Steel vs. aluminum – why we choose steel for our van racking

At System Edström, we have extensive experience in van racking, and our philosophy regarding material choice is simple: steel is our primary material. Here, we explain why steel is the foundation of our van racking and compare steel and aluminum in terms of durability, weight, and climate impact.

Steel is built for tough workdays

A commercial vehicle is subjected to significant strain on a daily basis. Tools, machinery, and materials must be transported safely, often over many years.

Steel features high strength and excellent wear resistance, making the material exceptionally well suited for van racking where high load capacity and a long service life are crucial. The structure maintains its stability even under heavy loads.

Aluminum weighs significantly less than steel, but it also has lower strength. To achieve the same load-bearing capacity, more material is required, which offsets part of the weight advantage.

SSAB Zero™ – an example of our sustainability work

As part of our sustainability efforts, we now use SSAB Zero™ in our drop-front shelving. By combining recycled steel with a new product design, we have developed lighter drop-front shelves with a lower climate impact, without compromising on quality or durability.

Our new design for drop-front shelves has enabled us to:

reduce weight by 35%
save around 21 tonnes of steel per year
reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 65 tonnes per year

Together with SSAB and our supplier Excellent, we demonstrate how the right choice of material and smart product development can make a real difference. Read more in our case study with SSAB where they highlight our green initiatives.

Material choice affects the climate

The choice of material is not only about function and performance; it also affects the product’s carbon footprint. Aluminum is produced from bauxite, and its production is generally more energy-intensive than steelmaking.

In our report, we compared the energy required to produce steel and aluminum. The calculations show that it takes approximately:

6–7 MWh of energy to produce one tonne of steel
around 13 MWh of energy to produce one tonne of aluminum

This means that in many cases, aluminum has a larger carbon footprint right from the production phase.

Shorter supply chains also make a difference

Environmental impact is not just about how materials are produced, but also about how far they are transported.

Sweden has a long tradition of steel manufacturing and a well-developed network of suppliers. This enables us to select steel with shorter transport distances and an efficient recycling chain.

Aluminum, on the other hand, is produced from bauxite mined in areas including Australia, South America, and West and Central Africa. The raw material is then transported through several stages before becoming finished aluminum, often resulting in longer and more complex supply chains.

Shorter transport distances contribute to lower climate impact and make it easier for us to offer more sustainable van racking throughout the entire value chain.