Salzgitter Group receives material approval for SECURE 500® protection steel

• SECURE 500^® meets the requirements of Technical Delivery Conditions 2350-0000 in 6–16 mm dimensions and is therefore approved for use by the German Armed Forces.
• The Group has strengthened its position in the growing market for military applications with this successful certification.

Salzgitter, Germany. The Salzgitter Group, together with its subsidiary, Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH, has received approval from the German Military Technical Center 91 (WTD 91) in accordance with TL (Technical Delivery Conditions) 2350-0000. This officially approves steel grade SECURE 500^® in thicknesses from 6 to 16 mm for military use, for example, in vehicles or protective systems. During intensive testing, weldability and behavior under fire and blast were evaluated, among other aspects. The approval confirms the high quality and reliability of the steel and underlines Salzgitter AG's expertise as a partner for demanding defense applications.

Growing demand for materials for defense

By expanding its portfolio, Salzgitter AG is responding to the growing demand in the security and defense sector. “Ongoing and intensifying geopolitical crises have made it clear that security and freedom in Europe should not be taken for granted. Europe must be capable of defending itself. As a steel and technology group, we see it as our responsibility to make our contribution to the defense capability of our society in the form of steel for protection and armor purposes,” points out Thorsten Moellmann, Head of Corporate Communications and responsible for the Group-wide defense task force.

Manufacturing expertise for high-strength steels

A prerequisite for protection against ballistic threats is a high level of steel hardness. The greater the hardness, the better the protection capability against ballistic attack.

Thorsten Gintaut, Managing Director Sales Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH: “With our state-of-the-art heat treatment facility in Ilsenburg, we can produce extremely strong steels with outstanding surface quality and dimensional accuracy. Our SECURE 500^® steels are quenched and tempered and feature a fine martensitic microstructure. With the granting of TL approval, these steels are now also approved for use by the German Armed Forces – this is a great success after extensive testing.”

Salzgitter AG is already in the approval process for additional steel grades and, following final assessment by the German Armed Forces, will be able to offer the complete SECURE product family for military applications.