ArcelorMittal to open Brazilian R&D centre this month

Steel innovation for the automotive, energy, machinery and white goods industries will be the chief role of a new research and development centre in Brazil.

ArcelorMittal Tubarao, the Brazilian arm of the world’s biggest steel company, plans to open the global company’s 12th R&D centre this month.

An investment of US$20 million over the next five years will enable the new centre to focus on product and process development and customer services for both long and flat carbon steel.

According to ArcelorMittal, the work to be carried out at the new R&D centre will complement that of existing facilities around the world and will support three strategic pillars of the ArcelorMittal Group: quality; sustainability; and safety.

Charles Martins, the new research centre manager, said that the new facility would ensure competitiveness and speed up the implementation in Brazil of innovations and solutions from across the ArcelorMittal group of companies.

Martins added that ArcelorMittal viewed Brazil and other South American countries as important markets with long-term growth prospects.