ArcelorMittal showcases low-carbon steel tie-up

ArcelorMittal the steel major owned by Indian entrepreneur Lakshmi Mittal, is showcasing the various facets of its low-carbon steel partnership with the Olympics and Paralympics, kicking off in Paris later this month. The Luxembourg-headquartered company revealed this week that its recycled and renewably-produced XCarb is behind the Torches that have been touring the world, the Olympic Rings that now adorn the French capital’s iconic Eiffel Tower landmark and the Agitos symbol of the Paralympics atop the city’s Arc de Triomphe.

The Paris Olympics 2024 is also setting a new milestone by reusing the Torches for the first time, with a significantly reduced carbon footprint with the production of just 2,000 required as opposed to 12,000 in the past. “We think the Games are about sport, but they transcend sport,” Ian Louden, the Head of Brand for ArcelorMittal, told reporters in Paris.

“They go over and above sport itself, trying at least to bring together the world on a platform of equality and peace and shared belief. For example, for the very first time in Paris 2024, there are equal numbers of male and female athletes. As a leading global industrial company, we think this is exactly the kind of event in society that we should support,” he said. The company previously tied up with the London 2012 Olympic Games, resulting in the ArcelorMittal Orbit designed by celebrated British Indian artist Anish Kapoor.

The Paris Games, opening on July 26 and running until August 11, involves the firm providing the steel and manufacturing knowhow for the Torch, designed by French artist Mathieu Lehanneur, and what is collectively referred to as the “Spectaculars” – the Olympic Rings and the Agitos – a project masterminded by engineer Professor Pierre Engel.