2023 – A year of innovation and sustainability at Arania
In short, 2023 has been a period of consolidation, innovation and engagement with the future for Arania, which has stood out not only in terms of efficiency and flexibility, but also for its firm commitment to technology, sustainability and equality. The improvements in production, the expansion of logistic operations and strategic diversification are key elements to continue as a benchmark on the rolled steel market, particularly in an ever more environmentally aware context.
2023 has been a transcendental period for Arania on the competitive rolled steel market. With a recession dangerously looming over the Eurozone, the 2023 strategic approach adopted a flexible model that has allowed the company to adapt to the change of pace of the market, pulling back at a time of less activity and efficiently mobilising the resources accumulated to harness opportunities.
Thus, Arania has not only shown its ability to remain at the cutting-edge in terms of efficiency and flexibility, but it has also taken another step forward in its firm commitment to technology, sustainability and equality. This year has seen a unique combination of leadership consolidation, continued innovation and an unshakeable commitment to the future.
Arania’s slogan for 2023 was clear: flexibility and efficiency to adapt to every circumstance. Thanks to the whole workforce pulling together, the company has not only maintained its leadership position in quality and service in an economic scenario marked by uncertainty and less than encouraging forecasts, but has also overcome the difficulties of a challenging climate.
The key has been its commitment to a long-term strategy that has been efficiently deployed during recent months and which has led to sound management of the stocks, improved efficiency in the plant and optimised investment decisions.
One of the year’s main milestones for Arania has been the opening of the new intermodal warehouse in Candiolo (Turin, Italy). The investment in a warehouse in the customer’s country and focused on intermodal transport (train + road) is driving better overall effectiveness of the company, and highlighting the commitment to operational efficiency linked to sustainability and reducing the environmental impact. Apart from giving impetus to the quality and speed of the service, this strategic movement also optimises stock management, cuts transport costs and is a way to reach new customers.
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The path to efficiency has been marked by progress in the deployment of the Arania Smart Factory, an essential technology-focused and forward-looking project. Automation has been key, with the implementation of a new state-of-the-art automatic warehouse at the heart of the plant. These safer and more efficient facilities have allowed a whole production phase to be streamlined, while at the same time boosting the technology in other stages of the rolled steel value chain.
Investing in the automating operations in all phases of the production process allows the productivity and quality of service to be increased, along with improving the health and safety of the teams, and positioning Arania as a benchmark in the adoption of advanced technologies in the rolled steel sector. As we have already announced on our blog , the Arania Smart Factory has also been showcased at leading events for the rolled steel industry and new technologies, such as BeDigital.
Sustainability has been a fundamental component for Arania in 2023. This summer, Arania took a further step forward when it successfully renewed the verification of its carbon footprint as per the ISO 14064 standard, and, in autumn, the company was awarded the EcoVadis medal for its sustainability performance.
This medal covers a wide range of categories, from the environment to work practices and human rights, and has consolidated Arania’s position as a leader in an ever-aware business world.
Those achievements ratify Arania’s robust commitment to sustainability and achieving the environmental targets, but it is a dynamic that is ongoing and which will involve a large amount of collective effort.
Different crossing-cutting programs have therefore been implemented within the organization to continue to steadily and progressively reduce emissions in all organizational areas, particularly as regards raw materials, production and logistics, but with no progress being overlooked.
Arania is not only striving to comply with current standards, but it is also establishing ambitious goals for the future: the company has set itself the target of being carbon-neutral by 2040, thus ahead of the deadline set by the European Union and leading the decarbonization of cold rolled steel in Southern Europe.
The increased use of the railway compared to road haulage and the environmental and energy optimization throughout the value chain are decisive steps towards a sustainable business model and which can be a benchmark for other key stakeholders of the rolled steel sector.
Arania’s unwavering dedication to innovation is reflected in research and development projects such as PILAR, LOWHC and AHSS. Those projects have been cofounded by the Basque Government and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund 2021-2027 (ERDF) by means of the Hazitek programme , and strengthen Arania’s opting for sustainable and advanced technologies.
It is striving to lead the transformation of Industry 4.0 in the rolled steel sector, by investing in the tools that will allow the company to continue exploring new products that are of greater quality and more efficient, thanks to cutting-edge processes and technologies.
Ariana’s commitment to its entire environment is not limited to operational efficiency and sustainability. With the formalisation of the Equality Plan at the start of the year, Arania endorsed its commitment to gender equality. Furthermore, the collaboration with APNABI – Autism Bizkaia and the search for talent-based expertise – while breaking away from stereotypes and discrimination –, highlight the whole of the Arania Group’s engagement with diversity and corporate social responsibility.
As regards strategic alliances, in 2023 the Arania teams travelled the world to work with some of the major steel producers to reach highly important agreements for the future.
For example, Tata Steel Nederland has reached new agreements with Wuppermann, BILSTEIN, EMW Stahl Service and Arania to supply Zeremis® Carbon Lite (steel with a lower assigned carbon footprint of up to 90%) from 2023 onwards.
Additionally, we recently completed the acquisition of Thyssenkrupp Materials Processing Lamincer S.A.U., located in Mungia, Spain. This acquisition is a coherent step in our strategic plan, strengthening our position in southern Europe as leaders in precision cold rolling and supporting our strategy of continuous growth
Those projects are part of the Arania strategy to give greater priority to green steel and with lower emissions, by consolidating a leadership track-record in circular, ecological and clean steel.
As Arania moves towards the future, the outlook may change, but the bottom line is always that the company will continue to search for excellence in efficiency and quality, with a renewed flexible approach based on two fundamental pillars: technological investment and sustainability.
The consolidation of the leadership, the expansion of logistic operations and strategic diversification are key elements to continue as a benchmark on the rolled steel market, particularly in an ever more environmentally aware context.
2023 has been a succession of achievements, challenges overcome and reaffirmed commitments.
Arania has proven that innovation, sustainability and equality are part of its DNA and those guiding principles are the cornerstone of its vision for the future. In 2024, Arania will continue progressing towards excellence, by developing not only high-quality products for each customer and project, but also thanks to its unwavering commitment to a sustainable and inclusive future