A female cyclist rides through town with cars, a bus and pedestrians in the background.

What we do

Circular economy

Sustainability

A world where valuable resources never go to waste

As the global population grows and consumption increases, the pressure on valuable resources is greater than ever. To address this challenge, we need to create a circular economy that makes better use of our limited natural resources and valuable materials.

To create a circular economy, society has to minimize unnecessary waste of resources, and extend the lifetime of our products and materials for as long as possible. Innovation and technology are enabling new business models, where business value and efficient resource utilization go hand in hand. At the Stena Metall Group, we take an active part in driving this transition, continuously developing our circular services and products in close collaboration with customers and other business partners.

Re-creating the future

What is the circular economy?

The Circular Economy is a model for production and consumption that aims to extend the lifecycle of products and materials as much as possible, as well as reducing waste to a minimum. This can be done through several different measures, including reducing unnecessary consumption and waste, but also through refurbishing, reusing and recycling existing products and materials.

By extending the lifetime of products and materials, their value is maintained for much longer, which has both economic and environmental benefits. Extracting and processing virgin raw materials has a significant impact on the environment as nearly half of global greenhouse gas emissions stem from the way we make and use products, materials, and food.

To address these emissions, we need to move away from the current linear economy that dominates global consumption patterns, which is based on a take-make-waste approach towards material resources. In addition to causing high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, the linear economy also leads to risk of resource scarcity and increasing waste levels.

By transitioning towards a circular economy, we can make much better use of our existing resources, derive more value, and at the same time create more sustainable systems for production and consumption – benefiting both people and the planet.

A close-up image of the girders of a bridge.

Meeting the challenges

In the transition to a circular economy there are cultural, legal, technical and economic barriers to overcome.

The shift from linear value chains to circular value cycles requires challenging the status quo, and re-evaluating production and consumption systems that have dominated for decades and led to a take-make-waste society. Finding new and creative solutions to make better use of the resources already in circulation requires creativity, innovation, and the courage to drive change.

A team of industry experts discuss circular solutions at theStena Metall Group Circular Initiative event.

Working together for change

Today, there is a strong desire for collaboration between different stakeholders to meet these challenges.

The business community has a unique opportunity to bring about change, even before legislators make their move. The Stena Metall Group is taking a hands-on approach towards a circular economy through innovative collaborations with customers and dialogue with policymakers. One example is the Circular Initiative, a collaborative arena led by Stena Recycling. The annual event gathers pioneering leaders from industry, tech, business, academia, and politics with the aim to initiate collaboration, highlight common goals, and support cross-company actions for more circular solutions and material flows in Swedish industry.

Stena Metall and the circular economy

Since its inception in 1939, the core business of the Stena Metall Group has been focused around caring for resources.

Stena Recycling, the Group's recycling operations in which used products and materials are collected, recycled and returned back into the loop, plays a central role in contributing to a circular economy. Collecting and refining large amounts of waste and supplying recycled raw materials to industries also offer significant climate benefits compared to the extraction and production of virgin resources. Through Stena Circular Consulting - an international consulting business that is part of Stena Recycling - customers are supported in their transition towards sustainable, circular business models that are designed to deliver the greatest environmental and economic value.

In addition, Stena Metall contributes through services aimed at creating more efficient and circular resource utilization in the design and manufacturing of products. Business areas within the Group provide sustainable steel and aluminium that can be recycled again and again, while Stena Nordic Recycling Center takes industrial recycling and circular processes to the next level.

A truly circular economy will not be achieved unless companies collaborate with consumers to build partnerships that consider the whole lifecycle of products and processes. Through this type of collaboration, value can be created at every stage of the cycle, leading to reduced climate impact and improved resource utilization. Through expertise, innovative technologies and close collaboration with customers, Stena Metall is a part of this development.