significant contribution to this development by using local production waste to create new solutions for the market, said Marten Franz, Head of Metal Powder Business at Outokumpu. After the test and ramp-up phase, we are now able to supply customers and cooperation partners with high-quality, climate-neutral metal powder for 3D printing.

Outokumpu is focusing on producing metal powders that are not yet available on the market, particularly suitable for companies that use technologies to manufacture parts for demanding special applications.

To meet customer-specific requirements, Outokumpu operates its own test laboratory, where applications can be directly modified and validated on site. Together with our partners, we want to take a big step towards this goal in 2024. Furthermore, new material developments and qualifications are taking place to expand the portfolio of stainless steel powders, Franz added.