To understand the importance of steel, we need only imagine a world without it. Construction, transport and many of the objects we use every day would not be the same, or perhaps not exist at all. Our daily lives would be completely different. This is why we can certainly claim that steel generally provides us with a more comfortable and safer life.
With nearly 1.9 billion tonnes produced each year[1], steel is one of the most widely used manufactured materials after concrete. Its use is widespread: from the cages that hold the corks of sparkling wine bottles to the framework of skyscrapers, from road paving to components for furniture and accessories, steel is a key element in buildings, infrastructure, transport, machinery and everyday consumer goods.
Thousands of steel applications
The proliferation of increasingly high and spectacular buildings, coupled with the creation of modern and spectacular infrastructures, underlines the importance of steel in the construction industry. In fact, more than 50% of the steel produced is used in construction. Steel also plays a key role in the transport sector, where it is used for about 17% (of which 12% in the automotive industry, where it accounts for half of the components in a car[1]). Other important sectors are mechanical equipment (16%) and metal objects. Last but not least, roughly 2% is used in the manufacture of household appliances.
Pittini steel for construction and mechanical engineering
The steel produced by the Pittini Group – approximately three million tonnes a year – is used in a wide range of applications, from the construction and infrastructure sectors to the mechanical and welding industries. PITTINI steel is at the core of major infrastructure projects, such as the Naples-Bari high-speed railway line, the Vienna Metro and the Storstrøm bridge in Denmark. Not only is PITTINI steel used in major works, but it is also present in the objects that surround us on a daily basis, such as kitchen grills and the cages that hold the corks of sparkling wine bottles.
You can learn about the applications of our steel on the #BeAhead blog.
[1] World Steel Association, World Steel in Figures, 2023
[2] The figures on steel use are drawn from World Steel in Figures, 2023
[3] World Steel Association, The White book of steel, 2012