ArcelorMittal received two notable honors from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) at the annual Better Buildings Summit.

ArcelorMittal Cleveland was formally recognized for attaining DOE’s 50001 Ready designation for the facility’s energy-management system. ArcelorMittal Cleveland is the first integrated steelmaking facility in the country to receive the 50001 Ready designation. ArcelorMittal USA, a DOE Better Plants partner since 2013, was also announced as a 2018 winner of the department’s “Better Practice Award” for the company’s Energy Management Toolbox.

Both honors support ArcelorMittal USA’s pledge to the DOE’s Better Plants program to improve energy intensity–the amount of energy used to produce a ton of steel–across 12 facilities by 10 percent by 2023.

ArcelorMittal Cleveland designated 50001 Ready

Rob Ivester, director at the Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office, presented the 50001 Ready certificate to Mike Madar, vice president and general manager, ArcelorMittal Cleveland, noting that the Cleveland plant is the first of its kind to be named 50001 Ready.

The 50001 Ready program recognizes facilities that voluntarily practice ISO 50001-based energy management. It focuses on significant energy users and encourages facilities to develop systems and methods to be more energy efficient.

To receive the 50001 Ready designation, the DOE provided a tool, the 50001 Ready Navigator, through which ArcelorMittal Cleveland self-assessed its progress in four energy topic areas: planning, energy review, continual improvement and system management. The facility also pledged to maintain a formal business practice around energy.

“ArcelorMittal Cleveland has focused on improved productivity by incorporating 50001 Ready into its corporate culture as it manages energy and seeks means to increase competitiveness in the domestic steel market by controlling cost,” Ivester said “The commitment of executive management and plant staff led to a robust energy management system that will deliver sustained energy and cost benefits for years to come.”   

ArcelorMittal Cleveland’s energy engineer Rishabh Bahel led the plant team through the 50001 Ready process: “Many of our automotive customers are ISO 50001 certified and have highly accomplished energy management programs in place. Getting this designation makes ArcelorMittal Cleveland more competitive in the marketplace. We are proud that our plant was the first ArcelorMittal facility to take on the challenge and be recognized as 50001 Ready.”

Better Practice Award for ArcelorMittal USA’s Energy Management Toolbox

ArcelorMittal USA was also recognized as a winner of DOE’s competitive “Better Practice Award” which recognizes efforts to drive organizational and cultural changes to impact energy efficiency.

ArcelorMittal received the award for its “energy management toolbox,” which represents an organization-wide approach to engaging and equipping people at all levels of the company, across 12 facilities, to pursue energy improvements.

“One of the biggest tools in our tool box is our employees. We call it the ‘Power of 1.’ One person, or one team, can truly make a difference in energy reduction at ArcelorMittal,” said Larry Fabina, manager of continuous improvement, ArcelorMittal USA.

“We appreciate all of our partners, and we realize that they’ve made a commitment. It’s not just one or two people in the organization–that’s the best part about it–they’ve gotten a commitment from their top management as well as the people on the frontlines,” said Peter Langlois, program manager, advanced manufacturing office, U.S. Department of Energy.

Other winners of this year’s Better Practice Award included: Owens Corning, TE Connectivity, Celanese, Quad Graphics, and Ingersoll-Rand.

Click here for more information.

Network with energy-efficiency experts at the 2018 Smart Industry Conference. Click here to learn more.