Tata Steel Nederland has opened a REACH compliant TCCT coating line in Ijmuiden, marking a final step in completing a multi-year investment program to expand Protact polymer coated steel production in IJmuiden.
With this new line Tata Steel Nederland is among the first packaging steel producers in Europe to better protect its workers and comply with upcoming REACH legislation. TCCT, Trivalent Chromium Coating Technology, has been developed by Tata Steel Nederland and will be the preferred substrate for Protact, its future-ready polymer-coated packaging steel.
The opening of the TCCT line marks the completion of Tata Steel’s strategic programme in IJmuiden, reinforcing its commitment to innovation and sustainability. Following a two-year construction period, the launch of the production line was celebrated in the presence of global customers. The brand new TCCT production line will manufacture the chromium coated substrate for our Protact products.
With this launch Tata Steel has now efficiently integrated steel substrate production, film-making, and lamination at one site. This enables Tata Steel to supply future-ready packaging steel in combination with unmatched efficiency and flexibility to meet the growing demand for high-performance steel for packaging across multiple market segments.
“Future steel for packaging needs to be better for the planet, meet all legislation, improve can making efficiency and perform better on the shelf. Protact TCCT meets all these requirements. Tata Steel Nederland has actively invested in advanced packaging steel production lines to facilitate a more sustainable packaging future in our industry. With Protact TCCT, enabled by the completion of our state-of-the-art TCCT line in IJmuiden, this future starts today,” said Peter Bernscher, chief commercial officer and Member of the Board.
Steel packaging
Protact TCCT is designed to meet the evolving needs of the packaging industry. The pre-coated Protact material significantly simplifies the can making process, delivering substantial efficiency benefits to can makers. It is a tin- and lacquer free product, which saves can makers curing the material after lacquering. No lacquering enables a significant reduction in natural gas consumption, which can be a key step in a can makers’ journey towards becoming carbon neutral.
Also, the release of VOCs into the atmosphere as well as water consumption can be reduced. The Protact polymer coating has a simple chemistry, is food safe (free of BPA and PFAS) and fully complies with regulatory requirements. Protact TCCT is available for a wide range of applications, such as food cans and aerosols for food- and industrial fill goods.
Already commercially successful in various segments, can makers and brand owners report multiple benefits including product rationalisation, improved lead times and enhanced future readiness. Additionally, many of the current lengthy and time-consuming new lacquer homologation processes at can makers are saved.
“The use of hexavalent chromium is likely to get banned in Europe through REACH legislation to better protect our workers After years of research, intensive testing and optimised process conditions for high speed production Tata Steel Nederland has developed a new technology TCCT: Trivalent Chromium Coating Technology. This non-hazardous trivalent chromium chemistry is the first new metal coating for packaging steels in 50 years. TCCT is proven technology which is safer for our employees and fully compliant with European REACH legislation. Protact TCCT reflects our commitment to safety, sustainability, and innovation for the future of steel,” said Ilja Portegies Zwart, head of technical packaging and plating.
