Greenbrier, SSAB and Alter apply "closed loop" recycling to rail-car production

The Greenbrier Cos. Inc. announced Aug. 20 the completion of 50 gondola rail cars built as part of a new circular economy collaboration with SSAB Americas (SSAB) and Alter Trading Corp. (Alter).

The rail cars were manufactured using SSAB Zero™ steel, produced from recycled steel using fossil-free electricity and designed to achieve near-zero fossil carbon emissions. Alter will use the cars to transport recycled metals, including end-of-life steel, to SSAB's steelmaking facility in Iowa. There, the material will be melted and transformed into new lower-emissions steel products.

"This collaboration demonstrates the power of innovation across the supply chain," said Brian Comstock, Greenbrier executive vice president and president, The Americas, in a press release. "These rail cars represent more than a transportation solution—they are part of a circular system that connects steel production, recycling and manufacturing."

In addition to utilizing SSAB Zero™ steel, Greenbrier also incorporated high-strength steel to reduce car weight while maintaining structural integrity and enhancing durability. The lighter-weight design increases payload capacity, improves transportation efficiency, and helps reduce lifecycle emissions, Greenbrier officials said.

The effort demonstrates how lower-emissions steel, innovative rail-car design, and closed-loop recycling can work together to reduce environmental impact while supporting industrial supply chains, they added.