Through creative environments that relate to the ecosystem, ArcelorMittal encourages and supports the development of innovative ideas to improve internal processes for both products and services, and also to contribute to global efforts on challenges being faced by humanity.
ArcelorMittal Brasil was recognized, for the second time in a row, in the Ranking 100 Open Startups. In the 2020 edition, the company reached the 2nd place among 1,635 participating companies. The steel producer was awarded for the open innovation initiatives conducted through Açolab - the 1st innovation hub of the steel industry in the world. The company was also the leader in the “Mining and Metals” category. 100 Open Startups is a platform that connects startups, large companies, executives, scientists and governments, leveraging business opportunities that impact the real challenges of society and the market.
Learn more about some of the initiatives that reinforce the way we perform.
Açolab
Pioneering initiative in the domestic steel industry and within the ArcelorMittal Group, Açolab was inaugurated in June/2018, in Nova Lima (MG), with the purpose of accelerating the development of innovative solutions and boosting cultural modelling through a co-creation approach, using agile methodologies and encouraging people's innovative DNA.
Local benchmark of the innovation ecosystem, Açolab gathers employees, customers, startups, researchers and students with a strategy based on four pillars: strengthen the culture of innovation, develop high value-added projects, capture lines of funding, and strategic relationship.
Projects accelerated with Açolab’s support cover the entire business chain, from steel production to sales, also including support processes. The agile methodology used is customer-oriented, valuing people and the innovation ecosystem, and seeking value-added solutions to all of those involved.
Learn more about Açolab
"Building Tomorrow" course
In 2019, an agreement was signed with the University of São Paulo (USP) to launch the course “Building Tomorrow”, an initiative to increase the industrialization and productivity of the Construction segment, with innovation and sustainability throughout its entire chain. The partnership promotes reflections, research, activities, training of professionals and attraction of new talents to the construction market.
One of the first initiatives of the agreement is the construction of a new building for the Sustainable Building Innovation Centre (CICS - Centro de Inovação em Construção Sustentável), a “living lab” that will apply the best construction solutions in the market. The CICS will be a space where the effectiveness of different building solutions can be demonstrated, tested and optimized, under real conditions of use, before they are introduced to the market.
Research & Development Centre (R&D Centre)
Opened in 2015, with headquarters at ArcelorMittal Tubarão unit, in Vitória (ES), this is the Group’s 12th R&D Center. Around US$ 20 million are invested - budget 2015-2019 - to meet flat and long carbon innovation demands in South America on three topics:
- Product development;
- Process development;
- Customer service.
The research team works closely with the other R&D centres of the Group and supports, through partnerships, the work developed by local academic institutions. Their focus is on searching for innovations that increase competitiveness and add even greater value to the Company's products, streamlining the implementation of the Group's innovations and solutions in Brazil.
The lines of research are dedicated to developing cleaner processes, expanding customer service and technical assistance, and developing new applications for various sectors, such as: automotive, machine and equipment, energy (oil and gas pipelines, offshore structures, wind towers), construction and household appliances.
CIAMI
The ArcelorMittal Innovation Center for the Industry (CIAMI - Centro de Inovação da ArcelorMittal para a Indústria) was created in Belo Horizonte through an agreement with the Federation of Industries of Minas Gerais state (FIEMG) and the Industrial Learning Service of the State of Minas Gerais (SENAI - MG). Coordinated by Açolab, it enables a direct interface with ArcelorMittal and the various ecosystem agents in order to streamline the development of research and products for the industry.
Innovation Engineering
Startup created in partnership with Impacto to develop innovative construction solutions and ensure greater productivity and efficiency on the construction site. The initiative involves a team of design engineers, dedicated and able to apply ArcelorMittal’s best structural solutions in line with our customers’ challenges and needs. By focusing mainly on the industrialization of the construction site, using pre-assembled concrete solutions, with BIM tools and 3D visualization, it will be possible to enhance integration between the steel industry, designers, works and service centres.
Program iNO.VC
Finding partnerships for more efficient solutions in the value and production chains for the Flat Carbon segment of the ArcelorMittal group in Brazil. That is the purpose of the digital innovation program iNO.VC, which is intended to be an actual collaborative platform that connects the flat carbon segment to a network of universities, initiatives and startups.
Learn more about iNO.VC