Vallourec's aim is to minimise the impact of its technologies and activities on the environment at all levels. Our improvement programmes specifically aim to reduce water consumption, discharges and energy, as well as convert as much of our waste as possible. As a matter of fact, all measurement indices for pollutants discharged into the natural environment are lower than those required by the statutory standards and regulations in force and, in a general manner, have shown a continuous improvement over the last few years.

The international growth of Vallourec, which now produces in a large number of countries, including Germany, the United States, Brazil and China, has resulted in our developing a great deal of experience in the environmental sector and the development of clean technologies. Leading the way, water management in Germany, energy savings in France and reduced emissions of greenhouse gases in Brazil have all contributed to raising the entire Group to a higher level.

Over and above compliance with the relevant laws, regulations and standards which, it goes without saying, is a prerequisite, our progress in the area of sustainable development has led to the application of the following principles:
 - development of local initiatives,
 - selection and application of best practices,
 - rigorous measurement of progress,
 - respect of personnel, working conditions and the environment.

As an integral part of its strategy, Vallourec has set up an efficient environmental management system within each of the Group's companies. To this end, several important Vallourec sites in France, Germany and Brazil are now ISO 14001 certified, and others are preparing for certification. Such recognition is the reward for a general policy that places people and the respect for their environment at the heart of the Group's concerns.

Vallourec’s sustainable development charter illustrates this commitment:

Download Vallourec’s sustainable development charter 

Download 2008 Environment report 

The Group's capital expenditure directly related to the environment represents mora than 10% of total capital expenditure.

Vallourec continues to develop new products within an eco-design framework that is consistent with the changing requirements of sustainable development and that contributes to preserving and protecting the soil, air and water. A large number of the Group's products play a part in reducing environmental problems at its customers' sites: elimination of leaks in offshore oil wells, reduction of the weight of motorised vehicles, and the use of products for waste treatment and the production of drinking water.

The VAM joint, one of the Group's star products in its oil and gas business, is a clean joint because it is completely sealed. This specific quality means that it is particularly used by oil companies for offshore wells. To ensure that its installation fully respects the environment, the Group has developed a new, clean lubricant that simplifies tightening and prevents these premium joints from sticking, while also assuring a perfect metal-to-metal seal. Our teams focussed on creating a semi-liquid lubrication product - a grease-free sprayed wax - leading to the term "dry make-up". It was the ease with which this product can be used that led to its trade name: CLEAN WELL.

The welded titanium tubes produced by Valtimet, resistant to salt water corrosion and extreme temperatures, are particularly appropriate for the water treatment and desalination industry. This is a market undergoing considerable growth to meet an ever-increasing need. It is a market that contributes to meeting the world's water requirements.

Vallourec also helps reduce energy consumption by its decisive contribution to reducing the weight of vehicles. The development of tubular solutions to replace solid parts (chassis and suspension parts, axles, structural parts, etc.) favours fuel savings.

Since its beginnings over a century ago, Vallourec has maintained a long-term approach to its policies. This has inevitably resulted in a sustainable development process applied to all the Group's plants.

Steel: a recyclable material Steel can be 100% recycled. Vallourec also recycles all the scrap produced during the various process stages in its steel works. Ecological steel production in Brazil V & M do BRASIL uses charcoal instead of coke in its blast furnaces. This is the most environmentally-friendly steel making process in the world. In order to produce the charcoal needed for this process, V & M do BRASIL currently cultivates 130,000 hectares of eucalyptus forest which, while growing, consume carbon dioxide (CO²) and produce oxygen, which contributes directly to reducing greenhouse gases. Using charcoal for producing pig iron reduces the amount of CO² released into the atmosphere by 1.8 tonnes for each tonne of steel produced, i.e. around 1 million tonnes of CO² a year in respect of V & M do BRASIL's production. The long-term use of charcoal presents social (employment, health and working conditions), environmental (biodiversity and air quality) and economic advantages. It therefore fulfils the eligibility criteria laid down by the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) and by the Kyoto Protocol. To perpetuate this ecological pig iron making process, V & M do BRASIL plans to: continue to use in its blast furnaces charcoal produced from eucalyptus forests in Minas Gerais, grown and managed in compliance with Forest Stewardship Council and ISO 14001 standards. transform the existing 1,600 charcoal furnaces in order to reduce the emission of methane gas and particles.

Water is an integral part of the manufacturing processes used by Vallourec plants: cooling of tubes, machines and furnaces, treatment of tube surfaces, ultrasound operations during non-destructive testing, hydraulic test benches, degreasing and cleaning technologies for tubular products. The reduction of its water consumption currently is a major objective for the Vallourec group. Key measures taken are: rinse cascade systems for surface treatments, replacement of mains supply water by much cheaper filtered surface water, recycling of wastewater by, for example, using an evaporator, closed circuits.

To reduce emissions into the atmosphere, especially those resulting from heat and surface treatments, Vallourec is installing collection and treatment systems and conducting economic and engineering studies to choose better products and alternative processes. A vast programme aiming to reduce greenhouse gases, mainly produced by furnaces, has been set up by the heat engineering team at our research centre. This approach allows us to incorporate maintenance and productivity improvements in this energy savings research.

A few examples of how special industrial wastes are converted: sludges resulting from hot rolling, and hydroxide sludge produced by surface treatment units: converted in cement plants, zinc dust (steel production): heavy metals recuperation channel, slag (steel production): conversion, used solvents: regeneration by the supplier of the solvents

By the end of 2005, most of the Group’s companies have conducted or are conducting soil surveys. Not a single site is classified as being in need of a pollution clean-up. In addition, Vallourec is carrying out an ongoing rehabilitation programme on its old production sites and all its industrial sites. For example in France the rehabilitation of the Montbard site (Côte d'Or), which covers 22 hectares and lies to either side of the Paris-Dijon rail link, and in Brazil, the rehabilitation of a site polluted by the plant’s sludge in Belo Horizonte (Minas-Gerais).

In all our divisions, dedicated teams are advancing sustainable development within the Vallourec group. In France, the Environment Department is in charge of coordinating environmental management measures and reports to the Group’s Industrial Policy Management. It directly employs the equivalent of thirty people and works with specific contacts at each site who are responsible for applying corporate policy and developing a continuous improvement policy in the workshops and offices. Structures identical to those that exist in the French Environment Department can be found in Germany, Brazil and the United States. Coordinated by the French Environment Management, the links among these units have continued to grow, resulting in the achievement of reciprocal progress.