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At Greenbrier, how we build matters just as much as what we build. That mindset is at the core of our recent collaboration with SSAB Americas and Alter Trading Corporation — an initiative that brings circular economy principles to life in a practical, real-world way.
Announced earlier this year, the project brings together material innovation, manufacturing expertise and end-use alignment to demonstrate how railcar design can support a more sustainable steel lifecycle.
Building with the Full Lifecycle in Mind
For this project, we sourced SSAB Zero™ steel from SSAB’s mill in Iowa. Produced from recycled materials using fossil-free energy, this steel is made with near-zero carbon emissions. We used it to manufacture 50 gondola railcars designed to remain in service for decades.
In addition, we worked with SSAB to incorporate high-strength steel alongside SSAB Zero™, to make the railcars lighter and stronger, boosting payload capacity while helping reduce emissions over the full lifecycle of each railcar. It’s an approach that reflects how Greenbrier continues to pair performance with innovation across our product portfolio.
Putting Circularity into Motion
What makes this initiative unique is what happens after the railcars leave our manufacturing facilities.
Once delivered, the railcars go straight to work for Alter Trading Corporation, transporting recycled metals, including end-of-life steel. That material is then returned to SSAB’s Iowa facility, where it is remelted and transformed into new steel.
The result is a continuous loop:
- Recycled steel becomes new material
- That material is used to build railcars or other industrial products
- Those railcars help transport more recycled steel
Each cycle reinforces a system where resources are reused again and again, reducing waste and supporting more efficient material use across the value chain.
Why It Matters
This collaboration highlights what’s possible when suppliers, manufacturers and customers align around shared goals. It also reinforces several priorities that guide our work at Greenbrier:
Sustainable sourcing
We continue to explore opportunities to integrate lower-emission, high-strength materials, such as SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Strenx™ steel, into our manufacturing processes where feasible for our customers.
Circular thinking
Designing products that support material reuse helps extend the life of valuable resources and reduce waste across industries.
Product innovation
Working with advanced materials enables us to enhance railcar performance while meeting evolving customer needs.
Building on a Strong Foundation
Greenbrier has a long history of leveraging advanced materials to improve railcar performance, from lighter-weight designs to higher-capacity, more durable equipment. This initiative builds on that foundation by connecting material innovation with a closed-loop application that extends far beyond a single product.
When every step from sourcing to manufacturing to end use, is aligned, we can create solutions that deliver lasting value for our customers, our partners and the industries we serve.
Source: Greenbrier